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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #317 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #317 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
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Mitsubishi Mirage

Alfa Romeo planning Giulia GTA to rival M3, C63

What do you think of when you see the letters GTA? The Grand Theft Auto video game franchise? The GTA Spano supercar from Spain? Alfa Romeo enthusiasts remember it as the ultimate badge of performance from the Italian automaker, but while it's been over a decade since those letters appeared on a production Alfa, the latest rumors suggest they could be making a comeback in the form of a new Giulia GTA. Those who've been following developments from Alfa Romeo will know that the company is planning a successor to the beautifully angular 159 with a new Giulia to slot in above the Giulietta five-door hatch, and according to Auto Express, a new GTA version is in the works. Tipped to be powered by an upgraded version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 developed by Ferrari for the Maserati Ghibli, the Giulia GTA is rumored to pack around 500 horsepower (give or take 20 horses) underhood. That would give it a solid output advantage over the 425-hp BMW M3 and 451-hp Mercedes C63 AMG and give Fiat Chrysler Automobiles a performance sedan to challenge the upcoming Cadillac ATS-V and slot in below the bonkers 707-hp Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. Expect other oily bits to include a dual-clutch transmission and limited slip differential, as well as upgraded brakes, rolling stock and aero components. The last time we saw the GTA badge was on the MiTo GTA concept (pictured above) that appeared at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Alfa was said to be considering a 159 GTA, similarly powered by Ferrari, back in 2007, but the rumors didn't come to fruition. The last production model to wear those letters was the 156 GTA that preceded it, with a 3.2-liter V6 that produced 250 hp. The most famous example, however, was the Giulia Sprint GTA produced in the late 1960s... a legend that Alfa appears keen to revive with this new model. Featured Gallery Geneva 2009: Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA News Source: Auto Express Alfa Romeo Performance Sedan alfa romeo giulia

12 new cars that will never go out of style

Some cars never go out of style. It’s rare, but it happens. They get old. They get depreciated. But they never stop looking cool.  Some might call them modern or instant classics. Within a few years theyÂ’re no longer the latest and greatest, no longer the flavor of the month, but they remain special. Eternally special. Timeless.  These cars arenÂ’t necessarily going to be worth a fortune someday. However, some may not depreciate as rapidly or as far as other models. But thatÂ’s not what weÂ’re talking about here. These are the cars that enthusiasts will always find desirable from the curbside. TheyÂ’re the cars you end up shopping on eBay late at night 10 years later because you canÂ’t get them out of your head. TheyÂ’re the cars that will forever excite you when you spot a clean one in traffic or in a parking lot.  There are plenty of recent examples over the past couple of decades that could count as instant design classics. But then we got to thinking, what 2021 models will be forever cool to stare at? Which new cars and trucks on sale today will we be shopping on eBay late at night in the 2030s? We kept supercars and other ultra-expensive cars off the list to keep things within the realm of attainability, and ended up with 12 total cars. Lexus LC WeÂ’re not applying a numerical ranking to any of the cars on this list, but if we were, the Lexus LC would be No. 1. There isnÂ’t another car design out there that can stir our emotions the way an LC can when itÂ’s just standing still. This car is a concept design come true in the most beautiful of ways, and itÂ’s a shoo-in winner for Concours events decades into the future. All of this heaping praise, and we havenÂ’t even gotten to the LC 500Â’s intoxicating 5.0-liter V8. It doesnÂ’t win drag races. It wonÂ’t be the fastest around the track against any similarly-priced competition. But none of that matters. ItÂ’s quite possibly the best car you can buy new, and that says it all when it comes to the LC. Chevrolet Corvette It might not be the stunner that the Lexus LC is, but the new C8 Corvette is and will always be a special vehicle. ItÂ’s the first mid-engine Corvette, which instantly cements it into an automotive hall of fame section of sorts. All of the performance stats and specs are there to back up its supercar-like looks, and it remains the best performance bargain on sale today.