1979 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce For Parts on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ralph Gilles talks minivans, Millennials, mobility, and kissing Alfa Romeos

We sat down with Ralph Gilles, the global head of design for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. The veteran stylist has worked for the company for 25 years, and oversees the design of all of the products in the FCA portfolio – everything from mobility pods to Maseratis. This serves Gilles just fine, as his personal automotive interests are exceedingly diverse. The FCA stand was unusually quiet (until Vice President Joe Biden stopped by at the end of our time there) and Gilles was willing to weigh in on a wide range of subjects. Autoblog: We're seeing all of these autonomous mobility pods like Portal being presented at auto shows like CES or NAIAS, but we're not seeing any adoption of this kind of small vehicle in the market. What's your perspective on our pod-like autonomous future versus our truck-centric present? Ralph Gilles: Obviously I pay attention to the industry as much as your readers and yourself, and everyone has a take on the future. We had a debate, we could have done a supercar or something for pure sex appeal [ apparently that's also in the works], but we chose something practical, to really look at the future in a different perspective. We have these Millennials, a huge swath of people born between 1982 and 2004, and the oldest ones are turning 35 right about now, and a lot of them are having families later in life but when they have them they have a little more buying power, so it makes for an interesting cocktail. The one stipulation we had on the Portal project was that everyone had to be a Millennial to be on the team. So that excluded me, I had more of a coach role on the team. And to your point, the Portal in its current state as you see it is not going to be on the road tomorrow. But there's a lot of ideas, a lot of connectivity ideas, a lot of styling ideas, even lighting and technologies that will absolutely find their way into vehicles in the next few years. AB: Being a Detroiter, all of this attention we've had recently in Vegas, CES – I heard that they're maybe going to be running the show at the same time next year. Do you feel a little protective of the Detroit Show? RG: Yeah, it's something to watch. I hope it's not an aggressive thing on their part, by moving the shows on top of each other. They're both important shows. CES, I've been going to for the last five years, and it's changing. There's a lot more automotive content, but there are a lot more start-ups too, and it's interesting to watch.

The Manhattan Classic Car Club | AutoblogVR

The Manhattan Classic Car Club is a haven for enthusiasts in America's biggest and busiest city. Traffic, taxis, and just people getting you down? Head to the former NYPD horse stables on the banks of the Hudson River for your car fix. Senior Editor Greg Migliore shows what life is like for members. Sure, they get to drive a fleet of expensive cars, but they also have access to perks like movie nights and other social events. Want to catch a classic film in a classic Bronco? The CCC is the place to be. Greg then hops behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 4C Spider for some rush-hour fun. Across town, motorcycle fans have their own haven, Ryders Alley. Need a place to store or work on your bike? This is your sanctuary. Tucked away in a downtown alley that's nearly impossible to find, Ryders serves the cult of two-wheel enthusiasts in the Big Apple. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski tours the workshop and storage area and takes a few laps around New York in an Indian Scout Sixty. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Alfa Romeo Driving Motorcycle Classics Videos VR Original Video alfa romeo 4c virtual reality 360video

Vintage Alfa Romeo racer leads double life on Petrolicious

Like many of us Bradley Price wanted to go racing, and he didn't have the space or budget to buy both a track toy and a hauler. However, he came up with a far more elegant solution than crowding his garage with extra equipment. Price picked up an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce and started driving it to events in the Vintage Sports Car Club of America. The latest clip from Petrolicious shows his laid back journey on the road for a day of motorsports at Lime Rock Park. Price's simple approach means he just needs to unpack his stuff at the track, and he can be ready for the afternoon. The VSCCA is also the perfect place for this relaxed attitude. According to Price, the events allow a community of racers to enjoy their classic cars together. He admits that no form of motorsports is cheap, but taking things casually makes the situation a little easier. Petrolicious' cinematography and sound mixing also shine in this new video. The camera is right in the action, and it gives the viewer a great look at how these vintage racers slide around.