2012 Fiat 500 Yellow 12k Glass Roof Auto on 2040-cars

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Mopar highlights wild SEMA creations, AWD Challenger Concept

Thanks to 15,345 square feet of display area, FCA US' Mopar division certainly has ample space to display its parts and accessories at the SEMA Show. To lure attendees to check out all of those cars and components, the company is now revealing ten tuned vehicles for this year's aftermarket event. This isn't even the brand's whole fleet for the show, but it includes some major highlights for Dodge and Ram fans. A lack of traction traditionally makes rear-wheel-drive muscle cars dismal to drive when the weather gets slippery, but the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept (above) solves that age-old problem at SEMA. In addition to powering all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic, it boasts an angry-looking, wide-body kit with aggressively flared wheel arches. The asymmetrical stripe with Header Orange accents also adds some extra panache to the Destroyer Grey and Matte Black color scheme. The coupe can back up the macho look thanks to the Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit that adds 75 horsepower and 44 pound-feet of torque to the 5.7-liter V8. However, before you get too excited about driving one this winter, FCA US spokesperson Ariel Gavilan tells Autoblog: "It is only a concept." Mopar isn't done tuning Dodges for SEMA. The Charger Deep Stage 3 shows what's possible with the company's catalog by packing the Scat Pack 3, strut tower braces, coilover suspension kit, and bigger brakes. Meanwhile, the blacked-out Dart GLH Concept tries to harken back to the style of the famous Omni GLH by fitting a red-accented body kit, including a Mopar Performance aluminum hood. If the standard Ram 1500 Rebel is somehow too subdued, check out the Rebel X (right) in a vibrant shade called Copper. To be ready for anything offroad, it wears some muscular flares to fit 17-inch beadlock wheels and 35-inch Toyo tires. A concept, two-piece front skid plate protects the front. Drivers should also be comfortable no matter where they drive thanks to prototype Katzkin leather seats and a concept air-ride suspension. Chrysler enjoys some mods, as well. The 300 Super S has suave style with Matte Cerulean paint, concept 22-inch wheels, and a grille with little Mopar Ms dotted around it. Performance also sees a boost with a tuned engine, bigger brakes, and coilover kit. The gray 200 S Mopar is similarly stylish with a complete body kit, including a conceptual, dual-vented hood. Fiat and Ram's commercial models aren't left out of the SEMA fun, either.

Fiat shareholders green-light Chrysler merger, end of an Italian era

Fiat has just taken a major step away from its Italian heritage, as shareholders officially approved the company's merger with Chrysler. That move will lead to the formation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, a Dutch company based in Great Britain and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, according to Automotive News Europe.
The company captured the two-thirds majority at a special shareholders meeting, although there are still a few situations that could defeat the movement. According to ANE, roughly eight percent of shareholders opposed the merger, which is a group large enough to defeat the plan, should they all exercise their exit rights outlined in the merger conditions.
Meanwhile, Fiat Chairman John Elkann (pictured above, right, with CEO Sergio Marchionne and Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo), the great-great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli, reaffirmed his family's commitment to the company beyond the merger. Exor, the Agnelli family's holding company, still maintains a 30-percent stake in Fiat.

2016 Fiat 500X joins IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ranks [w/video]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded the Fiat brand its highest honor for the first time, naming the new 500X a Top Safety Pick+. It's only the second vehicle in the FCA empire, after the Chrysler 200, to score so well on the non-profit's crash testing. The 500X got top marks across the board, ranking "Good" on all the crash tests, including the tough small-overlap test. In fact, the only area where the high-riding Fiat was given a demerit was on its optional crash-prevention system. It only scored an "Advanced" rating, rather than the top grade of "Superior" – vehicles need at least an "Advanced" crash prevention rating to earn a TSP+. Of course, the whole reason we cover all these Top Safety Pick stories is so we can post video of the crash tests. The 500X story is no different, as the IIHS gives us its typical multi-angle, slow-motion peek at the small-overlap test for Fiat's new CUV. Check out the video up top. Related Video: New Fiat 500X small SUV earns IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award ARLINGTON, Va. — The new Fiat 500X earns good ratings in all five of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's crashworthiness tests and an advanced rating for front crash prevention. The small SUV qualifies for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. It is the second vehicle from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles after the Chrysler 200 to earn the Institute's highest award for 2015. In the most challenging IIHS evaluation, the small overlap front crash test, the 500X's driver space was maintained reasonably well, with maximum intrusion of 4 inches at the door hinge pillar and instrument panel. The dummy's head contacted the front airbag, though it then moved to the left side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head on the left side. Measures taken from the dummy indicate that injuries to the left lower leg would be possible in a crash of this severity, but the likelihood of other injuries is low. In the moderate overlap test, the only issue was possible injuries to the right foot. There were no problems with the side crash test performance. The vehicle also has good head restraints and seats for whiplash prevention in a rear crash and a good roof strength rating for rollover protection. The 500X has an optional front crash prevention system that earns an advanced rating.