2012 Fiat 500c Gucci Black Convertible on 2040-cars

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Fiat 124 Abarth Spider spied, may get Alfa 4C power

We've long been excited to see, hear, and drive the car that results from the in-process Fiat-Mazda partnership. The Italian brand has had access to the excellent 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata on which to base its own roadster, and the fruits of that labor will soon ripen. Spied here is not only the ensuing Fiat 124, but a hotter Abarth tuned version of the spider. At least, that's what we're hoping. Our spy shooters indicated that the car seen here not only sounded more aggressive than 'standard' 124 mules seen previously, but that it also accelerated away from their long lenses with a smartness. The 124 Spider is already rumored to make use of the 1.4-liter turbo I4 that makes 160 horsepower in the Fiat 500 Abarth, and this version may have a still-more-powerful engine. Another tell about the added output are the quad tailpipes in place of the lesser car's set of two. There's no hard evidence to support exactly which engine might be under the 124's hood, however. It's possible that the 1.7-liter turbo from Alfa Romeo 4C could be in play – with its 237-hp output – as the 124 was originally going to wear an Alfa badge. If that were to happen, however, the Fiat would almost certainly get a dual-clutch transmission instead of the purer manual box. In any event, more details about the car will no doubt crop up closer to the expected reveal this fall. Related Video:

Zender Abarth 500 Corsa Stradale Concept has our attention at last

While this writer knows Zender as the maker of (mostly) fine body kits for German marques such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the company has also been known to make kits for Italian autos. Its latest product, for example, has been applied to the Fiat 500 Abarth, resulting in what it calls the Abarth 500 Corsa Stradale Concept. We're not quite sure how we managed to miss it at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with its bulging fender flares, new front and rear fascias and side skirts, exhaust pipes poking from the bumper/diffuser, 18-inch alloy wheels and huge rear spoiler - but better late than never.
Not only does the kit lend the little Fiat a more aggressive stance, the body pieces also are made of lightweight carbon fiber, which is fitting for a car wearing the Corsa Stradale name (which roughly translates to "Road Race"). Also fitting is the 76-horsepower bump to 236 hp from the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. That substantial power increase comes courtesy of a larger turbocharger, modified pistons and camshafts, revised fuel injection with a bigger fuel pressure regulator, upgraded engine management and a stainless-steel exhaust system. So equipped, Zender claims the Corsa Stradale Concept does 0-62 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, a 0.7-second improvement over the stock Abarth, and 0-124 mph in 24.7 seconds. It continues past the stock Abarth's 130-mph top speed and is claimed to top out at 144 mph.
A reworked height-adjustable coilover suspension helps keep body motions in check, and Zender has also upgraded the interior slightly, with custom sport seats in two-tone leather and stainless-steel pedals and door-sill garnishes.

Chrysler-Fiat quality chief out after another poor Consumer Reports showing

Fiat Chrysler has announced a management change following the company's woeful performance in the latest Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey. Of the 28 brands surveyed, FCA's marques occupied the five the seven lowest scores, while Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat were the four lowest scorers.
Doug Betts, FCA's 51-year-old head of quality "left the company to pursue other interests," which, considering the aforementioned paragraph, means he was sacked. According to Automotive News, Betts joined Chrysler in 2007, defecting from Nissan, and, insiders report, had a somewhat tumultuous relationship with new boss Sergio Marchionne.
His replacement is the newly promoted Matthew Lidane (shown at inset), who was formerly VP of systems and components. Lidane has been at Chrysler since 1987 and was previously chief engineer of the Jeep product team as well as the vehicle line boss for the compact US wide platform which (ironically) underpins two of FCA's lowest scoring vehicles, the Dodge Dart and Jeep Cherokee.