2015 Fiat 500 Abarth on 2040-cars

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Marchionne hopes Apple will partner with Fiat

Apple wants to make a car. Fiat already makes cars. Therefore, Apple and Fiat should partner to make an Apple Car. Makes sense, right? Clearly, it's not quite that easy, but FCA chief Sergio Marchionne hopes that Cupertino will consider Fiat a worthy candidate for partnership, assuming, of course, that Apple follows through with its overtures into the automobile industry. Marchionne is, according to Bloomberg, a self-proclaimed "Apple freak" who owns every kind of product Apple makes. He suggests that he understands the tech company's needs and wants. "Apple has a language, and you have to be able to speak that language," said Marchionne. "Usually the industry comes into that dialogue with a high degree of arrogance as we know how to make cars. That's not very helpful as their syntax is worth more than our ability to build cars." By "syntax," we assume Marchionne means Apple's sleek and modern design language more than the code behind its software. It's interesting to note that the FCA CEO seems to indicate that Apple would bring more to any partnership than the automaker would. Fair or not, we'd wager that more buyers would care about a potential Apple Car's design and branding than would be concerned with which automaker helped assembled it. A partnership with Apple may be exactly the kind of cure that the FCA CEO believes ails the auto industry. After finding it impossible to further pursue industry consolidation, a tie-up with the massive tech industry, particularly Apple, could generate some much-needed positive cash flow. At present, though, it's all just conjecture – Apple hasn't offered any hints as to the true nature of its so-called Project Titan automotive project, and doesn't seem likely to anytime soon. Related Video:

Chrysler readying 20 Moparized vehicles for SEMA

The Las Vegas Convention Center has plenty of space for aftermarket companies and automakers to show off their wares, and it looks like Chrysler is taking advantage of the spacious floor plan. At next month's SEMA Show, Chrysler will have a full 20 cars from its six brands decked out with Mopar gear.
As a hint of what is to come, Chrysler released a handful of teaser sketches showing glimpses of modified Jeep Cherokee, Ram 1500, Fiat 500L and Chrysler 300 concept vehicles. The automaker will also use the venue to show off a new line of Jeep Performance Parts offered by the all-new Mopar Off-Road Division. In addition to the images, Chrysler also issued a brief press release - posted below - breaking down some of the "industry-first features" that Mopar has offered in recent years.

Officine Abarth Classiche dedicated to Scorpion heritage

It was only nine years ago that Fiat launched the Abarth brand as its dedicated performance division. But it didn't pull the name and logo out of thin air. Though it was essentially dormant for years, the Scorpion marque has a long history of tuning Italian pocket rockets for both road and race. And now it's launched a dedicated heritage division to manage its considerable history. Opening this week, the new Officine Abarth Classiche program will be responsible, among other things, for the restoration of vintage Abarth vehicles and the certification of their mechanical authenticity. Similar to the Ferrari Classiche department, private owners of classic Abarths will be able to send their pride and joy to the factory for service, maintenance, and restoration at the hands of factory technicians and with the benefit of the company's own archives. Work will be undertaken in a dedicated, thousand-square-foot workshop at the Mirafiori Abarth factory in Turin, and will of course include Abarth-tuned Fiats. But the program is also open to all the various Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Autobianchis, and Cisitalias fettled over the years by the Italian performance studio - to say nothing of the Zagato and Ghia prototypes. Beyond restoration, Officine Abarth Classiche will also organize special events for owners of vintage Abarth machinery, and undertake a comprehensive Abarth registry. It has also commissioned a book on the history of the marque, recreated company founder Carlo Abarth's office at the Mirafiori workshop, and even signed on Carlo's widow Anneliese Abarth to serve as a brand ambassador. It's an ambitious undertaking, and you can read about it in full – along with some history of the name – in the full press release below. Related Video: 18 November 2015 The Great Abarth Classiche Project - The great story of the performances and sporting grandeur of the Scorpion and the records it has broken is celebrated through the ambitious Abarth Classiche initiative.