1981 Red Spider With Many Extra Parts Including Additional Engine on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo's limited Quadrifoglio Carbon Editions start at $86,470 this fall

Alfa Romeo, which is generally fairly conservative about offering upscale “special” editions of its mainstream cars, is giving its customers in North America an exclusive opportunity to order a limited-edition 2024 Giulia or Stelvio Quadrifoglio Carbon Edition. Limited to 130 units combined (!), the Carbon models are essentially a bit of decoration: on the exterior, thereÂ’s a carbon fiber V scudetto grille, mirror caps, gold calipers and black badging. Interior enhancements include sporty interior design touches, such as exclusive red leather sport seats and carbon fiber interior trim. Paint color options are Vulcano Black, Alfa Red or Rosso Etna. Engine specs are borrowed from the recently updated standard models, featuring a turbocharged 2.9-liter six-cylinder engine with 505 horsepower, routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard adaptive suspension. This suspension technology is designed to read the road and quickly adjust shock valving to deliver greater handling characteristics at speed while maintaining a comfortable ride. The models will begin arriving in Alfa Romeo dealerships this quarter with a manufacturerÂ’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $86,470 for Giulia sedan and $93,870 for Stelvio SUV, including a destination fee of $1,595. “WeÂ’re excited to offer our North American consumers further customization with the new Alfa Romeo Carbon Edition, which enhances our sporty-Italian style with a unique and head-turning appearance on top of an unrivaled driving experience,” said Larry Dominique, head of Alfa Romeo, North America. “This limited edition elevates the passion of Alfa Romeo with a beautifully crafted design combined with the unsurpassed performance from our legendary Quadrifoglio models.” Related video: 2020 Alfa Romeo #Giulia Quadrifoglio vs. 2013 Dodge #Challenger SRT8 392 #exhaust comparison

B.A.T. Alfa Trinity, some of the world's most famous concept cars, are up for auction

Of the cars that never saw production, there are a handful that nevertheless have had an outsized influence. Among the most famous are the wild Berlinetta Aerodynamica Technica (B.A.T.) concepts commissioned by Alfa Romeo in the mid-1950s. Three B.A.T. Alfas were created by Italy's Bertone design house and were unveiled at succeeding Turin auto shows in 1953, '54, and '55. The cars are now coming up for auction for the first time as a group at RM Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York on October 28. The first of the trio was B.A.T. 5, which like its successors was built on the Alfa 1900 Sprint production chassis. The goal of the B.A.T. 5 was aerodynamic efficiency, and the car boasted a cD of 0.23. Aiding the cause were covered front wheels, a greenhouse with steeply curved side glass, and twin tail fins. The second concept was B.A.T. 7, from 1954. It has the wildest styling of the trio, with sharply curved tail fins. It also has the lowest drag coefficient, at 0.19. B.A.T. 9, from 1955, was the most production-feasible of the group. It features an Alfa Romeo shield grille at the front and exposed headlights with clear covers. All three are credited to Franco Scaglione, working with Nuccio Bertone. They were seen together for the first time at the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. They would appear together again at Pebble Beach in 2005 and at Bertone's 80th-anniversary celebration in 1992. The cars were acquired by a single owner sometime after their first Pebble Beach appearance. The ability to acquire all three at once is part of what makes this an extraordinary opportunity. The B.A.T. Alfas are being sold as a single lot and are expected to bring between $14 million and $20 million.

Just 45% of Fiat dealers are profitable, and they're angry about it

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On average, Fiat dealers have only been selling about 17 cars a month.
We've been wondering for some time how Fiat dealers in North America have been getting along with just one model range in their showrooms up until recently. Franchisees spent millions building, stocking and manning sleek new 'studio' showrooms, only to have but a single model to sell, the cherubic 500. And even with its many derivatives, the Cinquecento is still an inexpensive model with its attendant lower margins. Perhaps it should come as no surprise then, that just 45 percent of US Fiat dealers are said to be profitable.