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Pininfarina launches Classiche certification program for vintage cars

Pininfarina is focused on its future as a carmaker, but it's not forgetting about its past as a design house and contract manufacturer. The brand launched a certification program called Pininfarina Classiche that aims to give enthusiasts valuable details about their vintage car. Only two cars will initially be certifiable by Pininfarina: the four evolutions of the Alfa Romeo Spider built between 1966 and 1993 and the different versions of the Fiat 124 Spider sold from 1966 to 1985. Pininfarina designed both roadsters, and it notably took over production and sales of the Fiat model in 1982. American sales of the Pininfarina-badged Spider started for 1984 following Fiat's exit from our market. The certification service aims to provide collectors with production-related data about their car. This includes the chassis number, the market it was built for, the original paint and upholstery colors, the date that the car left Pininfarina's factory, as well as any and all other details that are available, such as the engine number and, for convertibles, the color of the soft top. Pininfarina notes that it waited until 2024 to offer this service because providing it required cataloging its archives, which took about two years, and using an archive management software. Enthusiasts who want to get their car certified need to reach out to Pininfarina. The firm will look through its archives and give the customer a list of what's available. The certification costs ˆ400 (about $430) for cars built before 1980 and ˆ300 (around $330) for post-1980 models.  Pininfarina has designed and built dozens of cars since its inception in 1930, and it plans to expand its Classiche service in the near future. It notes that its archives department includes production serial numbers for over 700,000 cars and more than 20,000 historical documents such as design sketches, technical blueprints, photos taken on the assembly line, and correspondence with the carmakers it worked with. Related video: Featured Gallery Pininfarina classics View 11 Photos Alfa Romeo Fiat Convertible Classics PininFarina

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:

Stellantis announces ‘Circular Economy’ business to drive revenue, decarbonization

Stellantis has already announced its plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. Today, the automaker has announced a new business unit to help it reach that goal while generating 2 billion euros per year in revenue by 2030. The “Circular Economy” business will help make revenue less dependent on finite, rare and ecologically problematic materials. The Circular Economy model features what Stellantis calls a “4R” strategy, comprising remanufacturing, repair, reuse and recycling. The goal is to make materials last as long as they can, reducing reliance on the acquisition of those precious new materials in the future by returning them to the business loop when theyÂ’ve reached the end of their first life. Through these processes, Stellantis says it can save up to 80% raw material and 50% energy compared to manufacturing a new part. Remanufacturing, or “reman” in Stellantis shorthand, means dismantling, cleaning and rebuilding parts to OEM spec. Nearly 12,000 remanufactured parts are available for customers to purchase. Some remanufacturing is done in-house, and some with partners and through joint ventures. Repair is pretty obvious — fixing parts to put back into vehicles. This also consists of reconditioning, to make a vehicle feel like new. Stellantis boasts 21 “e-repair” centers for repairing electric vehicle batteries.  Reuse refers to parts still in good condition from end-of-life vehicles sold as-is. Stellantis says it has 4.5 million multi-brand parts in inventory. These are sold in 155 countries through the B-Parts e-commerce platform. Reuse also refers second-life options, such as using batteries outside of automotive purposes. Recycling involves dismantling parts and scraps back into raw material form that is then looped back into the manufacturing process. Stellantis says it has collected 1 million parts for recycling in the past six months. Recycling doesnÂ’t get counted in that aforementioned 2 billion euros of revenue, but it does save the company money on acquisition of raw materials. As for batteries, specifically, Stellantis expects this recycling business to ramp up after 2030, when the packs currently in service begin to reach the end of their lifecycle. Stellantis will use its new “SUSTAINera” label to denote parts that are offered as part of its Circular Economy business.