Fiat 500 Lounge Hatchback 2-door on 2040-cars

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This sweet Fiat 500 Lego kit could be a reality if it gets enough support

Lego has been on a roll the last couple years with kits for automotive gearheads, and there's no end in sight. The company just released a sweet VW Beetle kit and will soon launch a Caterham kit. That's no reason not to ask for more though, so we encourage you to support this Fiat 500 project. The project is on the Lego Ideas website, where people can upload projects to share with other builders. The website also lets people support their favorite projects, and with enough votes, the kit will officially be considered for production. In fact, that's what happened with the aforementioned Caterham kit. Why support this Fiat project, though? Well, just look at it. The quality is excellent, which is evident by how well the compact and curvy lines of the little Italian are captured in the blocky medium. It also has all the details consistent with Lego's most recent kits such as badge and license plate stickers, a comprehensive interior with pedals and tilting seats, opening doors, and a tiny brick version of the two-cylinder engine. The creator, who interestingly goes by the name saabfan, also added special touches like a removable luggage rack and a sunroof that can be opened up. And wouldn't the Fiat 500 be an excellent complement to Lego's Beetle and Mini Cooper kits? Even if this project receives enough support, it's no guarantee that it will make it to production. Licensing would be a big road block to a retail release, but it's not impossible. So check out the video above to see some of the great details, and head over to the project page to vote for it. Related Video: News Source: saabfan / Lego IdeasImage Credit: Gabrele Zannotti Toys/Games Fiat Hatchback Videos Lego cinquecento lego ideas

Google-FCA deal is a coup for both sides

FCA made a savvy play this week to team with internet giant Google. It's not as sexy as partnering with Apple, but it's almost as good. This move positions FCA to expand its capabilities in the autonomous driving field, and connecting with Google could boost the automaker's image. FCA will provide Google with about 100 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans specially developed for autonomous testing. Google will integrate its sensors and computers into the vehicles. They'll work together at a site in Southeast Michigan and test the prototypes on Google's private test track in California. It's looks like an equitable deal and a win for both sides. "This marks a watershed event for the auto industry on two major levels: contract manufacturing for high tech firms and allowing such firms a clear pathway into the brain of the car," Morgan Stanley researchers said in a note. Don't underestimate how big this is for Google. The deal more than doubles the size of the tech firm's fleet, and does so with the Pacifica, a potentially segment-defining entry. Currently, it's using Lexus vehicles and other modified prototypes as testers. Though FCA is the smallest of Detroit's carmakers, it's also viewed as nimble and willing to embrace change. The Jeep and Ram divisions are as strong as any brand in the industry, and the Hellcats and Viper reinforce FCA's enthusiast cred. Google doesn't need those things, but they're pretty cool associations, nonetheless. If Ferrari can try to position itself as a leather goods maker, Google can have a little octane in its system. While experts expect Google to eventually partner with other automakers or to license its technology (FCA chief Sergio Marchionne reportedly said the deal isn't exclusive), FCA is positioned to get a head start. IHS Automotive predicts there will be 10.5 million self-driving or driverless cars used around the world by 2030. General Motors, Mercedes, Tesla, Volvo, Ford, and others have launched or are planning to roll out their own versions of autonomous driving technology. For now, FCA goes from having no apparent autonomous plans to potentially being among the leaders, and Google secures a legitimate automotive partner. Like we said, it looks like a win-win. NEWS & ANALYSIS News: Sergio Marchionne is taking over the CEO job at Ferrari. Analysis: This is a consolidation of Marchionne's power over the famous Italian sports-car maker and racing team.

Tom Hanks' custom 1974 Fiat 126p has sold for $83,500

Actor Tom Hanks has sold his custom 1974 Fiat 126p at auction for $83,500. It's a notable sum for a 23-horsepower Polish-built microcar, but it's not even the most interesting part of the story. That would be how the Saving Private Ryan star came to possess the car, which was never officially sold in the U.S. in the first place. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The "Polski" Fiat 126p was built in Cold War Poland under license from Fiat while the country was still under communist rule. A successor to the original Fiat 500, the model was particularly long-lived. Fiat built about 1.4 million of them in Italy from 1972-1991. However, that number pales in comparison with the estimated 3.3 million additional cars from Bielsko-Biala, Poland, where the car was manufactured until 2000. Cars built in Poland were denoted 126p, and locals nicknamed them "Maluch," or "small one" in Polish. They were still prevalent in former Eastern Bloc nations like Hungary in 2016 when Hanks visited the country. As an apparent joke he posed next to a few street-parked examples that he came across, posting the subsequent photos to Twitter with the caption "So excited about my new car!!" According to The Drive, a Hanks fan named Monika Jaskolska, a resident of Bielsko-Biala, saw the tweets and made it her mission to get one for him. Jaskolska ended up raising enough money, along with corporate sponsors, to not only restore a 126p, but build a custom interior for Toma Hanksa, as he's known as in Polish. Because the Philadelphia actor was known for collecting typewriters, they customized the interior switchgear to resemble keys from a vintage one. Some of the money raised also went to a local pediatric hospital. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The car was given an unveiling ceremony in Poland before it was delivered to Hanks in Los Angeles via cargo jet, just in time for his birthday. In addition to the custom interior, the car features some exclusive badging and a Forrest Gump quote on a plaque affixed to the dashboard, so there's no confusing it with a regular Polski Fiat. Now, however, it's time to move the car on to a new owner. Hanks is donating the full sale amount to Hidden Heroes, which supports military caregivers, the spouses and parents of injured or ill servicemen and servicewomen.