Fiat Look At This One Its Almost New on 2040-cars

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Fiat mulling purchase of MV Agusta?

Apparently to be a cool automaker in Europe, you have to build motorcycles. Volkswagen Group bought Ducati in 2012, and BMW has made bikes longer than it's made cars (until recently, it also owned Husqvarna). Fiat might be the next automaker to get into the two-wheel business, with rumors flying that it is considering buying cash-strapped Italian sportbike brand MV Agusta.
At the moment, it's all still very much a rumor, but the purchase would certainly seem to help the motorcycle company. However, according to Asphalt and Rubber, the business would need a lot of cash to grow and sustain itself. Fiat might not want to invest so much into a brand that may never be a huge moneymaker.
MV Agusta is best known for its racing success in the '50s and '60s. Until Japanese manufacturers took over the sport, the Italian company was one of the fastest things on two wheels, with a long list of championships in various classes. Recently, it was briefly owned by Harley-Davidson.

Abarth 595 50th Anniversary Edition is a birthday present worth waiting for [w/video]

Props must be paid to the people at Abarth, who could've celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 595 - the model that put this performance brand on the map back in the 1960s - with a special edition appearance package and called it a day. But no, that's not how Abarth does things. Instead, it is producing 299 units of this 595 50th Anniversary Edition model that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week, and it's received much more than a new suit for its big 5-0 celebration.
In addition to the matte white finish and historical livery that reinterprets the original car's look, this progeny of the original 595 also receives a substantial bump in power - an increase of 20 horsepower over the standard 500 Abarth for a new total of 180. The upgraded engine is paired with an "Abarth Competizione" transmission, and the sizzling hatchback rides on 17-inch alloy wheels that hide larger Brembo brakes sized 12 inches in diameter. Not that the standard 500 Abarth sounds wimpy (quite the contrary, actually), but the 595 receives a new "Record Monza" variable back-pressure dual-mode exhaust for an even more stirring soundtrack above 3,000 rpm. The interior, meanwhile, is adorned with red leather seats featuring white inserts and red stitching, and a black leather steering wheel with red inserts, as well as its own assortment of historical logos.
The 595 50th Anniversary Edition will be available to order on September 15th, though we expect the entire lot to go quickly and haven't been told yet if any are earmarked for sale in the US. Our fingers are crossed.

Audi rumored to buy Alfa Romeo, officials deny it

For more than two years, Volkswagen has been making public statements about its willingness to buy Alfa Romeo and quadruple the Italian brand's sales, and for just as long, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has replied with some version of "Mr. Piëch, drop it." According to a report in Ward's Auto, all that jousting might be over: it claims that sources close to both Marchionne and Audi CEO Rupert Stadler admit that the two are in talks for Audi to buy not just Alfa Romeo, but a production plant in Italy. In fact, a final deal could possibly include partsmaker Magnetti Marelli.
Against that backdrop, a report by German news weekly Stern quotes a Fiat spokesmen as saying it doesn't comment on rumors and an Audi rep has said flatly that "There is no substance in the news." If a sale is being arranged, the timing would seem to point to how eager Fiat is to raise cash to complete its major initiatives. Even though Alfa Romeo continues to delay its return to the US, it just showed off the production version of the 4C at the Geneva Motor Show (shown above) and said that preferred Fiat dealerships here would get them. Then there's Alfa's recently concluded deal with Mazda to develop a roadster based on the next generation MX-5 Miata - a deal that would seem to help both the Italian and Japanese brands.
The monetary issues are troublesome, though. Fiat is taking a beating in the European market and its weak-kneed balance sheet is delaying gotta-have-it products like the Jeep Cherokee. Fiat has been talking to banks about getting money to buy the rest of Chrysler and those financial institutions have also raised issues about debt and cash reserves, and the nasty game of chess Fiat is playing with the United Auto Workers (and now the court system about the portion of Chrysler it doesn't own) could end up blowing another hole in Marchionne's plans. It is possible that this could finally have convinced Fiat to at least see how serious Audi's parent company, Volkswagen, is about buying Alfa Romeo. Or it could be just another rumor.