1972 Fiat 500l on 2040-cars

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Abarth 695 Tributo 131 Rally celebrates Fiat's rally history

Fiat's hugely entertaining 500 Abarth left the American market after the 2019 model year, but the plucky hot hatch is alive and well across the pond. It recently spawned a limited-edition model named 695 Tributo 131 Rally that honors Fiat's past successes on the rallying scene. It's all in the name: the Tributo 131 Rally is a tribute to the 131 Abarth, which won the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1977, 1978 and 1980, and which was driven by highly-respected pilots like Walter Rohrl. The coupe was loosely related to the regular-production 131, which was briefly sold as the Brava in the United States. It's one of the most emblematic rally cars, and it raced for the last time 40 years ago. Although it's not as absurdly eye-catching as some of Abarth's previous limited-edition model, the 695 Tributo 131 Rally is easy to spot in a parking lot. It gets Blue Rally paint, Scorpion Black accents, an adjustable rear spoiler and 17-inch wheels. You should be able to hear it, too, thanks to a Record Monza Sovrapposto exhaust system. The 131's boxy silhouette appears on the decals added to both doors. The black and white treatment continues inside, where Abarth also added Sabelt sport seats, Alcantara upholstery on the dashboard, carbon fiber accents on the steering wheel and an aluminum-look shift knob for the six-speed manual transmission. The 131-shaped logo is found on the front seatbacks and on the passenger-side of the dashboard. Abarth notes that this is its first car with so-called Easter eggs. Power comes from a 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It's the same basic engine that powered the 500 Abarth when it was sold here, but in this application its output has increased to 180 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Hitting 60 mph from a stop takes 6.7 seconds according to the firm, and the hatchback keeps accelerating until it reaches 140 mph. If you're more into winding roads, Abarth added Koni FSD shock absorbers on both axles for sharp handling. A braking system provided by Brembo keeps the power in check. Just 695 units of the Abarth 695 Tributo 131 Rally will be available worldwide, and it goes without saying that none will make the trip to the United States. Pricing in the United Kingdom starts at GBP32,325, a figure that represents about $39,900 at the current conversion rate. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Feds accuse Fiat Chrysler, UAW of conspiring to break labor laws

DETROIT — Top officials of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the United Auto Workers union conspired to violate U.S. labor laws, federal prosecutors alleged in a court document, saying a former executive at the automaker knew bribes paid to union leaders were designed to "grease the skids" in labor negotiations. U.S. Justice Department officials for the first time called the company and the union "co-conspirators" in a document related to a guilty plea agreed by former Fiat Chrysler director of employee relations Michael Brown. The document was filed with the U.S. District Court in Detroit on May 25. Its contents were reported by the Detroit News on Wednesday. Brown pleaded guilty to one count of concealing a felony. The plea agreement stated that he knew Fiat Chrysler executives authorized $1.5 million in improper payments and travel, liquor, cigars and other goods for UAW officials who served on the union's negotiating committee. Prosecutors say FCA executives paid UAW representatives to influence union business. including collective bargaining on contracts ratified in 2011 and 2015. The government contends money was run through the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center, via false charitable donations and training center credit cards. Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne has said in the past that the misconduct "had nothing whatsoever to do with the collective bargaining process" and the "egregious acts were neither known to nor sanctioned" by the company. Fiat Chrysler had no further comment Monday. Outgoing UAW President Dennis Williams told union leaders at a conference in Detroit on Monday "our leadership team had no knowledge of the misconduct — which involved former union members and former auto executives — until it was brought to our attention by the government." Brown pleaded guilty on May 25, according to court documents, and will be sentenced on Sept. 20. Five other people have pleaded guilty in the government's ongoing investigation into the UAW and Fiat Chrysler, including the wife of a late UAW official, two other former UAW employees, former Fiat Chrysler vice president Alphons Iacobelli and another former Fiat Chrysler employee. Reporting By David Shepardson and Nick CareyRelated Video: Government/Legal UAW/Unions Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM FCA

2013 Fiat Panda Antartica is crossover dressed as a penguin in a tuxedo [w/video]

If the results of our totally informal, completely unscientific poll are anything to go by, Americans are eager to get their hands on small utility vehicles like the Fiat Panda. And it's easy to see why - accessibility, relatively low price and 4x4 capability are traits that ought to work in America just as in the rest of the world. Indeed, Fiat has sold 500,000 or so Panda models over the past 30 years all across Europe.
Based on the Panda 4x4 Rock and updated with a special white, black and orange color scheme (called a tuxedo and inspired by a Penguin, apparently), fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels, the Panda Antartica will soon hit European dealerships in limited quantities powered by either an 85-horsepower 900cc TwinAir engine or a 75-hp 1.3-liter diesel.
Take a look at it in our high-res gallery above, and be sure to scroll down below for a press release and the complete Fiat press conference from Frankfurt on video.