1988 Alfa Romeo Spider - Quadrifoglio on 2040-cars

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Fiat gets into the classics game with 'Reloaded by Creators' program

Classic vehicles help modern buyers make new connections to a carmaker's modern offerings. That's why in little more than a month we've seen Jaguar announce a continuation run of the D-Type, Porsche get a show at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, Land Rover plan to restore a Series I, and Jay Leno celebrate the 1942 Dodge Carryall. Fiat Chrysler already has a heritage division, but the vintage department takes a new step into its history with the "Reloaded by Creators" service. Said to be inspired by retail programs at museums, Reloaded by Creators will see FCA Heritage source and buy noteworthy classics from the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Lancia brands, restore them to original spec, then sell them to collectors. When Roberto Giolito, head of FCA Heritage, broke the news at Retromobile in Paris, he also revealed the first five offerings: three "ultimate classics" in the Alfa Spider IV serie (1991), Lancia Fulvia Coupe Montecarlo (1973), Spidereuropa Pininfarina (1981), and two custom cars in the Alfa Romeo SZ (1989) and Lancia Appia Coupe (1959). The ultimate classics represent the last of their kind to be built, not necessarily according to model year, but with respect to design and engineering - no major model changes followed. The Lancia Fulvia Coupe ceased production in 1976; the limited edition 1973 Montecarlo model celebrated the car's victory in the 1972 Montecarlo Rally and still wears the original license plates. The 1981 Spidereuropa Pininfarina comes from the beginning of the end of production; after building the Fiat 124 Sport Spider for US-only sale from 1975 to 1983, Pininfarina resumed manufacture in Europe in 1982 and bestowed the new name. The Alfa Spider went out of production in 1993, the 1991 Series IV example for sale here has been in FCA's collection since it was built, used for technical testing. As for the custom cars, Lancia built a variant of its third-generation Appia as a coachbuilt chassis. Pininfarina bodied the 1959 model for sale here, and Fiat showed it first in Paris. Fiat used the funky, Zagato-designed, thermoplastic-composite-bodied, 1989 Alfa Romeo SZ for testing at the carmaker's Balocco circuit. Only around 1,000 SZ models emerged from the factory during a two-year production run. Each vehicle will come with a certificate of authenticity and be guaranteed by FCA, plus be featured on the FCA Heritage site.

2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Review | As good as you imagine

When you affix words to a car such as “Alfa Romeo,” “Quadrifoglio,” “twin-turbo,” and “Ferrari-derived,” youÂ’re setting up some pretty serious expectations. Add to that a price tag thatÂ’s near the top of its segment, as with our 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, and those expectations creep ever higher to a point that seems hard to fulfill. But IÂ’m happy to report the Giulia passes with flying tricolores. ItÂ’s intensely fast, incredibly nimble, and surprisingly playful and approachable. ItÂ’s one of the most fun supersedans. Of course, the headline feature of the Giulia Quadrifoglio is that twin-turbo V6 based on a Ferrari engine, and it certainly deserves the hype. It generates a massive 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. ThatÂ’s more power (though less torque) than the mighty Mercedes-AMG C 63 SÂ’s V8. Power comes on smoothly and only grows stronger with revs until the limiter kicks in. Lag is practically non-existent, and the exhaust note, though a bit blatty inside, generates a low, gritty howl outside thatÂ’s fitting for a slinky Italian sedan. The only thing preventing the powertrain from being the unquestionable class champion is the transmission. This is strange, since itÂ’s the vaunted ZF eight-speed automatic, but it shifts slowly for such a sporty car. At least itÂ’s smooth, and the huge metal shift paddles are a delight. As for the GiuliaÂ’s chassis, itÂ’s marvelous with no caveats. What stands out is its playful demeanor. It keeps you informed of every move it makes, even throwing in a bit of Miata-like body roll. The steering isnÂ’t quite as talkative, but is more so than many of its competitors, especially BMW, and itÂ’s lightning-quick and weighted well. To cap it off, the car is highly stable, even on rough pavement, and the wide tires offer tremendous grip. The ride can occasionally be bumpy, but never harsh. ItÂ’s well-balanced. At this point it's also worth noting that the character of the Giulia can be altered substantially with the drive mode selector. The settings are "Race," "D," "N" and "A," with the latter standing for "Dynamic," "Normal" and "Advanced Efficiency." Race and Dynamic are the sportiest with the quickest throttle response, loud exhaust, and more lenient traction settings, and they set the suspension to the firm setting by default. But the suspension can be switched back to the normal setting by pressing the shock absorber button.

Alfa Romeo recalls Giulia and Stelvio — cruise control can go haywire

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 60,000 cars and SUVs worldwide because they can keep going on cruise control or accelerate even after a driver taps the brakes. The recall covers certain Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio models from 2017 through 2019. The company says a software error caused the problem, and it's advising people not to use the adaptive cruise control until it's repaired. The feature keeps moving vehicles a set distance from the cars in front of them. Fiat Chrysler says it's not aware of any crashes or injuries from the problem. Adaptive cruise control can still be turned off by stepping on the brakes for a longer time. Owners will be notified next month when they can schedule an update to the brake system software.