2014 Fiat 500 Pop on 2040-cars

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Fiat 695 Abarth 70th Anniversary is the most absurd and awesome Fiat 500 variant yet

Fiat recently told us it would be discontinuing the Fiat 500 hatchback and convertible in America, but Europe still enjoys small cars. There, Fiat just took the wraps off the nuttiest and most shocking 500 variant of all, the 695 70th Anniversary edition. Although we won’t be getting it in America, we can't help but gawk at that spoiler. Look at it! Abarth went all out with this manually adjustable spoiler, naming it “Spoiler ad Assetto Variabile.” There are 12 different settings, varying from 0 degrees to 60 degrees in full attack. Fiat says its highest downforce setting provides 92.6 pounds of downforce at 124 mph. Testing was done in an Italian wind tunnel, ensuring the wingÂ’s functionality. It also says “Abarth” on it in big lettering, making it even cooler. The Fiat 695 Abarth is a tribute to the 70th anniversary of Abarth, which was founded in 1949 by Carlo Abarth. Only 1,949 will be made, and itÂ’s more than just the wing that sets it apart. All of the anniversary cars will get a full body kit, contrasting with the main paint color. A checkered roof and Abarth Scorpion stickers will also set it apart from other 500s. Additionally, Fiat is equipping all of them with the vocal Record Monza exhaust, a limited-slip differential, bright-red Brembo brake calipers and special 17-inch alloy wheels.  On the interior, folks will get “Sabelt Tricolor” seats only meant for this special edition car — theyÂ’re black, but they have the Italian flag colors on the headrest. Power remains the same as a regular 695 Abarth, putting out 180 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque from the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. YouÂ’ll be able to hit 62 mph in 6.7 seconds with this Abarth and a top speed of 139.8 mph.

Fiats built in Morocco seized by Italian police in flag dispute

MILAN — Italian fiscal police seized more than 130 Fiat cars imported from Morocco this week on the grounds that a sticker with the colors of the Italian flag on their doors could give a false indication of their origin, a spokesman for Stellantis Italia said on Saturday. The spokesman confirmed a local media report that 134 Topolino mini-cars produced by Stellantis brand Fiat had been seized temporarily at the Italian port of Livorno on arrival from the north African country, where they were made. "The sole purpose of the sticker was to indicate the entrepreneurial origin of the product," the spokesman said, adding the group believed it had operated in full compliance with the rules. He said the design of the new Topolino — a historic model for Fiat since 1936 — was conceived and developed in Italy by a team at Centro Stile FIAT, part of Stellantis Europe, which is an Italian company. The decision to produce the new Topolino in Morocco had been clear since the new model was announced. "In any case, to resolve any issues, it was decided to intervene on the vehicles with the removal of the small stickers, subject to the green light by the authorities," the spokesman said. Italy's right-wing government and Stellantis have been at odds over the group's production choices for months, with Rome saying cars marketed as Italian products should be produced domestically. Last month, Stellantis brand Alfa Romeo said it would change the name of its new "Milano" to "Junior" to end a row with the government, which criticized the choice of an Italian name for a vehicle made in Poland. Government/Legal Fiat

Fiat taps Mitsubishi for European pickup

Mitsubishi is often derided in the US for its relatively boring lineup, Lancer Evolution aside, but the company is on the upswing worldwide, recently posting record global operating profits. The Japanese automaker may get a further boost in the near future from a rumored pickup truck deal with Fiat.
According to insider sources speaking to Automotive News Europe, Mitsubishi would reportedly build a variant of its widely respected L200 pickup truck for the Fiat Professional brand in Europe and Latin America starting in 2016. The L200 is larger than the Fiat Strada front-wheel-drive pickup already available in those markets, and it's available in rear- and four-wheel-drive configurations. The idea of adding a midsize truck to the commercial lineup was in the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles five-year plan, but it didn't include any mention of a partnership to build it.
At first blush, the Mitsubishi agreement seems like an odd move, given that Fiat already owns pickup truck specialists Ram. However, according to ANE, the company had at one time planned to use a version of a new Dodge Dakota pickup for duty in Europe and Latin America, but the model never came to fruition.