• That's right, they're considering bringing back a unibody truck/car/camino for the Ram brand. Rampage anyone?
• With Fiat comes Abarth, which is some of the best news all day. A Fiat Abarth SS would be sweet.
• Chrysler is considering dropping Audrey Hepburn digitally into an ad for the Chrysler 300C.
• Best quote in the latest update: Chrysler Town and Country is moving through Canada like "chicken pox through a Kindergarten class."
• The new Chrysler logo? It's the new Chrysler brand logo.

Speaking of weird Fiats, there's nothing wrong with an X1/9 that a supercharger can't fix!

And just to show that the 24 Hours Of LeMons is taking over the universe (or at least the portion of the universe comprised of Northern California car shows), here's a shot of the Italian Stallions X1/9 LeMons car. We'll be seeing this quad-carbed monster at the Arse Freeze-a-Palooza next month!

What could be better than a Maserati straight six engine? A Maserati straight six engine with Lucas fuel injection, of course! I can't see a single weak point in that plan! OK, here's a gallery for you. We'll be seeing more of that orange Fiat 128 Sport a little later; very interesting story there.

That monster sidepipe sticking out beneath the driver’s side door? It’s connected to a V6 engine, bored from three to 3.5 liters by the good people of Abarth, feeding itself through three twin-choke Webers to send 270 HP at a delicious 6800 RPM to the rear wheels via a De Tomaso Pantera gearbox mounted directly to the rear axle. And just look at those deep-dish rear wheels, clad in their ultrawide Pirellis.

Not bad at all. And that’s before you consider all the lightness added to the car: the glassfiber-aluminum-plexiglass body tips the scales at a featherweight 2470 pounds. The result is a top speed of 160 MPH.

And now for some photographic trickery: the picture you see above was taken with Leica’s weird and wonderful Noctilux lens, whose maximum aperture equals its focal range, allowing for handheld photography at night and a corresponding razor-thin depth of field.

Source—and further reading: 131Abarth.com, Sporting Fiats Club. Photo of red 131 with Noctilux lens: rin/Flickr

Based on the already appealing Fiat 500 Abarth. The Essesse (Italian for "SS") tweaks that car's ECU to boost the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from 135 to 160 HP. Torque is up to 170 Lb-Ft. Also upgraded are the suspension, brakes and wheels, which are stiffer, bigger and better looking.

This is a lot of power for a 2,282-pund FWD car. Keeping it from tearing your arms off under acceleration is a Torque Transfer Control system that mimics a Limited Slip Differential in its ability to keep the little Fiat pointed in a straight line.

The Essesse can hit 62 MPH in 7.4 seconds, continuing to a top speed of 131 MPH. it's also capable of returning MPGs in the mid 30s. The sportier model carries a $3,500 premium over the regular Abarth.

Since we're already big fans of the Mini Cooper S and the Fiat 500, we look forward to finding out what it's like to combine the speed of the former with the diminutive size of the latter. But we'll leave the Mini-esque roof checks and keep the 500's simple good looks if we ever get the chance to buy one on this side of the Atlantic.

PRESS RELEASE: ESSEESSE – SUPREMELY SPORTING

Owners who want to take their Abarth 500 even closer to the tuning firm's ‘racer for the road' ideal, can plump for the esseesse specification. The word esseesse means ‘SS' in Italian and lives up to its name by giving the car a supremely sporting twist.

The £2500 conversion has to be carried out within 12 months or 20,000km of the car's first registration and can only be undertaken by Abarth's skilled network of technicians. Their first job is to upgrade the engine's Electronic Control Unit so that the 1.4-litre turbo pumps out 160bhp at 5750rpm – more than double the power output of the regular Fiat model and very much in keeping with historic Abarth practice. To help with this power upgrade, a new air filter made by Italian specialist BMC is fitted.

To match the additional power, drilled and ventilated 284mm x 22mm brake discs are fitted at the front, together with new pads, while 240mm x 11mm drilled discs replace the already powerful standard items at the rear. Uprated Abarth springs are fitted front and rear too, and so that the esseesse looks even racier, the regular 16-inch wheels are replaced with 17-inch white or titanium colour alloy rims and 205/40 R17 tyres.

A tyre pressure monitoring system and unique key cover are the final touches in this transformation to the ultimate road-going Abarth 500.

Even though this upgrade relies heavily on modern technology, the esseesse kit stays loyal to the legend of Abarth by being delivered to customers in a high quality wooden crate. Once its contents have been emptied, the crate then becomes the property of the customer as a charming memento.

First, we should all thank Scroggzilla for unearthing these videos of a vintage Castrol documentary for us (and Targa-Florio.net for providing the photograph above). The Targa Florio was an endurance race held in the mountains of Sicily; starting in 1906, it was finally discontinued in 1977 for safety reasons. Yes, even by the insanely loose (and relatively lawsuit-free) standards of European road racing, the Targa Florio was considered too dangerous to continue. We've got the whole lineup of worship-deserving machinery here, including MGs, Austin-Healeys, Alfas, Porsches, and- of course- Ferraris.

The Ecurie Ecrappe/Autodenta 1971 Alfa Romeo Spider returned to the Concorso Italiano in 2008 sporting red livery, Autodenta hood logo, and 750-series Giulietta front clip. This configuration was historically correct for Altamont 2008, though show judges did point out that while the car was accurate, fully documented, and competition-verified, it still totally sucks.

Also in attendance was the California Mille/Sid Conklin Memorial Alfetta GT, which is significantly less terrible but still awful in its own right. The AMC Pacer of Billetproof owner and Concours d'Ignorance head honcho Alan Galbraith was spotted near the Kruse auction tent, which was an area of the event that would have been totally frickin' boring if it weren't for the sweet Pacer. And the Torino.

Other highlights included a numbers-matching Trabant, and some old-ass planes.

Spotted this "lifeguard truck" yellow little guy a few weeks ago in Costa Mesa, CA, right by my office. I didn't get a chance to grab a pic, but I saw it again yesterday, sans the car cover that thwarted me last time. The owner has a Exige as his daily driver... he definitely doesn't mess around. Any idea how he gets away with a british plate in the OC? Thanks!

VeeArrrSix

18/02/2008 Abarth The return of the Abarth brand continues to bring new challenges. The 'Scorpion' philosophy, which is conveyed in all the brand's activities with passion and tradition, continues to excite sports car lovers everywhere. As envisaged by the plans to revive the brand, the Abarth & C. Spa company has set up new premises in the Mirafiori complex in Turin, bringing together the manufacturing, design and management functions for the whole company, as well as the staff of the Racing Team who were formerly housed in the historical plant in the nearby town of Chivasso. This fully-fledged industrial structure was put up in record time, just eight months, and stands in an area of more than 23,000 square metres, where all the brand's activities are concentrated. It employs more than 100 people. The inaugural ceremony is also an excellent opportunity to present the 2008 season of the Abarth Racing Team. After the brilliant results achieved in last year's rally season, which marked the Scorpion's official return to the racing world, the team will tackle 2008 with the same guts and determination; it will start with the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which will be contested by two official Grande Punto Abarth S2000s, driven by Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen, with the support of its main sponsor Selenia and with the collaboration of Sabelt. And the Grande Punto Abarth S2000 will also compete in the Italian Rally Championship, sponsored by Metis and Api-IP, with two cars driven by Andrea Navarra and Renato Travaglia. Finally, Umberto Scandola is a pilot from the Abarth Team that will carry out development tests as well as several prestigious international competions. An Abarth Trophy will also be contested this year, maintaining a tradition begun in 1977: the Grande Punto API-IP ORO DIESEL Trophy is a championship reserved for the Fiat Grande Punto R3D which is now in its second edition (the pilot Alessio Pisi won the first edition). From racing to our everyday roads, but always with a sporty approach. This is the goal behind the debut of the long-awaited '500 Abarth', announced for the coming Geneva International Motor Show. The new car was developed by the Fiat Group Automobiles Style Centre in the spirit of the legendary Fiat 500 Abarth of the 1960s, and will be marketed from July through the exclusive Abarth network. With a strong sporty personality, the new car will be powered by a Fire 1.4 16v petrol Turbo engine, which delivers a maximum of 135 bhp (99 kW) at 5,500 rpm and peak torque of 206 Nm at 3,000 rpm in 'Sport' mode (in 'Normal' mode, torque is reduced to 180 Nm at 2,500 rpm). This brilliant, smooth new engine is also a friend of the environment: like the regular Fiat model it is derived from, the new Abarth will respect future Euro 5 legislation. Another interesting feature of the 500 Abarth is the fact that it adopts the new TTC (Torque Transfer Control) system, which improves the transfer of drive torque to the wheels, but, above all, ensures that the car behaves impeccably on bends, making it safer and more entertaining even with a sporty driving style. In other words, it is faithful to the phrase coined for the Abarths of the 1960s 'small but wicked'. While the 500 Abarth represents the brand's future, fans today can already enjoy a sporty drive at the wheel of the Grande Punto Abarth, equipped with the 1.4 Turbo petrol engine that delivers 155 bhp at 5500 rpm combined with a 6-speed mechanical gearbox, which has a top speed of 208 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.2 seconds. An Open Day in April will mark the Italian launch of two elaboration kits - 'Assetto' and 'esseesse' - which will make the Grande Punto Abarth even more aggressive and powerful.

Most Americans have never heard of the Autobianchi A112, which is why we're providing the quick lesson in the video above. The little Lancia/Autobianchi/Fiat (mechanically similar to the Fiat 127) wasn't sold in the US of A, but it's worshiped as a classic rally-winning hoonmobile over there in Yurp. And now a A112 could live in your garage, simply by handing over $7,950 to the seller of this '79 (go here if the ad disappears). Hey, that's a complete running car, you say. Where's the hell in that? Perhaps it seems we're sentencing you Hell Lite today, like Joe Lucas just lost the air-conditioning contract in Hades and now it's a pleasant 70 degrees (F) down there and the car-parts store is open late? Come on, this is an orphaned high-strung Italian car based on the cheap-ass Fiat 127! Parts are probably clanking to the tarmac as I write this, and Italian parts dealers are rubbing their greedy hands together with glee in anticipation of your long-distance phone calls. But watch that video again and try to tell us you don't want an A112!

We don't need any video clip to convince folks of the incredible coolness of the Citröen DS, but what happens in your gasoline-pumping heart of hearts when you see this '72 DS in Carrera Panamericana trim (go here if the ad disappears) for only $4,500? But wait, there's more! It's equipped with 5-speed transmission and rollcage, the hydroinsanity suspension car has been replaced recently, and the original interior is in nice shape. Not only that, the Panamericana decals are removable and the cage is a bolt-in unit, so you could switch from wild-eyed racing hoon barreling down a Quintana Roo mountainside to suave Marseilles gangster in the matter of an afternoon! Like the A112, it's in pretty good shape... and also like the Abarth (cue sounds of demonic laughter, odor of sulfur). So what's it gonna be?

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Press Release: The return of Abarth A glorious past, a winning idea for the future

A glorious past becomes the present, an all-conquering passion that is as strong today as it ever was: this is the inspiration behind Fiat Group Automobiles' plan to re-launch the Abarth name. Always synonymous with tough, spirited cars, challenges, passion and thrills, Abarth is back with a new range to whet the appetites of all sports car enthusiasts.

The novelty lies in the modern-day interpretation of everything that Abarth used to do in the past - starting with motor-racing, followed by prototypes and vehicle conversion kits, and even fashion accessories representing the Abarth style. An expression of the ultimate racing lifestyle, the new company will be active on several fronts: firstly, in the world of motorsport, an environment strictly related to competition, one-make trophies and cars prepared for private customers. Second, the commercial environment, including tuning - hence the production of conversion kits - not forgetting the extensive licensing and merchandising operations.

In short, Abarth is creating a world all of its own, a world that revolves around the core values that led to its great success in decades gone by: innovative design, state-of-the-art materials, and love for detail. Behind it all is an absolutely genuine passion for motoring, not to mention the company's human and technological assets, and the professional pride of the thousands of people - technicians, workers and executives - who have come and gone from the factories, offices and race tracks.

The target of Abarth's first project, later to be extended to other models, was the Grande Punto - on sale in Italy from September. It will be on the market in Switzerland by the end of the year, and will also be available in other countries during the course of 2008. There will hardly be time to draw breath between each launch: between now and the end of 2008, no less than four new product launches have been planned. The brand's development plans will force it to expand its production capability in the short term, and within a few months, Abarth's new home will have been completed at the Mirafiori plant. The new premises will group together the company's manufacturing, design and management divisions.
This fast pace explains the decision to give Abarth its own brand, managed by an independent company (Abarth & C. S.p.A., 100%-owned by Fiat Group Automobiles) whose distribution is entrusted to an exclusive commercial organisation covering four levels: flagship service centres, dealers, specialised tuners and workshops.

Agile and quick off the mark (in the best Abarth tradition), Abarth & C. S.p.A is in the hands of Chief Executive Officer Luca De Meo, and covers three areas of activity: Business Operations, Engineering & Manufacturing Operations and Racing Operations. The first division, led by Antonino Labate, has the task of designing the products and services for the customisation and tuning of standard sports cars, organising the sales and service network, and managing Abarth's merchandising and licensing operations.

The second area, Engineering & Manufacturing Operations, is headed by Paolo Ollino. He is responsible for technical development and production, together with the tuning and servicing of competition cars, and developing the car customisation and tuning products. The division works in partnership with the Engineering & Design division of Fiat Group Automobiles (led by Harald Wester).

Finally, the Racing Operations division, led by Claudio Berro, has the task of coordinating Abarth vehicles' entries in national and international motorsport competitions, organising the championships reserved for private customers, and managing relations with racing and rallying clients and sponsors.
Last but not least, Abarth can rely on the assistance of Paolo Martinelli, director of the Engine Division (Racing Operations) at Ferrari until October 2006, and currently head of the Petrol Engine Development Division at Fiat Powertrain Technologies.

Judging from the satisfying exhaust burble that surfaces near the end of this clip, the return of the Abarth Cinquecento will be a watershed moment for the modern Fiat brand. It could even elevate the 500's revival to the pinnacle among retro plays, a trend that appeared to be fading out with each passing Mini Cooper. Rumors place the Abarth-tuned 500 on American shores by decade's end. Would that it were true. – Mike Spinelli

[via Carscoop]

Related:
Fiat 500 Abarth Coming to the US? [internal]

That sound you just heard was our heart doing a triple gainer off our sternocleidomastoid muscle. Apparently, Automotive News Europe reports Fiat is considering the sale of an Abarth-tuned Fiat 500 in the US. Such rumors have been ripping through the car-o-sphere since word first came down about the revived cinquecento. But now, it's Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's loose lips doing the gossiping. Marcionne says he's like to sell an Abarth 500 in the US as competition with BMW's Mini Cooper and Volvo's C30. But it's unclear whether such a car would get a Fiat badge, considering the company's more intent on keeping Alfa Romeo's US return on track. That means we could see Alfas by 2009, and perhaps an Abarth 500-based Alfa Junior? The mind reels. – Mike Spinelli

[via Motor Authority]

Related:
Spy Photos: Abarth 500 Wrung Out On the 'Ring; Fiat Boss Says New 500 Could Maybe, Sort of Reach the US; The Scorpion Returns: Fiat's Abarth-Tuned Puntos Coming to Geneva; Sketches Emerge of New Fiat 500 [internal]

Maybe it's all the stripes and fat tires against the Fiat Grande Punto's hot hatchness, but both the Abarth Rally2000 racer and Punto Grande win our Wish We Had It Here prize for 2007. And by here, we mean the US, where the new Abarth tuners will join other Fiats in being entirely absent. Word is, this lack will continue for the forseeable future. – Mike Spinelli

Related:
The Scorpion Returns: Fiat's Abarth-Tuned Puntos Coming to Geneva [internal]

The return of Abarth is near. If you'll recall, the motorsports firm of Carlo Abarth spent the 1950s and 1960s building race-winning cars sports cars that showed up many a big name. It also built tuning kits for Fiats, and was eventually taken into the bosom of the Agnelli dynasty. Now, Fiat's reviving the name for a new factory tuner and a rally team. The Grande Punto Abarth will appear at the Geneva show with its rally cousin, the Abarth S2000. Both bear the Scorpion logo, but it's the rally car that's the true scion of Carlo. The four-wheel-drive S2000, built for the International Rally Championship, produces 270 hp, while the Punto Abarth creates 150 hp from a 1.4-liter turbo, though an add-on tuning kit will boost power to 180 hp. It'll also get a six-speed, Brembo stoppers, an aero kit and wider meats. Yes, please. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

The legendary Abarth "Scorpion" returns

A great project will be launched at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show: the rebirth of one of the most prestigious brands in world motorsports. Its symbol is a scorpion, and its name is Abarth.
Abarth has always been synonymous with assertive cars, competitiveness, passion and excitement, and it now returns with a new range that will appeal to all lovers of motorsports. Abarth's first interpretation of the Grande Punto will be on the "catwalk" at the Geneva Show, the first step in an initiative which will later involve other models.

This new adventure starts in the familiar, uniquely emotional context and exclusive setting of the Geneva Motor Show. A striking stand has been prepared, in line with the philosophy of Abarth's rebirth, an innovative space with a fresh, contemporary, technological language and great attention to every detail. The new elements that will publicise the Abarth brand are displayed with all their strong, original personality: the revamped version of the famous Abarth racing stripe has been rendered with LED tiles, while the new logo, the scorpion and the wording are all large, three-dimensional elements in polished, satin-effect aluminium.

The Abarth values and tradition on the other hand are underlined discreetly and technologically: refined materials and precious finishing details in aluminium, carbon fibre, enamel and lacquer decorate the exhibition area, and draw attention to the true stars of the stand: the Grande Punto Abarth S2000, a car that has been type-approved for racing and is proving to be highly successful, and the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a concept car making its world debut.

These are the two souls of the Abarth world: racing and standard production.
Visitors to the Geneva Show will also have an opportunity to discover a third field in which the brand operates; a multimedia configurator will illustrate the whole concept of the 'Abarth Kit', and the flexibility and wide range of combinations that the brand will offer customers in its conversion kits. Some of these solid wooden boxes, inlaid with satin-finished aluminium trims, are on display inside glass cubes, with the historic mechanical and stylistic components from the conversion kits.

And finally, by means of exclusive LED technology and plasma screens, the walls of the stand propose historical photographs and films, alternating them with a reproduction of the new Abarth racing stripe, underlining the fine link between the past and the future, as well as the energy and personality that are inherent in the Abarth brand.

The Grande Punto Abarth Preview

The absolute star of the stand is the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a true jewel of assertiveness and elegance. The car will be marketed in September, to enhance the sporty, youthful positioning of the Grande Punto.

The car on show in Geneva is equipped with a 1.4 Turbo petrol engine that delivers 150 bhp at 5500 rpm, boosted to 155 bhp by the adoption of 98 RON petrol. What is more, thanks to a booster kit, a version with twice as much power as the basic version (180 bhp) will soon be available. This is a revival of a tradition from the past: for example, the Fiat 500 of 1958 delivered 13 bhp at 4000 rpm with a top speed of 85 km/h, while the Fiat 500 Abarth of the same year delivered 26 bhp at 5000 rpm and a top speed of 118 km/h.

The Grande Punto Abarth aims to revive the feats of these entertaining performance cars, offering young drivers in particular an opportunity to enter the racing world in complete safety and at an accessible price.

The Grande Punto Abarth S2000

The public in Geneva will also be able to admire the extraordinary Grande Punto Abarth S2000. This is a racing car designed for racing stables, which the Fiat Racing Department will be entering in the 2007 Italian Rally Championship with Giandomenico Basso and his navigator Mitia Dotta. Davide Gatti, winner of the 2006 Fiat Abarth International Trophy, will compete at the wheel of an official Fiat Grande Punto R3D with a diesel engine. On the international scene, the Grande Punto Abarth S2000 will compete in the IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge) with drivers Andrea Navarra, his navigator Guido D'Amore, and young Umberto Scandola and Anton Alen.

The Abarth & C. Spa racing team will be managed by Claudio Berro.

Powered by a 2000 cc aspirated engine that delivers 270 bhp, with 4-wheel drive, the new Grande Punto Abarth S2000 is heir to the version that took the 2006 Italian Rally Championship title with Paolo Andreucci and Anna Andreussi, winning 7 of the 11 races on the programme. Nor must we forget the excellent season of their team-mates Andrea Navarra and Guido D'Amore who took third place. Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta won the European title and the International Rally Challenge.
Since its debut last season, the racing version has proved unbeatable, whatever the type of route or terrain. And we must underline that the 15 cars built so far have been ordered by several racing stables in Europe and elsewhere, to compete in domestic and international rallies. And now, thanks to this technological and competitive superiority, the new Grande Punto Abarth S2000 is ready to compete in these two championships with the same determination and assertiveness.

And finally, as well as a successful car and an outstanding team of drivers, the new Abarth & C. company can also boast a staff with a great deal of experience in motorsports: a total of 113 experts, 26 in the engineering field, 43 on the manufacturing side and 9 dedicated to racing.

Related:
Hotten Up the Hatches: Fiat's Abarth-tuned Punto on the Way [internal]

Quick history: Before Fiat bought Abarth in 1971 as an in-house tuning shop, the motorsports firm that bore the name of Viennese car tweaker Karl "Carlo" Abarth, began transforming modest Fiat 600s into racing legends as far back as the 1950s. Now, as we gleaned from Fiat Group's product plan leaked late last year, the company's planning to revive its Abarth tuners, starting with the Grande Punto and extending to the new 500 subcompact. Now, AutoExpress reports the Abarth Punto will be a full-on hot hatch, inspired by the company's rally program, with a twin-turbo mill producing around 200 hp. Expect a Geneva debut. – Mike Spinelli

Punto Abarth warming up [AutoExpress]

Related:
Fiat Group's Product Plan Leaked: New Alfa Romeo Models, Abarth's Return [internal]

Fans of race-bred Fiats of old will be pleased to see the Abarth badge associated with the Fiat Trepiuno concept, which is said to be a harbinger of a new, retro-styled Fiat 500 on the way. Eurocar Blog located some sketches that depict the Trepiuno in the red-and-white livery of legendary motorsports tweaker, Abarth, along with renderings of what could be the new 500's interior. Word is the new model will show up in mid-2007, possibly developed in partnership with Ford.

Fiat 500 - Interior & Abarth sketches [internal]

Related:
The Fiat Abarth 500: Racing Prowess in a Tiny Package; Ford and Fiat Team up on new Fiat 500 [internal]