Alfa's premium city car has been doing quite well for itself and the Geneva Motor Show brought us something we've been salivating for since the car's initial debut. While the 240 HP MiTo GTA is about as perfect as we could imagine, the new MiTo Veloce will do just nicely for an interim.

The MiTo Veloce is expected to trump the base car's 1.4-liter, turbocharged, 155 horsepower by a nice shiny quarter by improving the airflow and upgrading the turbo. The same ginger motor can be found in the Fiat Grande Punto Abarth SS. Aside from the power upgrade, the MiTo Veloce will gain a lowered, sportier suspension, clampier brakes, larger alloys and a pretty agro styling kit.

According to our friends at Autoblog.it, the Alfa Romeo MiTo Veloce will make its debut at the AutoRAI 2009 that is held at the Amsterdam Exhibition Center from April 1st through the 11th. Will we ever see the MiTo in any form here in the States? That's a question I'm sure a lot of us our wondering so let's cross our fingers that we get an Italian play thing to challenge those pesky Mini drivers. Fino ad allora!

[via autoblog.it]

Back in high school and middle school the wedgie (or as we called it, the wedge) was something you most certainly didn't want, under any circumstance and you definitely didn't appreciate it when it came along. But in car design, the wedge is something you can appreciate.

The beautiful and technical shape was used by many of the top design houses of the seventies and was a signal the future had officially arrived. While not the most aerodynamic form in practice, it certainly looked the part and helped usher in a new era of automotive design. Italian design houses ItalDesign, Bertone and Pininfarina were at the forefront of the movement, but the Japanese, Germans and the U.S. jumped on the bandwagon shortly thereafter

10) 1972 Lotus Esprit M70

First displayed at the Turin Motor Show in 1972, the Lotus Esprit M70 was designed by Giugiaro at Ital Design and was built on a widened and lengthened Europa chassis. After positive reviews from the public Colin Chapman decided to put the Esprit into production. The final design was completed in 1973 with many of the concept cues intact and when the then GM owned Lotus decided to build Peter Stevens redesign in 1987, many of those original cues remained.

Fun fact: that you couldn't call yourself a car guy without knowing already: Roger Moore drove a submersible version in the 1977 James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me.

9) 1989 Vector W8

In 1989, after nearly two decades of development, Gerald Wiegert revealed his Vector W8 to the public. Extensive use of aeronautical building techniques were to be W8s selling point, but shoddy quality and a lack of funding eventually brought down the U.S.-built Lamborghini competitor in the mid-nineties. The W8 drew its inspiration from the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo and many other wedge cars in our list and is still a beautiful car today and you can pick up one of the few examples for a steal; nearly 20 percent of the original $685,000 asking price.

Fun fact: The Vector W8 was featured briefly in the 1993 movie, Rising Sun.

8) 1972 E25 BMW Turbo

The E25 BMW Turbo was initially built to celebrate the upcoming 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, but was later used as the inspiration for the M1, 8-Series, Z1 and the new M1 Homage concept. BMW built the Turbo concept as a rolling display for new safety and engineering technologies as well as showing that BMW had officially left the difficult 60's behind. Penned by BMW's French head of design, Paul Bracq, the Turbo concept was styled after the most dramatic Italian supercars of the day and featured an advanced radar system that warned the driver of close objects such as curbs and cars.

Fun fact: The Turbo featured two BMW badges on the rear – symbolizing BMW's exceptional quality – a cue that made it onto the production M1 and M1 Homage concept.

7) 1978 Dome Zero

Dome was and still is a race car manufacturer in Japan and in 1978 they gave the world the Dome Zero concept at the Geneva Motor Show. Intended to show Dome's intention of building a homologation special for a new line of sportscars; it was unable to pass Japanese homologation. In 1979, Dome debuted a revised Zero, dubbed the P2, with U.S. market bumpers and safety equipment added to the design. In the same year, a racing effort was launched at Le Mans but the ‘Zero RL' failed to finish the race. Shortly after, investors pulled their funds and the Dome Zero was officially dead.

Fun fact: The Dome Zero was featured in Gran Turismo 4, Auto Modellista on the PS2 and Sega GT on the XBOX.

6) 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero

At the 1970 Turin Motor Show, Bertone showed off a styling exercise called the Lancia Stratos Zero. The Lancia Stratos HF roadcar was based very loosely off of this concept though the similarities are few and far between. The futuristic Zero stood 838mm tall and was so low that conventional doors could not be used and to gain access, drivers would have to raise the windshield and walk into the car.

Fun fact: The Stratos Zero appeared in Michael Jackson's 1988 film, Moonwalker.

5) 1972 Maserati Boomerang

In 1971 the Maserati Boomerang was shown at the Turin Motor Show as a mockup and then in 1972 the Geneva Motor Show saw the debut of the fully realized Maserati Boomerang concept. It sat next to the Lotus Esprit M70 as both were designed by Giugiaro at ItalDesign. At 1070mm high, it's not the shortest wedge in the list, but it did have a 15 degree windshield rake – the steepest rake you could achieve while maintaining visibility, albeit very little. ItalDesign used the Boomerang as inspiration when designing the DMC Delorean (most noticeable in the rear view) in the eighties.

Fun fact: Intended as a showcar, the Boomerang was registered as a roadcar and was actually sold in 1974 to a private collector which brings us to 2005 when it was auctioned at Christie's for a cool $1,000,000.

4) 1969 Holden Hurricane RD001

The Holden Hurricane was an experimental concept built in 1969 and was the first product of the GM Holden Research and Development group. The Hurricane's ultra low 990mm stance would have made ingress and egress difficult with traditional doors, so an electro-mechanical powered canopy was used and swung forward over the front wheels. Also included were power elevated seats that both rose up and out of the way along with the steering column to make exiting the Hurricane easier. When climbing into the car the seats would lower to a semi-reclined position and the roof would close overhead.

Fun fact: A similar canopy design was used on both the Saab Aero X and the Batmobile from the Tim Burton Batman movies.

3) 1970 Ferrari PF Modulo

Painted black for the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and then re-sprayed white for its debut at the 1970 Turin Motor Show; the Paulo Martin penned Pininfarina-Ferrari Modulo concept gained quite a reputation and won numerous international design awards – 22 of them – for a car that almost wasn't produced. The cars release was held for over a year because of an apprehensive Sergio Pininfarina. Developed using the Ferrari 512-S racer as a basis, the 935mm high PF Modulo was built to explore new construction technologies and to show off the raw passion of the Italian design house.

Fun fact: Paulo Martin was sketching a Rolls-Royce Camargue dashboard when the idea struck him to make the first sketch of the Modulo. You could say he was more than a little bored with the Rolls.

2) 1971 Lamborghini Countach

Designed by Gandini for Bertone in 1971, the original Lamborghini Countach concept was the most pure version the public would ever see of this car. The wild scissor doors were first seen on another car in our list (the Alfa Romeo Carabo concept) and were used primarily because of the extremely wide chassis, but we think the real reason is because Gandini knew every rice boy would want them on their econo-hatch some day. The Countach name was derived from the dialect of the Piedmont region in northern Italy, literally meaning astonishment and amazement. The pure design of the concept translated loosely into the production LP400 though it was short lived when splitters, wings and U.S. bumper requirements were added to the mix in the LP400S, LP500 and QV models.

Fun fact: The Countach was featured in the 1981 movie, The Cannonball Run, and is one of the most replicated cars to date.

1) 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo

The 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo is the most significant wedge car and paved the way for many of the cars on this list. Designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone fame, it was revealed at Porte de Versailles in Paris in 1968 to an absolutely stunned crowd. The Lamborghini Countach concept that arrived 3 years later drew inspiration from the Carabo in its wedge form, wheel house openings and its notoriously cool scissor-doors, though the Countach wasn't the only car that took inspiration from the Carabo. You can see inspired cues from many sports cars and supercars like the Diablo, 4th gen Camaro and Vector. Vector took the inspiration quite literally by duplicating many of the shapes of the front and side profile in its W8. Many wealthy individuals tried to purchase the Carabo including an Arab prince or two, but thankfully Bertone decided to hold on to it and now the Carabo spends its days relaxing inside the Alfa Romeo museum in Arese, Italy.

Fun fact: The unique name "Carabo" and its green paint were derived from the small green beetle, Carabus Olympiae.

Honorable Mentions

Narrowing down our search for the top ten wedge cars was difficult and we couldn't let this list pass without mention of a few other notable wedges. The DMC DeLorean was the hardest to leave off the list based on its cult follow from the Back to the Future films. Another difficult car to omit was the popular Triumph TR7/TR8 which was produced from 1974 to 1981. In the gallery below you'll find the rest of the cars that we thought were worth mentioning. Enjoy!

[via Lotus Esprit Turbo]

If you think about it, such a deal would be a marriage made in convenience heaven, especially given the current value of the US Dollar against the Euro. We're also fairly certain the US automakers would be eager to part ways with the cash black hole of unused auto plants. So putting the two together would be a profit-making proposal we could easily see happening. We're only hoping the UAW labor won't balk at the idea of having to meet those legendary high Italian quality levels. [FT.com]

Hey, when's the last time you saw an Alfa Romeo Giulia SS? And this one is an absolute steal at $1,500. Or, we should say, would be a steal, only the seller is asking ten times that. Yup, for $15,000 you can be the proud owner of a 1967 Giulia. Talk about counter culture. And you will really be the only kid on the block with a car like this, since Alfa stopped making Guilias in 1965. But who are we to argue with Craig's List? The body looks straight enough, at least half the chrome is visible, and while the seller admits it will need "some restoration," he wants you to know that it, "COULD BE MADE DRIVABLE WITH AS LITTLE AS A FRESH TANK OF GAS." Piece of freedom pie, man. What could possibly go wrong with a DOHC hemispherical Italian 4-banger that's been garaged in Dallas for the last two or so decades? Exactly, nothing. Just add gas and go. But you had better hurry if you want a slice of the freedom pie, as the "elderly architect owner" is moving to China. Maybe you can meet him half way, in HELL!!!

Not so fast. Perhaps you want more of a challenge. Something more involved than just adding fresh gas. In that case brother, have we got the car for you. It's a 1967 Chevy Impala droptop, and it can be yours for the low, low price of $6,000. Which is almost two thirds cheaper than that high-falutin Alfa. Just a few minor points. The Impala has "minor rust." And the owner cut the floor boards out. But has new ones ready to be welded in. See? He did all the hard work for you. There's a small "dint" on one of the quarter panels, but that'll buff right out. We're not sure which quarter panel, as the owner was too preoccupied with floor board removal to pull the blue tarp all the way off the car. But the two angles we can see look clean enough. Oh, the car needs a new interior (no doubt related to those pesky floorboards) and the 327 Corvette engine needs "fan valve covers" and a new intake. Also, the "oil spout is very dirty." While he doesn't mention the top by name, we're pretty sure that it's in pristine condition. Otherwise he would have said something, right? There is some good news though, "I have tissue box an accesorie mirror with colmb.two hoods 3 grills 2 gas tanks 2pairs of stock hub caps an one pair of wire hub caps with chevrolet spinner in the middle." Why, you'll have this baby humming, purring and ready for the 50th anniversary of Woodstock in less time than it took people to forget about the 40th. And if you think dirty, muddy, free lovin', brown acid eatin' hippies are hellascious, you don't know the meaning of the word. But you'll learn, in HELL!!!!

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The Alfa Montreal Website [alfamontreal.info]

Related:
Alfa Romeo 166 Spotted in NYC; More Alfa Romeo [Internal]

Autobooks-Aerobooks [autobooks-aerobooks.com]; Alfa Romeo Owners of Southern California [AROSC.org]

Related:
Early Rodders Saturday Morning Meet [Internal]

A denizen of The Car Connection's TCC lounge caught a sketchy Alfa Romeo 166 from MY1998-2001 on the upper east side of Manhattan. To call it a gray market model may be kind of a stretch. It's actually a black-market model, considering most of these Alfas were imported illegally. Though there's always a chance this guy got some manner of exemption for his executive car, which is registered in Pennsylvania. Still, it did trigger our yen for stateside Alfas, which should arrive back on these shores by early next decade. – Mike Spinelli

Alfa 166 in NYC Today [TCC Lounge]

Related:
Spy Photos: Secret Alfa Romeo Concept for Geneva?; Italians Invade Washington: Alfa 159 Spotted! [internal]

A sharp eyed member of the Alfa Romeo Corse Club caught these shots of what's likely a new Alfa concept being prepared for the Geneva show. They were shot outside the offices and workshop of automotive engineering and homologation firm IDIADA in Catalonia, Spain. Alfisi will be heartened to see the Brera-esque rump on this strange beast, which has likely been loaded for a trip to Geneva, where it'll likely be unveiled. Could it be the 166 replacement in prototypical form? Hell if we know. – Mike Spinelli [Thanks to Aydin for the tip.]

Related:
Spy Photos: Alfa Black Line [internal]

AutoWeek bares Alfa Romeo's plan to return to the states in time for the company's centennial in 2010. As has been reported, Alfa is teaming up with Maserati on development — sharing parts and to save costs, and leveraging Maserati's US sales network to sell Alfas. Models on the way? Glad you asked:

· 159—Facelifted version of current model arrives in U.S. in late 2009. All new: 2012
· Brera—Facelifted version of current model arrives in U.S. in late 2009. All new: 2013
· Spider—Facelifted version of all-new model arrives in U.S. in late 2009. All new: 2013
· Kamal—Compact SUV inspired by the Kamal concept goes up against the BMW X3 in 2011
· Sprint—Future uncertain for entry-level coupe seen as a spiritual successor to the Alfa Sud Sprint, developed under the internal codename Racer. Earliest arrival: 2011
· 169—Crossover replacement for recently discontinued 166 due in 2012
· 147—Entry level model currently not planned for sale in North America

Raise your grappa glasses — and here's hoping for more rear-drives in Alfa's future.

The United States of Alfa [internal]

Related:
The Italians Are Coming! Fiat Announces Alfa Romeo's US Return; Report: Alfa Romeo's US Return Pegged for 2010; On Alfa Romeo's Return to the US Market: The 159 Sedan; More on Alfa Romeo [internal]

Students of the Institute of Applied Design in Turin showed off their scale-model prototype for a new Alfa Romeo B-segment car at the Bologna show earlier this month. The conceptualists-in-training drew inspiration from Alfa's 8C concept and late-sixties GT Junior for the project, which was contracted by Alfa Romeo as a design study. Despite a visual connection that's more Hyundai Tiburon GT than Alfa GT, we wouldn't mind seeing a new generation of hatchbacks that are more low slung.

New B-Segment Alfa Romeo Coupe Prototype [Italiaspeed]

Related:
Alfa Romeo 149: A Parade of Spec Designs [internal]