Mopar is making an appearance at the Chicago Auto Show featuring four cars they’ve decked out with loads of visual goodies including the Mopar Fiat 500 “Stinger,” pictured above.

Photos hit the media last week, along with the equipment list for the Stinger, which plays up the black and yellow paint scheme you might expect given the name. Black stripes run along the sides, and a black-and-yellow checker pattern covers the roof.

Other than the exterior styling changes, the other-other 500 (don’t forget the Abarth) comes with black chrome accents and 17-inch black aluminum wheels borrowed from, well, the Abarth. The interior also gets new color touches that match the Stinger-styled outside.

Performance-wise there isn’t much different here: just a new set of brakes, cold air intake and a cat-back exhaust to help the car’s 1.4-liter engine breathe easier.

Have a look at our pictures from the show, shown below.

GALLERY: Fiat 500 Stinger

Sex sells, even if you don’t quite know what that pretty lady is saying.

Luckily we’ve got the subbed version of the popular Fiat 500 Abarth advertisement, right here! This spot, which was proved to be one of the most successful ads seen during the superbowl, was first seen way back in November. That doesn’t really matter, as we can’t get enough of it!

Check out the translations in the video below.

Continue Reading…

Last month, Toyota alluded to the possibility that an Avalon Hybrid was in the works, claiming that a car under development would have “more space than a BMW X5, faster than a Volkswagen TDI and higher MPG than a Fiat 500.”

And now we pretty much have confirmation that the vehicle Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager Bob Carter was speaking about is the upcoming Avalon that will most definitely be employing the use of a hybrid system. Toyota executives at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention promised that the all-new Avalon will “meet or beat” the 33-mpg combined rating of the Fiat 500.

Set to make its debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, the new Avalon Hybrid would be a huge improvement over the current 20-mpg city, 29-mpg highway offered in this generation Avalon. Chances are, Toyota will reach for their system seen in the Camry Hybrid that has 200-hp and a 41-mpg combined rating.

Toyota also announced at the event that they intend to release 19 new models (including the Avalon) in 2012 alone.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

It was only a matter of time until Fiat‘s small car DNA seeped into Chrysler‘s veins and morphed a small car capable of competing with the Ford Focus and Honda Civic, the Chrysler 100.

Truth be told, that already happened with the Dodge Dart, which we reported on during the Detroit International Auto Show last month. That said, it’s still significant that the company is going to launch something new in that segment, considering they haven’t really appealed to the compact market. That is, unless you call a PT Cruiser appealing, which we flatly refuse to do.

The 100 will borrow underpinnings from Fiat, just like the Dart, though this one will be a five-door instead of a sedan that looks a lot more like the Alpha Romeo Giulietta (pictured above).

Speaking of looks, the car spied by Road & Track has some interesting touches we didn’t see when the first concept debuted at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. For example, we can see that the rear door handles are hidden, not something common to American cars. It also looks as if the head and tail lights will sport LEDs.

We don’t have details, but the fact that there will be a Dodge and Chrysler version of essentially the same car will position the company nicely to offer product differentiation. The Chrysler will likely be more comfort-oriented, leaving the Dart open as a sportier version for younger consumers.

[Source: Road & Track]

Plans for a new Jeep model below the Compass and Patriot have been pushed back as part of a larger financial reorganization within Chrysler parent company Fiat. The new model, code named B-SUV, was to be built at the automaker’s Mirafiori plant in Italy, but a $1.3 billion expansion of that facility has been pushed back a year.

Further delaying the process, Fiat will first move ahead with a sister-vehicle to the B-SUV for sale in Europe to replace the Sedici model, which is currently based on the Suzuki SX4. That model will begin production in later 2013, with the Jeep not planned for assembly until mid 2014. Once the expansion is completed, Fiat expects to built up to 280,000 of the compact crossovers based on the new Small Wide platform, which underpins the recently revealed Fiat 500L.

The new platform is capable of running all-wheel drive and so it’s expected the B-SUV will get Jeep’s “Trail Rated” stamp of approval.

[Source: AutoNews]

Fiat has released pictures of its new 500 “wagon” ahead of the car’s big reveal at the Geneva Motor Show this March. Called the 500L, it’s a replacement product for the infamously ugly Multipla.

The “L” stands for “Large” and helps expand the Fiat 500 range to four models. As for sizing, the 500L measures in at 163-inches long, 70-inches wide and 65-inches high. By comparison, the standard 500 model, the 500L is roughly two feet longer.

Designed as an alternative to traditional B and C segment cars, the 500L will go on sale in Europe in the last quarter of 2012 with a choice of two gasoline engines (TwinAir and a 1.4-liter), as well as a 1.3-liter turbodiesel.

GALLERY: Fiat 500L

Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, has been in the media a lot lately thanks to his successful reinvention of Fiat and Chrysler as profitable companies. Announcing a $183 million net income for 2011 was a good way to start off the day for the surely elated Marchionne.

Having brought the company back from the brink of extinction, Marchionne felt the need to reach out to his colleagues with a letter to inspire confidence in them for the future. You’ll find the highlights below.

“Dear Colleagues, For the second straight year, we have delivered on the ambitious financial targets we set as part of the five-year plan that we revealed to the world on Nov. 4, 2009. In the results that we announced today, we posted net income of $225 million in the fourth quarter, and full-year net income of $183 million. We also reported a modified operating profit of $508 million in Q4 2011, and $2 billion for the total year.”

Marchionne continues to provide all of the positive numbers Chrysler has been posting lately, and went on to some motivational words to his workers.

“Based on the Company’s 2011 achievements, I am pleased to inform you that a performance award payment will be made to all eligible salaried and represented employees. This is a reward that you have earned. The more difficult the task, the more satisfying it is to overcome all obstacles. You have been to hell and back, and you defied predictions of our demise. Your efforts rewrote the history that so many naysayers had forecast. As we move forward with Fiat, let’s remain flexible in order to continue to achieve and take advantage of changing conditions while maintaining the same high level of passion and integrity that has brought us the measure of success we have had so far.”

While some of the “to hell and back” references are a little cheesy, no one can deny the steps forward Chrysler and Fiat have made since 2009. To end off his letter Marchionne touts himself as a proud CEO and tells his employees to take personal pride in their work.

“Now it’s time to stay steadfast on our path, guided by the same commitment and same values that we have used to steer toward a better destiny. Make tough, informed decisions; hold yourself and others accountable; and together we will write yet another successful chapter in our history. I am proud to be with you in the reconstruction of a great Chrysler.”

[Source: Detroit News]

It seems, from a financial standpoint, things are getting better for Chrysler Group.  The company reported a total net income of some $183 million last year.

This money earned, included a $551 million loss, required to service outstanding debts (namely repaying the money it owed to the US Treasury and Canadian governments in full, some six years ahead of schedule and we might add, with interest).

Considering that a year ago, Chrysler reported a net loss of $652 million and that 2011′s income exceeded estimates, the report represents rather good news.

In fact, in the fourth quarter of 2011 alone, Chrysler earned some $225 million (versus a loss of $199 million in Q4 2010) even though it’s been introducing a number of new or significantly refreshed vehicles, programs, which tend to eat up considerable resources.

As of this month, Chrysler has achieved all the goals laid out two years ago following the companies restructuring. This, plus performance resulting from transactions, has led Fiat S.p.A,to increase its stake in the company to some 58.5 percent.

Upon the announcement of  Chrysler’s 2011 earnings, Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne (shown above) declared, “the house is in good order. We are proud of the work we’ve done. Now we greet a new year of high expectations with our heads down, forging ahead and focused on executing the goals we’ve set for ourselves as a company.”

Not too long ago, reports came in that Fiat is developing a 500 five-door wagon for the US market and now it appears that the Italian automaker will be reviving the 500L model name for the upcoming five-door 500.

The new five-door model gets an L added to its name for being large, and is scheduled to make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Additional details on the model were also reported, stating that the 500L will sport a front end similar to the standard 500 model, but the vehicle will be wider and about 2.4-inches longer.

America will only be seeing a five-seater variant of the 500L, but it’s believed that the European market will also receive a seven-seater 500L. Fiat believes – and rightfully so – that American buyers wouldn’t have much interest in a seven-seater with such a small footprint.

Chances are the 500L in America will feature a 1.4L, four-cylinder engine with around 105-hp. The 500L badge originally came on Fiats produced from 1968-1972, but back then the L stood for Lusso, which is Italian for luxury. Now it’ll just be large.

[Source: Automotive News]

The Audi A1 will have a rolling cloth top in 2013, though further details are limited.

According to a report by German Auto Motor Und Sport, the company decided to go with a rolling roof instead of a convertible to save cost. The setup will be similar to what we’ve already seen in the Fiat 500c, though probably without the dropping rear window which promotes the convertible feel.

Of course, the A1 is still just another German treat that North America gets to ogle but not touch. Don’t expect the tiny bundle of fun to make its way to our shores until the second generation, which is a long way off.

Audi also speculated that the new A9 luxury sedan could be offered with a new V12 engine.

[Source: World Car Fans via Auto Motor Und Sport]