Maybe I can't tell you about our start/stop partnership but I shall tell you about our V6 developments. We are working hard right now on a direct injection V6 strategy that draws heavily from the downsizing trend. This family of new engines is destined for use on the highest level premium arhitectures of Fiat Group, and they will provide quite elavated power ratings while becoming smaller and lighter than current generation engines. Capacity will initially between 2.7 and 3.0 liters that will provide the performance of our present day V8 engines with the help from the latest bi-turbo technilogies.

Autoblog je napisal/-a:Maserati preparing 911-killer?

Posted Jan 31st 2008 6:19PM by Noah Joseph

It looks like Jaguar isn't the one with its sites set on the Porsche 911, as Maserati may have plans to bring a new sports coupe to market in the €80-90,000 price range. The revelation comes straight from the horse's mouth: Maserati CEO Roberto Ronchi outlined that his company will decide on a new model sometime this quarter, with an eye towards market introduction over a broad window of 18 to 36 months from then.

Ronchi knows that in order to achieve its sales target of 12,000 units in 2011, his company will need an additional model. Although an SUV to compete with the Cayenne was tipped to be the way forward, Ronchi says a new sportscar positioned underneath the GranTurismo, which grew significantly in size over the Coupe it effectively replaced, is the better choice. The design students from Turin just might have the right idea with their upcoming
Chicane concept.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Autoblog je napisal/-a:Lancia's own version of 8C Competizione to spearhead rejuvenation

Posted Feb 4th 2008 5:02PM by Noah Joseph
Reports are emanating from Holland on Lancia's upcoming product-led rejuvenation, and for the niche Italian automaker, the future looks bright. At the Geneva Auto Show next month, Lancia is expected to unveil the production version of the new Delta, previewed by the Delta HPE show car (pictured above) from the 2006 Paris auto salon. Expected to begin production this summer, the Delta will be built on a stretched Fiat Bravo platform with unique bodywork and a more luxurious interior swathed in leather and Alcantara trim. Lancia executives are said to be considering hardtop-convertible and crossover variants, but that's only the start of Lancia's product-led rejuvenation.

A replacement for the miniscule Ypsilon hatchback is expected to be unveiled next year, while a replacement for the Musa minivan is anticipated to follow, unfortunately based on the outdated platform of the Fiat Idea MPV. The flagship Thesis sedan, which never seemed to have won the hearts of more conservative buyers, is tipped to be cancelled altogether. But fret not, for Lancia is said to have an even better trick up its sleeve for a new flagship of a different sort. If the reports from AutoVisie are to be believed, Lancia is working on an exotic sportscar of its own based closely on the knee-bucklingly sumptuous Alfa 8C Competizione and expected to revive the Aurelia nameplate. Lancia's sister company Alfa Romeo has already sold out its limited run of 500 coupes, and should have no problem finding lucky owners for the upcoming edition of 500 roadsters, either. That leaves the highly acclaimed chassis, developed by Ferrari and built by Maserati, up for grabs in the Fiat Group parts bin, and Lancia is reportedly the one doing the grabbing.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf.nl]

Fiat outsourcing to cheaper markets


Posted Feb 8th 2008 6:58PM by Noah Joseph
When Fiat reorganized its divisions into independent companies, it appeared that the brands were being separated, when in fact, Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo have been working closer together than ever. The so-called "separation" has also led to the centralization of certain shared operations, including design, marketing, engine development and purchasing. The latter division was reorganized at the beginning of this year, with Gianni Coda as its head. Coda has now revealed an ambitious plan to cut the company's overhead by outsourcing to "best-cost countries".

Of Fiat's €34 billion purchasing budget, components alone accounted for €25 billion last year, which is set to rise to €32 billion this year. 8% of those components were purchased from countries outside the European Union, which Coda intends to raise to 11 percent. All in all, Fiat wants to increase the €2 billion it spent last year on components from outside Europe to €3.5 billion by 2010. In return, Coda expects an 8% savings to justify the shift.

Meanwhile, Fiat Group chief Sergio Marchionne confirmed that, following Tata's purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, his company plans to use Jaguar mechanicals to underpin Alfa Romeo's next flagship sedan, the replacement for the ageing 167. After withdrawing its interest in the Ford PAG subsidiaries, Fiat has been supporting Tata's dominant bid. In return, Tata plans to use Fiat's dealer network to bring the new Nano one-lakh budget car to Europe.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req'd]

Lignage je napisal/-a:Po neuspešnih pogovorih s koncernom PSA se FIAT sedaj dogovarja z ameriškim CHRYSLER-jem:

[url=http://www.rtvslo.si/zabava/modload.php?&c_mod=rnews&op=sections&func=read&c_menu=3&c_id=38855]Fiat na poti v obljubljeno deželo?
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CITROENAR ŠT 1 je napisal/-a:Me prav zanima kako se bo to odvilo.

street racer je napisal/-a:pogrešam novega COUPE fiata ve kdo kej več o tem?

Lignage je napisal/-a:
To so zaenkrat bolj sanje kot kaj drugega.

Že Bravo je prišel v samo eni verziji. Njegove karavanske različice pa ni in ni. Četudi se je že govorilo da gre Fiatu na boljše se pa njegova ponudba po drugi strani na žalost krči.

Lignage je napisal/-a:Če bi bil nesramen, bi zdaj napisal, da bo to zanesljivo dokončna smrt za Chrysler, pa nisem :P

modri D. je napisal/-a:Mogoče bo pa Fiatu prodaja tako dobro stekla da bojo odkupli celotnega Chryslerja in prodajali Fiate pod njegovo zvezdico pa bo pol to res ameriški mercedes (Brez optimizma mi živeti ni press) Ker v bistvu me ravno to skrbi - da bodo počasi čedalje bolj zavedni američani na veliko kupovali avte s te strani luže (in se mi zdi da ima fiat glih taprave avte za njihovo krizo) in spravili njihovo industrijo še bolj na kolena ...