Prodan Dragos’ Alfa Romeo Giulia Concept is one Mean Machine

It’s about time the Italians get off their collective backsides and knock out a competitor to the BMW 1-Series coupe. Something a bit like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint of the 1960s in that it should be a two-door, three-box Bavarian-killer with a sweet-as-silk motor and looks to die for. Romanian industrial designer Prodan Dragos no doubt agrees.

His Alfa Romeo Giulia Concept packs a 180 hp (134 kW) petrol engine mated to an 80 kW electric motor and a 6spd manual transmission. It also has a lightweight body crafted out of aluminium and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer, with polycarbonate windows to further save on weight.

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Shocker! Chrysler Bringing Home More Bacon than Fiat...

Two years ago, Chrysler was saved from oblivion when the federal government provided a $15 billion bailout and orchestrated a rescue plan that gave the Fiat Group the management control of the company.

Last week, the Italian automaker raised its share in Chrysler beyond 50% for the first time, to 53.5%.So Fiat saved Chrysler in 2009, right? Well, yes, but 2011 is another story altogether.

You see, Chrysler’s US sales increased by 21% in the first six months of the year, whereas Fiat’s European deliveries dropped 12.7% in the same period. But that's only half the story. With the exception of the Maserati and Ferrari brands, the Chrysler Group will contribute to the alliance €155 million for June alone, while Fiat €175 million for the past three months.

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New Alfa Romeo 4C Promotional Film

If Alfa Romeo follows its most recent timetable, the 4C mid-engine sports coupe should arrive in European showrooms sometime in the first half of 2012 with a few examples making their way into the U.S. by the end of the year.

But let's not forget, it's the Fiat Group we're talking about here; the same company that has turned Alfa Romeo's U.S. introduction into something a joke by constantly pushing back the launch for the past decade.

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Oops! They Did it Again: Alfa Romeo’s Return to the US Delayed Until 2013

It’s 2003, 2004, 2006 – you get the idea- happening all over again; Alfa Romeo’s return to the US market has been delayed and will not happen in 2012 as was the most recent plan. Instead, Fiat Group and Chrysler LLC CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has pushed the Italian brand’s arrival back for another year, or so until he announces another delay. Read more »

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Flower Power: Alfa Romeo MiTo "Inked" by Louise Dear

Alfa Romeo has commissioned a one-off art piece to mark the UK launch of its congestion charge free MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 Sprint, which is powered by an 85-horsepower turbo diesel that emits 95g/km of CO2 . Read more »

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Report: New Alfa Romeo-Derived / U.S. Made Dodge Compact Sedan to Debut at 2012 Detroit Show

A new U.S. market compact sedan to be developed by Fiat and built by Chrysler is set to make its debut appearance at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the beginning of next year, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The as-of-yet unnamed model will be badged as Dodge and powered by a Fiat-derived 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It’ll also do 40 mpg combined, or at least it will if Fiat wants to net itself a further 5% of Chrysler from Mr. Monopoly Uncle Sam.

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