Alfa Romeo Reportedly Cancels the MiTo GTA
Posted by admin on Aug 2, 2009
Everyone stood up and paid attention at the Geneva auto salon this past March when Alfa Romeo took the wraps off the MiTo GTA. The lust-worthy hatchback promised all the Italian style and aggression you’d get from a Ferrari or Lamborghini in a more accessible package and finally gave the diminutive MiTo premium hatchback – Italy’s answer to the Mini Cooper and styled to mimic the gorgeous Alfa 8C Competizione – the capabilities to match its styling. Although what we saw in Geneva was just a concept car, Alfa Romeo spokesmen said we’d see a production version on the road by the end of the year. Well, don’t go making room in your driveway just yet. Because while Alfa Romeo is slated to finally return to the North American market as part of parent company Fiat’s new partnership with Chrysler, the MiTo GTA may not make it. And not just the trip across the Atlantic either, as Alfa Romeo now says that the harsh economic circumstances mean that the project has been put on indefinite hold.
Tags: alfA romeo, Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo Reportedly Cancels the MiTo GTA, Chrysler, Fiat, Italy, Makes and Models, mini, MiTo GTA
Revised Dodge Challenger SE V6 gets 5-Speed Auto and new Rallye Edition
Posted by admin on Mar 30, 2009
Stop the press; believe it or not, Dodge finally decided to bring the entry-level Challenger SE V6 into (some) terms with the 21st century by replacing the four(!)-speed manual automatic transmission with the same five-speed auto used in the V8 models. The updated Challenger SE with its 3.5-liter V6 was revealed along with a new SE Rallye edition at the Spring Festival of LXs in Irvine California this weekend.
Edmund’s Insideline that broke the story claims that while Chrysler did not announce performance figures, it did reveal that the 5-speed auto helps the SE deliver 25mpg on the highway. However, this could be a typo as that’s the exact fuel economy rating that the company gives for the current SE with the 4-speed auto.
As for the Challenger SE Rallye, it will be available from April with a base price of $26,490 including destination. The Rallye package adds dual hood and deck lid stripes, 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with black accents, a body colored boot-lid spoiler, a chrome fuel cap and “Micro Carbon”
Tags: AlloyWheel, Automatic transmission, california, challenger, Chrysler, Dodge, Fuel economy in automobiles, Parts and Accessories, Revised Dodge Challenger SE V6 gets 5-Speed Auto and new Rallye Edition
Obama praises Bush for auto loan, says automakers must end bad management practices
Posted by admin on Dec 20, 2008
President-elect (you won’t be hearing that much longer) praised the Bush Administration to provide $17.4 billion in loans to bail out General Motors and Chrysler. However, he said there is still more work to do and that automakers must end “bad management practices.”
“With the short-term assistance provided by this package, the auto companies must bring all their stakeholders together — including labor, dealers, creditors and suppliers — to make the hard choices necessary to achieve long-term viability,” Obama said in a statement.
Under the term of the deal GM and Chrysler will have access to $4 billion on Dec. 29.
The plan calls for significant progress by March 31 or be required to return the loans.
Tags: chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Obama praises Bush for auto loan, says automakers must end bad management practices
Auto Bailout Plan
Posted by admin on Dec 6, 2008
GM, Ford and Chrysler employ about 250,000 people in the US and say that they support a further four million jobs. CNN says it’s not just about Detroit. The auto industry employs workers in every state - including Alaska and Hawaii. More than 2 million jobs - from manufacturing, to parts, to auto dealers - depend on car makers for their pay.
Tags: Auto Bailout Plan, Chrysler, Ford, GM