Alfa Romeo Giulietta by Maserati to be Used

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http://variousfriends.com/viewforum.php?f=4Collaborations between two companies that belong in the same group is a common practice. However, platform or parts sharing, or even badge engineering, is not the only form of a partnership.

In 2008, Ferrari chose a limited edition of the Fiat 500 as a courtesy car for its customers. Now, two more brands of the Fiat group have emulated the Ferrari-Fiat move. Maserati has chosen Alfa Romeo's C-segment hatchback, the Giulietta, as a courtesy car for its clients in Europe.

The car, which will be produced in a strictly limited number of 100 units, is based on the top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio Verde that’s powered by a 235HP turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder petrol engine.

The “Giulietta for Maserati” special will be distinguished on the outside by 18-inch alloy wheels that Alfa says are “enhanced by diamond tooling” and larger brakes with red calipers.

In the cabin, Maserati owners who will use the Giulietta as a courtesy car will find “Maserati Brown” Venere leather upholstery, brushed aluminum inserts along with an “Alfa Romeo for Maserati” plaque on the dashboard and aluminum door sill plates with the names “Giulietta” and “Maserati” engraved on them.cars forum
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Standard features include bi-xenon headlights with AFS function, a navigation system with a pop-up display, a Blue&Me hands-free system with steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth, USB and AUX-IN connectivity and dual-zone automatic climate control.

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New 2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan Based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta

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The Chrysler Group has resurrected the Dart nameplate from the 1960s for its new Dodge compact sedan model that will receive its world premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the second week of January.

The new Dart is the first Chrysler Group vehicle to be based upon a Fiat architecture as it makes use of a modified version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback's platform named Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW), which has been lengthened and widened to improve interior space.

The Detroit automaker says that 68 percent of the Dart's body is composed of high-strength steel, resulting in a "very strong and rigid structurecars forum
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".

Powering the 2013 Dodge Dart will be three four-cylinder gasoline powerplants including a new Tigershark 2.0-liter unit, a 1.4-liter MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine that will most likely be shared with the Fiat Abarth 500 in the U.S., and a new Tigershark 2.4-liter MultiAir engine.

The MultiAir technology on the 1.4L Turbo and the 2.4L units that allows for direct and dynamic control of air intake and combustion is said to result up to a 15 percent increase in low engine rpm torque, a 7.5 percent improvement in fuel economy and a 10 percent reduction in C02 emissions.

We only get a glimpse of the exterior styling of the new Ford Focus- and VW Jetta-sized Dart, but it's obvious that the design with the split-crosshair grille and the full-width LED ‘racetrack’ tail lamps was inspired by the Charger.

The new Dart sedan will be manufactured at the Chrysler Group’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois.

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Scion Releases Footage from FR-S Presentation in Los Angeles

Last week, Scion lifted the curtains on the third and final (unless Lexus and Daihatsu have other plans…) iteration of the 2+2 rear-wheel drive coupe developed by Toyota and Subaru, the North American market FR-S.

For those of you that missed the presentation in Los Angeles, Scion has released official coverage from November 30th's launch event that includes an introduction by the firm's Vice President, Jack Holl.

The Scion FR-S is a carbon copy of the Toyota 86 featuring the same body and 200-horsepower 2.0-liter engine matched to 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

It will go on sale in the United States and Canada next summer with prices to be announced closer to the sales date. However, Toyota has said that it aims to keep prices low enough "to attract recent college graduates".

Ferrari Celebrates 60 Years of Formula 1 Wins with “60F1” Limited Edition of 599 GTB

Scuderia Ferrari is the only team that has been present in Formula 1 since its conception in 1950. On July 14 1951, it scored its first-ever F1 victory at the British Grand Prix held at Silverstone with a 375 F1 driven by Froilan Gonzalez.

Six decades later, on July 10 2011, Fernando Alonso won Ferrari’s sole Grand Prix in the 2011 F1 season. To celebrate the event, Ferrari has launched the “60 Years of Victories in Formula 1” [60F1] package for the 599 GTB Fiorano equipped with the HGTE handling package.

Clients who opt for this special edition of the 599 can choose from a list of exterior and interior modifications that are part of Ferrari’s Tailor-Made program, which was launched today in Maranello by Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo and creative consultant for the Tailor-Made program, Lapo Elkan.

The bodywork of the 60F1 is available in three liveries. The first one is the 375 F1, which is the same darker red color used by the Scuderia for its first F1 cars. The second is the Ferrari 150o Italia, inspired by this year’s F1 car with white strips on the front bumper, mudguards, A-posts and buttresses, and the colors of the Italian flag painted on the rear. The third model is the 150o Italia 2, which is almost identical to the previous scheme but without most of the white-painted parts.

All three versions get the Scuderia Ferrari shield on the front wheel arches painted as in the competition cars, 20-inch diamond-finish forged alloy wheels and a satin-finish aluminum fuel cap.

The interior gets seats made by Sabelt in the European version and Recaro in the North American model upholstered in Alcantara (like the rest of the cabin), with extra-grip Superfabric material in areas that come in greatest contact with the driver’s body, the Scuderia Shield stitched on the headrests and red and blue four-point safety belts.

The 599’s dashboard is trimmed in a new light and durable material named Alutex that is made from metallic fibers and fiberglass, and has a matte finish to prevent glare.

Finally, a special silver plaque that commemorates the 60 years of Scuderia Ferrari wins in Formula 1 and features the signatures of both Froilan Gonzalez and Fernando Alonso decorates the dashboard.

Story References: Ferrari via Insideline

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Dodge Dart (2012)

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Dodge Dart (2012) - first pictures of the American Alfa

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

06 December 2011 16:29

Dodge is reviving a badge from the 1960s for its new Dart compact car - and it's based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings.

The new 2012 Dodge Dart borrows the Alfa Romeo Giulietta architecture, available within the group now that Chrysler is part of the Fiat group.

Dodge dubs its the new Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform, and we'll see this rolled out across the group. It's a very stiff structure, Dodge claiming a class-leading 68% of the body being composed of high-strength steel.

Dodge Dart: doesn't look like an Alfa though...

The style is more Detroit than Turin, judging by these first teaser photos, although some commentators have noted the influence of the VW Scirocco on this new compact Dodge.

The powertrains are also snaffled from the Alfa Romeo stable, including the 1.4-litre Multiair turbo, 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.4-litre Multiair.

So will the Dodge Dart be built in Italy?

Nope. It'll be made at the Chrysler group's Belvidere plant in Illinois, US.

This is a sign that Fiat has streamlined the group's production processes admiarbly quickly. It's not long since the Italians took control at Auburn Hills, yet the Dodge Dart is based on the latest Fiat group technology. Other groups have struggled to leverage economies of scale so quickly.

3 DTM racer

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Andy Priaulx’s guide to 2012's BMW M3 DTM racer

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

05 December 2011 13:29

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is the world’s greatest tin-top race series, and after a twenty-year absence BMW is returning to the DTM in 2012 – it’s been tempted back by new rules and regulations that cut costs, improve safety, and make the racing closer and more exciting than ever. And Guernseyman Andy Priaulx is one of just six drivers who has a seat in the half dozen M3s that’ll battle Mercedes’ C Class Coupe DTM and Audi’s A5 DTM next year. We caught up with the three-time World Touring Car Champion to find out about his new 480bhp company car.

CAR: How competitive will BMW be?

Andy Priaulx: 'We won’t know until the first qualifying session of the first race exactly where we’re at. We’re not going to embarrass ourselves but we’ve got to respect Audi and Mercedes – they know the championship, they know the tyre, they know the formula and what makes a DTM car work. We’re not going to learn that information overnight. We’re going to have to do our testing in public but I’m very optimistic with the people we have onboard that we can perform really well.
'Our goal is to be competitive, and until we’re competitive we can’t think of winning races. That alone is a massive task, and the magnitude of this championship, with the approach of the other manufacturers, it’s going to be a real tough fight.'

How has the M3 DTM developed since it was unveiled in July 2011?

'BMW has always been professional in motor racing, but they have gone to an F1 operation overnight. I came back to my first test at the Lausitzring and was quite shocked by the approach, the structure and the magnitude of the test and what we’re doing in the DTM.
'The car has shown a lot of performance immediately and feels good, but we need that testing time to learn the tyres, learn the aero package and to really make the car good enough to win, It’s constantly evolving: what we rolled out two months ago is totally different now. We’re saving weight, the car is getting lighter and lighter and that makes it react differently. We’re trying different geometry and kinematic settings, exploring new things in every test. Our engineers our pushing the limit to find the best aero package and balance in the car before homologation. And March 2012 is not a long time. We’ve got to develop a whole car in that time.'

Does the M3 DTM differ much from the M3 GT you’ve been racing for the past few years?

'It’s very different. The DTM car has carbon brakes, so the temperatures need to be much higher and you have to hit the pedal a lot harder to slow the car down. But you can brake harder and later because of the downforce; there’s twice as much downforce as the GT car so high-speed corners are really quick.
'Then there’s the carbonfibre monocoque, the transaxle gearbox, and proper Formula-type suspension, and it’s lighter so it reacts quicker – it’s a lot more of a pure racing car than the GT.
'The DTM uses a much smaller restrictor than what we have in GT racing, but engine performance feels similar because the DTM car is lighter. But for me the biggest standout difference is the aero and mechanical grip.'

Do the M3 DTM and M3 GT require a different approach to race?

'You’ve got to drive the DTM car with a lot of energy. You’ve really got to drive the car hard to do a lap time so it’s physically more demanding than a GT car. You sit a lot lower, so visibility is not as good – you feel locked into a serious racing machine.
'The GT car is still great though: you’ve got 500bhp, probably more power than the DTM car because of the bigger restrictors, traction control, and the racing is really good. It’s not like the DTM car is much better to drive, it’s just a lot faster and it does everything better.'

BMW M3 DTM spec

Length: 4775mm (without rear wing)
Width: 1950mm
Height: approx. 1,200mm (depending on set-up)
Chassis/Bodywork: CFRP monocoque with steel roll cage structure
Transmission: Sequential 6-speed gearbox
Engine type: V8
Capacity: 4000cc
Max power output: approx. 480bhp (with air restrictor as per regulations)

Andy Priaulx’s bio

Born: 8 August 1973
Career highlights
1990: 1st place Motocross 250cc Championship (Channel Islands)
1995: 1st place RAC MSA British Hillclimb Championship
1999: 1st place Renault Spider Cup, 13 wins from pole
2004: European Touring Car Champion
2005: Winner of Nürburgring 24hrs
2005-2007: World Touring Car Champion
2008: Awarded an MBE
2011 1st place GT class 12h race Sebring (BMW M3 GT)

BMW M3 race highlights

1987-1992: 40 wins and over 150 podiums in the German Touring Car Championship
2005 and 2010: Winner of the Nürburgring 24hrs
2011: Winner of the GT drivers’, team and manufacturer’s championships in the American Le Mans Series

BMW M3 DTM teams

BMW Team RMG: New to the DTM
BMW Team RBM: 2004 European Touring Car Champion, and 2005-2007 World Touring Car Champions
BMW Team Schnitzer:  Won BMW’s first ever DTM title with Roberto Ravaglia in 1989, and has taken four overall victories at the Nürburgring 24hrs, the latest in 2005 and 2010 with GTR and GT-spec M3s

Chinese car maker Geely to launch in UK in 2012

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

06 December 2011 10:32

Chinese car maker Geely – better known for its ownership of Volvo – will launch in the UK in late 2012.
Parent company Geely International Corporation has struck a deal with Manganese Bronze Holdings to be its distributor in the UK market.
MBH is the parent company of The London Taxi Company, which manufactures the iconic black cab in Coventry. The name of the new UK distributor will be Geely Auto UK.

What cars will Geely sell in the UK?

First up is the Geely Emgrand EC7, a car roughly the same size as the Skoda Octavia. It'll be powered by 1.5- and 1.8-litre petrol engines and be available with a four- or five-door bodystyle.
Prices will kick off at around £10,000 – making this car significantly cheaper than an Octavia which starts at around £13k.
The EC7 has a pretty modern design, although the proof will be in the pudding. Not so long ago, domestic cars seen at Chinese motor shows had all the build quality of a 99p children's toy – but the leaps and bounds made in manufacturing mean that China's car makers are rapidly closing the gap with Europe's establishment.

How will the Geely cars be sold?

Not from Volvo dealerships, that's for sure. Although it owns Volvo, Geely will have a quite distinct chain of showrooms. The company plans a network of 30-40 dealerships in place in time for launch at the end of 2012.
Matthew Cheyne, market development director of Geely Auto UK, said:  'Geely has a comprehensive range of models well suited to European requirements.  We will be aiming to widen our range just as quickly as possible, probably at least a new model range every year for the next four to five years.
'Geely cars are already suitable for Europe and meet EU homologation and whole vehicle type approval and of course Euro 5 emissions.  They are all well equipped products but at affordable prices and will carry a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.'