Twetta what?

Another sexy Geneva concept car was unveiled yesterday, this time from Alfa Romeo. Dubbed the “2uettottanta” (two-etto-tanta, say it with me), the name is an homage to the storied Alfa Romeo Duetto, one of the all time classic roadsters. More pics after the jump.

Tututattana? I don't care, it looks good from any angle.

No word on power from the turbocharged 1.75 liter motor, but the layout appears to be front engine, rear drive. Dimensionally, it’s a little bit bigger than the pictures make it look. Compared to a current generation Mazda Miata, the 2uettottanta is about 8 inches longer and 3 inches wider, with a slightly longer wheelbase.

Twittytinto? It just looks Italian, and that's a good thing.

With lines like that, you could call it the Snuffleuphagus and I'd still buy it.

Now that we’re likely to see Alfa in the US again, I say build it but keep it simple. We really don’t need the weight or complexity of a power retractable hard top; a simple cloth top will do just fine, thanks. Build a base model with a six speed manual and cloth interior and price it below $25k. Make a premium model with a leather interior and more farkles (heated seats, Bluetooth,etc.) and price it just below $30k. I suspect there are enough of us gear heads with a soft spot for Alfa Romeos that you’d sell them by the boatload.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sedan

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that Alfa Romeo will return to this side of the pond in 2012. Speaking at an industry gathering in Toronto, Marchionne expressed his confidence in Alfa’s product line and the North American demand for it.

The new Alfa Giulia sedan and wagon are likely to be the first models imported, followed by a North American model produced jointly with Chrysler.

Source: Left Lane News

I play a little game during night drives. I try to identify the make, model, and year of cars by the shape of their taillights or headlights alone. I’m pretty good. See, I have an Asperger’s-like obsession with cars and I’m rarely stumped. So when most of the cars at an auto museum absolutely confound me, I know it’s good. And thus, the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, Ca., is good.

The Blackhawk Museum is tucked in the foothills of Mt. Diablo, technically in Danville, just south of the upscale community of Blackhawk. It was built in ‘88 and has 70,000-square-feet of gallery space. The place may be small, but it’s crammed with a stunning, bizarro collection of contraptions. On average, it houses about 90 cars, most on loan to the museum from private collectors.

And it’s quite a collection, spanning automotive history from the early teens right up through the Malaise. But enough talk, let’s take a look at some of these rides.

1931 Packard Model 745

This red-and-sliver behemoth has classic coachwork by revered designer Raymond Detrich, who said, “I want to be to the automobile what the architect is to the building.” And it’s like a rolling building with barrel sides, acres of hood, and a gigantic trunk hanging off the rear bumper. But the elaborate chrome articulating driving lights really caught my eye. Check out the complex cable setup to move them in concert with the steering wheel. The Model 745 packed the legendary 384 c.i. L-head straight eight good for 120 horsepower.

1955 Pegaso

The Pegaso’s concoction of crazy curves makes your head hurt, but it’s enticing nonetheless. The car was built by the government-owned Empresa Nacional de Automocamiones S.A. from 1951 to 1957. It’s a true sports car with a 2.8-liter DOHC V-8 that puts out 250 horsepower. Priced between $15,000 and $35,000, it was one of the most expensive cars in the world. Only 56 of them have survived the ravages of time.

1956 Arnolt-Bristol

Industrialist Stanley H. Arnolt made loads of cash selling lubricant and parts to the military during WWII. With his newfound wealth, he partnered with British boutique car shop Bristol and Bertone to create Arnolt-Bristol roadsters and coupes. The catfish-like roadsters were powered by BMW-derived straight sixes, rode on British chassis, and had Italian bodywork. According to the placard, this one is rocking a Corvette V-8. The little car is stunning in person, muscular and dainty at the same time.

1939 Lagonda

Lagonda was founded by Wilbur Gunn, a mechanic from Ohio who moved to England in 1897. By the time this drophead coupe was made, the company had been bought by the Brits and W. O. Bentley himself was in charge of design and engineering. It carries all of Bentley’s engineering breakthroughs: an OHC V-12, independent front suspension, hydraulic brakes, and outboard rear springs. It’s also drop-dead gorgeous.

1937 Cadillac V-16

=

This Cadillac is big. The kind of big that wrecks your sense of scale. When you see an aircraft carrier, your brain does a little summersault. Things that big aren’t supposed to float. This Cadillac is like that. Things this big aren’t supposed to drive. Specifically, this convertible is more than 22 feet long. Its coach-built body was commissioned by wealthy Swiss playboy Philippe Barraud. It has a 452 c.i. V-16. And it was built during the Great Depression.

1936 Duesenberg

This Duesenberg Model SJ has custom coachwork by Bohman and Schwartz of Pasadena and it certainly looks like it should be carting a quartet of Hollywood stars. The droptop’s supercharged straight eight puts out 320 horsepower, almost twice as much power as contemporary luxury cars.

1955 Dodge Firebomb

Chrysler couldn’t get away with a name like “Firebomb” today, but in 1955 it was the perfect name for this Ghia-designed droptop. And unlike most show cars, this one actually went into production. Detroit magnate Eugene Casaroll purchased the design and production rights from Chrysler and made the car under the name Dual-Ghia between 1956 and 1958. The cars ran 315 c.i. hemis and rode on Chrysler chassis. Famous Dual-Ghia owners included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Richard Nixon.

1930 Bucciali

This angry French front-wheel-drive coupe was built by Angelo and Paul Albert Bucciali in 1930. It’s powered by an American Continental inline eight. While impressive, it’s nothing compared to the brothers’ Double Huit, a front-wheel-drive monster powered by two straight eight engines mounted side by side.

1948 Cadillac

This Caddy was made long before velvet jumpsuits, platform shoes with goldfish in them, and pimp hats, but Super Fly would feel right at home in it anyway. It was bodied by famous French coach builder Jacques Saoutchik and at one time cruised the streets of Hollywood. It was eventually sold to a modest Midwesterner who bought the coupe for his wife. Her favorite color was purple.

Alfa BAT

In the ’50s, Alfa Romeo wanted to cheat the wind. Legendary designers Franco Scaglione and Nuccio Bertone designed a series of hyper-streamlined concept cars dubbed BAT (Berlinetta Aerodynamica Technica) between 1953 and 1955. Blackhawk has all three of them, the BAT 5, 7, and 9 cars. They are absolutely gorgeous—meticulously formed shapes that invoke sleek and slippery creatures like the manta ray or tiger shark. They’re worth the price of admission alone.

I’m not much of a Harley guy, though I do have a strange attraction to their XR1200. I also like the look of a well done bobber, like the one you see above. Throw in the fact that it’s powered by a V6 from Alfa Romeo, and I’m in. All in.

Alfa motors (and Italian engines in general) are the sweetest sounding mechanical devices on God’s green earth. Seventy one virgins, simultaneously achieving orgasmic bliss, could not rival the sound of a properly tuned Alfa Duetto. Throw in two more cylinders, and I’m sure it only gets better.

Sure, it’s a hardtail, which you could only ride for about ten miles before requiring spinal surgery. Sure, those heat wrapped exhaust pipes would roast you legs like a Thanksgiving turkey. Sure, that primary chain for the transmission would turn your left foot to hamburger before you got to the first stop light. But I GET this bike, so none of that matters.

If I had the coin, I’d be dialing the builder right now. I’ve got just the right spot in my living room for a piece of rolling sculpture.

Source: Jalopnik

The words “affordable” and “Italian” generally don’t play well in the same sandbox. Italian sports cars as a whole bring up thoughts of big dollars, big repair bills and big ego’s, that is, until now. I recently had the opportunity to view one of these rare Italian beasties in person and was pleasantly surprised by what I found out, that being, that most anyone whose employed can own one.

What you see here is a 1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 and it is a beauty. Think of it as the Mazda Miata’s illegitimate great grandfather. These cars, although rare are actually quite affordable with the price spectrum ranging from about 20k-40k which really isn’t that bad when you consider this car was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro… never heard of him? Well, he’s the guy who also designed the Ferrari 250 Berlinetta Bertone, De Tomaso Mangusta, Iso Grifo and Maserati Ghibli, so in short… he’s got mad skills.

Performance wise the little Alfa is no pavement shredder. It’s little four cylinder cast iron mill churns out about 105 HP @ 5300 RPM and sounds glorious, not to bad for a car that weighs less than 2300 lbs. Although, if you want to get really crazy the later 2600 models did have an 2.3L inline-6 that produced 145 HP… BOOYA!! Make no mistake, these little Alfa’s are all Italian, all sports car and everything you’d need to fit in to any car show anywhere in the world. So before you go out and spend that 30k on some new pasta rocket or strudel wagon, take a look around and think outside the box, because if you do, you may just be amazed at what you’ll find.

Launched by TARDEC (U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center) in 2008, the FED’s (Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator) primary objective has been to prepare the armed forces for the 21st century by staying ahead of alternatively-powered military vehicles. Taking their first serious step towards achieving that goal, the FED announced today the contracting of technology and engineering firm, Ricardo Inc., to spearhead the development of new light tactical vehicles. While perhaps news to civilian ears, the agreement actually represents phase two of Ricardo’s collaborative effort with TARDEC that is expected to materialize their conceptual visions of fuel-efficient combat machines.

“The FED project leverages Ricardo’s experience and success in supporting the development of a broad range of military vehicles over several years,” explained Paul Luskin, Ricardo’s chief program engineer for FED and vehicle engineering manager. “In particular, TARDEC has recognized Ricardo’s role on the Future Tactical Truck System (FTTS), in which we successfully implemented advanced technology into an innovative vehicle architecture.”

Understandably pleased to snag the biggest piece of government pie this side of a federal bailout, Ricardo’s Vehicle Product Group Director, Louis Infante said, “We are extremely pleased to be able to continue supporting TARDEC in its objective to increase the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleets. The FED project represents an ideal application of Ricardo’s expertise in armored vehicle design and fuel efficiency improvements using our Total Vehicle Fuel Economy processes. We look forward to working with the government in developing a vehicle that will represent a large step forward in reducing life-cycle cost.”

Source: PRNewswire

The exact timetable for availability of Fiat, Alfa Romeo, or any number of other foreign makers finally making their way back into the U.S. market changes based upon who you talk to; but if anything, the anticipation of their arrival certainly highlights the blandness with which we have grown accustomed to here in the States. Whether with their economical MiTo, or exhilerating 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo could certainly not be accused of a sterility in style. With the latter example, the Italian automaker also demands to be recognized as more than just a pretty face.

It is also refreshing that with the 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo did not alter in any significant way the final production car that was unleashed as a concept in 2003. Despite its rather strong “Alfa” overtones in styling, namely the front fascia, individual areas of the 8C resemble other vehicles. The back of the vehicle and the glass hatch are almost Corvette-like. The profile has a certain Aston Martin/Jaguar cut to it. Even the front of the vehicle with its wedge-shaped grille could have been pulled out of the Ferrari design studio. Comparisons to other automakers is a natural conclusion given that the 8C shares its platform and suspension for the Maserati GranTurismo. However, rather than looking like some sort of vehicular-Frankenstein, the 8C is a coherent masterpiece of flowing Italian lines carved out of carbon fiber.

If it’s outer visage wasn’t attractive enough, under the hood, the Italian blood flowing through the 8C’s build is about as impressive as it gets. Motivation is derived from a 4.7-liter V8 adopted from Maserati, but actually built by Ferrari. Not surprisingly then, power is plentiful and rated at 450 horsepower and 354 pounds of torque. With its paddle-shifting, six-speed rear-mounted transmission, the Alfa coupe pops off 0-60 times of just 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 181 mph. These impressive numbers are in part a result of its low, stiff structure that in total weighs 3500 pounds, hundreds of pounds less than its Maserati cousin. Gas mileage is mostly irrelevant, but owners can expect 12 and 17 mpg when motoring to and from their local 7-11.

Under The Hood

Although the exterior of Italian cars are historically far-and-away superior to their often cheap, hard interiors, that gap would appear to have shrunk considerably if the 8C Competizione is any indication. Cabin materials include the liberal use of carbon fiber, milled aluminum and the prerequisite Italian Poltrona Frau leather.

While production will be limited to only 500 examples, the number available here in America will be even more scarce at 84 units. Prior to Alfa-specific dealerships opening, the coupe, as well as an open top spider edition will be sold at American Maserati dealerships with a price tag of $265,000. If Alfa Romeo was looking to make a big splash back into America, they would have appeared to have found it in the 8C Competizione.

Importing a grey market vehicle is a long, arduous, expensive task, which is generally why only those people employed by government-bankrolled investment firms or the Columbian cartel can afford to do it. Plebes like us are forced to make do with whatever the dealer has in stock or, more likely, whatever we can find on Craigslist for under 5 grand. If you have an “in” with the U.S. Department of Commerce and unlimited funds, however, there are 10 cars that are totally worth trying to smuggle through customs.

1. Ford Focus RS

This is not the same Focus that you see parked 10 abreast and 30 deep at the community college, this is the Ford Focus RS. Tagged a Lancer Evo-fighter without a trace of facetiousness, the Focus RS is a mean little machine thanks entirely to the low-pressure turbo genius of Volvo. Equipped with a 2.5L turbocharged inline 5, the Focus RS churns out a staggering 305-horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. Ordinarily, that much power coupled with a FWD layout is a recipe for one ugly, habitual understeer, but amazingly the Focus RS cuts corners on the track with razor-edge precision. The real deal-clincher? All of this can be had for around £25k (not including any relevant bribes, of course).

2. Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 Abarth has a turbocharged and intercooled 1.4L four cylinder that puts out 150-horsepower, which is laughable for a full-sized sedan but translates to a real white-knuckle experience under the hood of a 139.8 inch long, 65.0 inch wide, 58.2 inch tall, 2282 pound compact. It can break the 0-62 mph mark in 7.9 seconds while still averaging 44 mpg, and even when it’s optioned out its $23k price tag won’t break the bank. Basically, the Fiat 500 Abarth gives you all the benefits of a MINI Cooper without making you look like you’re big into dudes.

3. Audi RS6 Avant

In 1990, Volvo introduced the 960 turbo wagon with the slogan, “Until Ferrari makes a wagon, this is it.” When the 960 was discontinued in the late 90’s, nothing stepped up to take its place. To this day there isn’t anything in the U.S. that rivals the turbo brick,and blatant Volvo bias forces us to maintain that there isn’t anything that rivals it overseas either, but if it was possible to replace the 960, the RS6 Avant would be our number one pick.

4. GTbyCITROEN

Ok we admit, it’s a media whore, and for that we loathe it, but c’mon, look at it! Tearing up the asphalt around Piccadilly Circus while playing Gran Turismo Prolouge5 is one thing, but actually doing it behind the wheel of a full-scale, real-life model? That’ll earn you so much street cred, the ladies won’t even care that you live in your mother’s basement. Or that you’re 40 years old. And balding. And a little chubby.

5. Ford RS200 Evolution

An unfortunate crash during WRC Portugal lead to the sudden cancellation of the RS200 in 1986, but not before Ford had already introduced the RS200 Evolution. Designed by F1 engineers for Ford of Great Britain to blow the window nets off other rally racers, the RS200 Evo was basically an STi with extreme ‘roid rage. A beefed-up version of the already-chunky Cosworth BDA sat longitudinally mounted in the rear of the Evo and, depending on who you’re talking to and which factory upgrade they had, put out anywhere from 550 horsepower to an almost unbelievable 815-horsepower. What’s more, the most powerful RS200 Evos were able to sprint from 0-60 mph in 3.07 seconds, earning the Ford RS200 Evo a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for 12 years as the fastest production car ever.

6. Renault Mégane R26.R

Three words: Six-point harness. A limited edition Mégane Sport model, the R26.R comes with a 6-point aviation-style restraint system and a 4-point roll cage that looks as badass as it sounds. To cut down on drag, the tail lights and rear window are made out of polycarbonate tinted just dark enough to pass for glass. The 2-liter inline 4 cranks out 230-horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque, which wouldn’t usually be particularly noteworthy were it not for the fact that the RS6.2 managed to lap the Nürburgring in 8m 17s. To achieve this, Renault dispensed with any frivolous accoutrements like the radio, the rear seats, and the airbags.

7. Audi A5 Sportback

There’s only one reason we covet the A5 Sportback: aesthetics. The average age of car buyers is apparently on a steady decline, and to appeal to the new emerging market both BMW and Audi have created this new, thing. It’s not the Avant your PTA president drives, but it could still haul just as many crappy cupcakes to the bake sale, and it’s not the coupe the douche in finance who lives next door drives, but it could still weave in and out of traffic with the same finesse.

8. Vauxhall VXR8

It’s the Pontiac G8. ‘Nuff said.

9. Alfa Romeo MiTo

Its engines only produce a range from 99 to 150-horsepower, the DNA drive switch that has critics salivating has been done countless times before in some form or another, and the car itself is just a rebadged Fiat Punto. It’s not much to speak of on the track, but gas mileage is great and the whole shebang can be had for under $22k, which means you can put a brand new Alfa Romeo in your garage for a fraction of the price of its predecessor, the 8C Competizione. So yeah, the performance might be mediocre, but it’s an Alfa Romeo for crying out loud…

10. Holden VE Ute

El Camino, anyone? Had Pontiac not been on such a treacherous road to ruin, we might have seen this stateside in the form of the Pontiac G8 Sport truck. Unfortunately, it was cancelled before it ever hit production and the Holden VE Ute is the only remaining evidence it ever existed.

Now that the calendar reads ‘2009′ and summer is upon us, we can already begin shutting the book on the first decade of the new millenia. All the cars that will be produced have either made it to dealerships or have half a dozen reviews already printed in some magazine collecting dust on your shelf.

This decade closes much like the 1960s, in an atmosphere of uproar and protest, with rumors of war and peace and revolution at hand. The auto industry has experienced a second Golden Age, bigger and grander than the first, and has again sunk into crisis, darker and dimmer than the one Baby Boomers remember. And enthusiasts young and old fear that a similar fate awaits them in the coming years with news of outrageously stringent CAFE standards, and fear-mongering legislators fuel anxieties that we’ve already seen the best cars of the next thirty some odd years.

So it is that we turn back to this decade already a bit nostalgic. Here lie the future legends, the autos of myth and lore. With the future unclear, we ask ourselves which cars made the glorious 2000’s the decade we will all miss more than we know?

1. FORD THUNDERBIRD

The 11th-generation Thunderbird was resurrected from the dead for 2002. Returning to the original layout as a two-seat convertible, it wasn’t spectacularly fast, but it’s retro styling cues awakened us all from the Dark Ages of the 1980s and early 1990s, and provided the first clue that Detroit could actually make an aesthetically pleasing vehicle again. The Thunderbird can almost single-handedly be credited with inspiring the Retro Renaissance, whose effects would define the next ten years of American automobiles, most immediately of which came a year later when Chevrolet released the SSR–an even more retro-themed roadster–that was part convertible and part truck (though in profile only). Unfortunately, the SSR simply wasn’t practical enough, or powerful enough to gain staying power in the market, and like the Thunderbird, soon faded into discontinuity. When both cars first appeared, they were welcome respites from the previous thirty years of soporific aesthetics, and heralded the Golden Age waiting just around the corner.

2. HUMMER H2

The original H1 followed a guaranteed formula for making a cool car: legalizing a military combat vehicle for public use. Its successor in the H2 was only bigger and uglier. Even before the upper crust, rap stars, and innumerable pimp-factories got their hands on it, the H2 was well on its way to becoming the primary target of the “Green Movement” in popular conversation. “Hummer” became synonymous with “The Wastefulness of Stupid, Rich Americans Who Hate the Environment”. And with fuel economy ratings so deplorable they were conveniently omitted from EPA testing (independent testing revealed averages between 8 and 12 mpg), the H2 became an extended middle finger to every person who considered themselves an environmentalist. Though Hummer’s days with GM may be numbered, the pinnacle of the American fetish for fuel-chugging SUVs will not soon be forgotten.

3. TOYOTA PRIUS

It’s hard to imagine a car more responsible for transforming the public’s perception of gas-guzzling grizzlies than the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. First appearing on our shores in 2001, the remodeled NHW20 of 2004 is the familiar hump-back profile we now have singed into the back of our retinas. The Prius’ surging popularity helped launch Toyota above the already faltering domestic manufacturers, and signaled the global automotive shift from the U.S. to the Far East. As gas prices sky-rocketed and the economy slowed, the Prius became a fashion statement for celebrities and common folks alike, uniting them behind the notion that owning an ugly, boring car actually prevents carbon emissions from eating holes in the atmosphere.

4. FORD S-197 MUSTANG

After Chevy dropped the Camaro in 2003, the Mustang became the sole surviving pony car. And rather than sit on its duff and enjoy its victory, Ford revised its most famous nameplate and created the S-197 in 2005. Bigger, badder, and better looking than ever, the new Mustang revived interest in American cars as tuners from all over the world bought up models to gussy up in their own unique image. The Retro Renaissance was gaining momentum, and the Aftermarket could barely keep up. It wasn’t long before GM and Chrysler could not afford to ignore it, and immediately rumors began circulating that the long dead spirit of American Muscle was rising again. Just like that, the Pony Car Wars had begun. But while forums and Internet chatrooms buzzed for almost four years over spyshots and secret press releases detailing the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger, the Mustang continued to sell like hotcakes. By the time its arch-rivals finally appeared, recession had pushed consumers towards miniature econ-boxes and away from neo-classical American muscle.

5. NISSAN GT-R

“Godzilla” came to America July 7, 2008, and we were never the same. It dropped the “Skyline” tag in name only, but retained and exceeded the capabilities of its legendary R-34 ancestor. Here was a car that owned the title as “the fastest production car in the world around the Nurburgring”, and yet it was 3800 pounds, had four seats, and was well under $100K. The GT-R simply defied physics, and every other so called “supercar” in the world took notice. The rule book wasn’t just rewritten–it was thrown out and incinerated. And despite criticisms that the car was a soulless automaton, it was in fact the distilled essence of Japanese culture. Inspired by the ‘Gundam’ anime series and designed by the makers of the “Gran Turismo” video game, the GT-R was the car of, by, and for the PlayStation generation. Its controls were laser sharp, its reactions point-and-shoot, its grip face-pealing, its brutal acceleration nearly effortless to achieve (especially with that pesky little launch control). With every downed opponent, including Aston Martins, Corvettes, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and its intended target, the Porsche 911 Turbo, we gradually felt the wheels of progress turning beneath us. We had seen something totally unique–the next wrinkle in the evolution of performance cars.

6. AUDI R8

Much like the GT-R, the R8 also raised our expectations of what a supercar could be–only it did it with considerably more sexy body work. On paper, it was a demi-Gallardo, but on the road, however, it was so much more. Audi’s first foray into the supercar world was a home run for giving us an exotic that didn’t compromise comfort and convenience for performance and curb appeal. It won almost every major award for “Car of the Year” or “Design of the Year” in 2007 from sources such as Top Gear, Fifth Gear, Automobile Magazine, Playboy, and the “World Car of the Year” awards in 2008. The one drawback, however, was the engine. The RS4-sourced V-8 was underwhelming in the company of Murcielagos and McLarens, so Audi quickly rolled out an improved version in 2009, with a detuned Gallardo V-10 churning out 518 brutal (but well-behaved) horses and all the mystique of any Italian beauty.

7. CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1

The Z06 Corvette had already wowed us in 2006 as a giant killer whooping up on cars twice its price. But ultimately it lacked the sophistication to compete outright with the best of Italy and Germany. But when GM created a $100,000 Corvette and slapped the ZR1 badge on it, we had something truly special on our hands. Forever the laughing stock of Europe, finally we Americans had a two-seater worth bragging about. Sure, it had a tacky carbon-fiber roof, and sure, the interior still smelled like glue on a hot summer’s day, and the seats were less supportive than your dad’s favorite pair of briefs, but it whooped ass! It dethroned the GT-R and took the Nurburgring record for itself (not because GM really cared all that much about it, but simply because Nissan did), and even managed to earn the adoration of the impossible-to-please Jeremy Clarkson. Low, lean, and shamelessly self-aggrandizing with a Plexiglas window displaying its supercharger-cover, the ZR1 may be the best American car we see for quite some time.

8. PONTIAC AZTEK

GM saw its highs and lows. The Aztek was the lowest of those lows. Certainly not the worst car ever made (there are a host of others we could argue for that title) it garnered the title as the “World’s Ugliest Car” from a British newspaper, a title substantiated innumerable times by anyone who ever saw it. Its atrocious styling could partly be to blame on the way it was conceived, being one of the first cars designed entirely using computerized rapid-prototyping/rapid-visualization tools. Surely, if the designers had actually seen the car in person before boxing it up and shipping it out, they could have saved themselves untold amounts of embarrassment. Born of Satan in 2001, brand new models were still being sold off the lots years after it was discontinued in 2005. Affectionately called the Vagina-Mobile by in-house officials (it’s not too nice looking on the outside, but once you get inside, it’s not so bad) the Aztek was an ill portent that maybe all was not well at GM, and foreshadowed Pontiac’s downfall. Oh, if only the G8 had come sooner.

9. BUGATTI VEYRON

With 16 cylinders arranged in a ‘W’, 4 turbochargers, 10 radiators, a top speed of 253mph, acceleration to 60 in 2.5 seconds, and a price tag of 1.5 million dollars, the Veyron was cool the same way Versailles was cool–through utterly comical levels of excess. It was the most expensive mass produced car, the fastest accelerating car, and the fastest car outright in the world’s history. It consumed fuel faster than a fraternity wannabe gulps vodka at a hazing ceremony. It could drain an entire tank in 12 minutes at top speed, just three minutes short of the tires giving way. But in between all the numbers was the absolute serenity with which it achieved its monumental feats. Soon after it appeared in 2005, there were challengers looking to steal its Top Speed crown, and while the Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo would eventually dethrone its title, the Veyron remains the uncontested exotic of choice for billionaires with small penises.

10. HYUNDAI GENESIS

Before 2009, no one would expected a Hyundai to win the North American Car of the Year Award, much less make it on a RideLust Top Ten list. Hyundai’s vision for the Genesis sedan was to offer a car with the performance of a BMW 5-series, the interior packaging of a 7-series, and the price of a 3-series. But even though the car is certainly as attractive and alluring as any German or Japanese rival, its badge deters most people from even considering it. Hyundai realized it needed a flagship to redefine its public image. So they followed up with the Genesis Coupe, and suddenly, we had a car that made us question our loyalty to American coupes. The Genesis Coupe excelled in providing cheap performance in a tasteful package, the very thing that had made the Mustang so successful. And while we here at RideLust refuse to be swayed by this Korean Voodoo magic, if the Genesis’ highly successful reception is any sign, the age of European dominance in the luxury and performance market may also be coming to a close, and Japan may finally have a worthy competitor on its hands.

RUNNERS-UP

1. This list could very easily have included the collective soul of “The Supercar,” since the past ten years have yielded the finest road-going machines we have ever seen. Members of this laundry list include, but are not limited to:
-Porsche 911 GT2/GT3, and Carrera GT
-Ferrari F430, Scuderia, Enzo, and 599 Foriano
-Lamborghini LP560-4 Gallardo and Murcielago (including the Reventon and SuperVeloce special editions)
-Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, and the future classic SLR McLaren
-Aston Martin DB9, DBS, and One-77
-Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR
-Alfa Romeo 8C Competizone
-Koeniggsegg CCX
-Pagani Zonda
-Gumpert Apollo

2. The Tesla Roadster was like a collection of Calvin and Hobbes strips on a rainy day. It told us that even if internal combustion engines are a thing of the past, and the Mad Max alternate reality setting will soon drop the ‘alternate’ part, everything will be okay. We can still have kick ass cars that sip no fuel whatsoever–at least themselves. It inspired dozens of unique or retro-fitted sports cars bred for both speed and efficiency.

3. And speaking of “plug-in” hybrids, the expectation of the Chevrolet Volt’s arrival made us believe there is still hope yet for GM past its bankruptcy proceedings (though, at $40K, we sincerely doubt that it will be the panacea for the average Joe as Lutz claims).

Fiat 500 Abarth Edition

Documents obtained by Edmunds that detail testimony by Thomas W. LaSorda, president of Chrysler, confirm some of RideLust’s own speculation as to which of Fiat’s models are coming stateside.

Fiat Panda - unexpectedly US-bound.

Here are the basics: according to LaSorda, Chrysler and Fiat will produce at least one car at a Chrysler plant, and it will use the Fiat C-Evo platform that underpins the Fiat Bravo. It will probably be a sedan, based on what we’re hearing from the industry buzz about this news, but it could also be the Grande Punto itself, which RideLust predicted might come over. The 500 will come, of course, but it’s unclear from LaSorda’s statement if it will be produced in a US factory. Interestingly, the Panda is a likely platform too, according to a similar document by Chrysler financial advisor Robert Manzo. Fiat engines are also going to play a role, specifically the 3.0L diesel and 1.4L gas engines.

Alfa Romeo MiTo - coming too!

Finally, several Alfa Romeos are likely to come over, including the MiTo (similar to the Grande Punto) and the new and as of yet unrevealed Milano. We’re VERY excited about the potential to get Alfa Romeo back. Let’s hope the 8C comes over too!

[Source: Edmunds] ]]> http://www.ridelust.com/update-fiat-500-confirmed-for-us/feed/ 1