Car Throttle

Even though the recent recession fatally wounded parts of the industry and fossil fuels running dry will threaten its future, the world of cars is still very much alive and kicking. There is such a variety of new products coming out this year ranging from affordable city cars you'll actually want to own, to ridiculously expensive supercars you'll lust after, old school coupes to revolutionary family cars, petrol engines to plug-in electric motors. The list is almost endless. So to help fellow car lovers and "new kids on the block" out, here's a round-up of 33 cars we can't wait to see in 2012 in order of release date. January 2012 Kia Optima It's been available around the world for a while but the Kia Optima

It's either bizarre or sad, depending on how you look at it.  I'm talking about Lancia, of course.  Amidst the hubbub of the Fiat/Chrysler merger (or takeover, depending on your views), we've been hearing a lot about Chrysler, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Ferrari, and the tech sharing that will occur between them. The 2013 Dodge Dart is an Alfa Romeo Guilietta underneath.  The Dodge Journey is making it's way over to Europe with Fiat engines (including diesels), new nose, and a slightly refined interior as the Fiat Freemont.  The Fiat brand has returned to the US after an almost 30-year absence, selling the 500. Supposedly the next-generation Viper will include some Ferrari technology mixed in with it's traditional big-block badassery.  The Ram brand will be

The Detroit Auto Show actually starts Monday.  But in this business, all the news arrives before its due date.  That's the case with the Dodge Dart, which they've been teasing for a little while now.  We've had some preview posts on the Dart before, which you can find here and a snarky editorial on the Dart's EPA-pleasing 9-speed gearbox here. The full press release on the Dart will likely drop Monday (or before), but they've released a batch of images showing the R/T (Red) and Limited (White.)  Finally seeing the whole car for the first time, I'm pleasantly surprised.  Mainly because they've ditched the goofy pseudo-SUV look of the Caliber, which never really worked, but it's a decent looking little car on it's

Charger, Challenger, Aspen, and now Dart.  It's simple:  Chrysler has fired the person in charge of coming up with new names for their products.  Dodge released some CGI renderings today of the 2013 Dart, which will replace the awful Caliber.  Those who've been around a lot longer than me will remember the Dart as Dodge's low-end offering that ran in various forms from 1960-1976.  Hey, if you're going to resurrect a name, I'm glad it's not Volare. Unlike the original Dart, there will be no three-on-the-tree and indestructible Mopar straight-six.  The Dart is based on the platform of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback, enlarged for US tastes.  It's both wider and has a longer wheelbase, and the platform is referred to as the CUSW (Compact US

Right across the street from Charles Agapiou Bentley/Rolls Royce on Santa Monica Blvd is the kind of dealership you could just stand and drool in for a while.  Heritage Classics is exactly what it says on the label: a purveyor of high-end desirable classics parked wall to wall.  Unlike a lot of classic dealers, this one didn't seem to specialize in one marque or even genre: there was everything from a classic Porsche 356 to a Cadillac Eldorado.  But what lured me in the door first was this... A Ferrari 330GTC, what I think is probably the prettiest front-engine V12 Ferrari ever made.  Styling by Pininfarina, a 4.0L Colombo V12 breathing through six carbs up front, a five-speed, two seats and independent suspension.  The

I'm back in North Carolina now, where you can swing a dead cat without hitting a Bentley.  On one hand, it sucks.  I like seeing exotics constantly.  On the other, it's nice that exotics remain exotic. I walked around LA the whole time with my camera around my neck for you guys - so I'll continue now with day two and three of car spotting in LA.  Hope you enjoy it! Classic cars, especially older Japanese cars, seem to have a much longer shelf life in California's relatively mild, dry climate.  This 240Z would have a lot more rust bubbles over here in North Carolina.  I could do without the period window louvers, but YMMV. You could do worse for your commute than driving an

Alfa Romeo showcased the beautiful 4C Concept car at this week's 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The silver fox has already made its rounds on the internet and gossip columns, but in the flesh, it couldn't have wowed more. Not even the two booth babes standing evocatively around the car could peel our eyes away from the sweeping lines trademark Alfa "V" grille. Whilst the car also appeared in Geneva earlier in the year, it came to Frankfurt with a different paint job, ditching the bright red and adding in a shiny silver finish. Whilst this doesn't epitomise Italian red, it does mean that the designer's lines could be appreciated more by the throng of journalists. Set for sale next year, the 4C features a 200bhp plus

At the end of last year, I made a post compiling some of the random cool stuff I've seen around Raleigh. It's been a few months, and I've continued to see more cool stuff, which I am happy to share with you all.  Comments at the bottom! A '91 Alfa Romeo 164 LS 5-speed, in almost perfect condition.  This was a trade-in at Hendrick Fiat of Cary on a new 500 - you almost never see these cars (running) in the US any more.  There's a lot of Saab 9000 underneath, but still awesome. A Daihatsu Hijet mini-truck used as a parts runner at Leith BMW in Raleigh.  Note: sticking a BMW badge on it, does not make it a BMW!  Very odd to see

Alfa Romeo is a specialist, and their specialty is pretty cars. They haven't always been what you'd call "good", but with very few exceptions (75, Arna, errhermm) they're been gorgeous down to the last curve and lick of paint.  But with the new concept car that Alfa Romeo brought to Geneva, they may have set the bar a bit high even by their own lofty standards.  Clock this baby: Yum.  I almost don't care what's under the hood or on the inside, I'd be happy to cast my gaze over that funky matte red finish all day long.  Thankfully the 4C concept has more depth to it than it's surface-level beauty, which is fairly substantial as it is. The 4C is the successor to the 8C

Alfa Romeo has previewed their latest concept car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The car, called the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept is a compact mid-engined two-seater, rear wheel drive sports coupe. It is really compact, by that we mean that it is around 4 meters in length with a wheelbase of only 2.4 meters. It is even shorter than the tiny Alfa MiTo which has a wheelbase of 2.51meters. This is Alfa Romeo going after the Lotus Elise market of a small lightweight sports coupe. The 4C is a pure sports car. It will also be Alfa Romeo's first mid-engine sports car since the Alfa Romeo Montreal from the 1970s. It will be powered by a four cylinder (hence the 4C moniker) 1750cc turbocharged engine.