Car Throttle

No doubt most anticpated vehicle to come out of the Chrysler-Fiat partnership would have to be the Fiat 500. The retro minicar has made a big splash in international markets, with it helping to power Fiat's ascendancy. On our shores, many think it could prove to be serious competition for BMW's highly successful MINI. What is more, it looks like it will become an even better car for the transition across the Atlantic. The car is set to be built in Mexico on Fiat's new A-platform, which will also underpin the next-generation 2011 Fiat Panda and Lancia Ypsilon. The new platform will offer improved crash protection (meeting the strict U.S. standards), along with more refinement and reductions in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). North American is the only lucky

Attack of the superminis! There hasn't been any shortage of introductions in the segment lately. Alfa Romeo MiTo, Ford Fiesta, Audi A1, just to name a few. Let us know what your favorites of the lot are in a CarThrottle Asks post on the subject. The Fiat 500 is one of those models, and much fanfare has been made out of its planned sale in the United States market. It is gunning for basically the only successful model in the segment in the U.S, the MINI. Twitter has a lot of uses for those interested in the automotive industry - it can add confirming a time frame for the new 500's arrival to the list. Ralph Gilles, the Chief Executive Officer of the Dodge brand

Is it March already? It sure seems like it, because the releases from the Geneva Motor Show have been coming out fast. One of the most important was released just today as well, the new Volvo S60. It is Audi's turn now though, and the Audi A1 is here - finally, and yes it is the official production model. Audi has seen to fit to tease the car endlessly over the past few months -  we even already know its official spokesman in Europe, Justin Timberlake. If you've seen the Audi Metroproject Quattro Concept, you've seen the A1 - even down to the red and silver-on-the-roof paint scheme, which is Audi's take on the classic MINI white roof, and a look we quite like. Groundbreaking the A1

A lot of the news coming out the past few days has been understandably centered around the Fiat-Chrysler partnership. The six-hour press conference resulted in a lot of products news. The Fiat 500 is a highly anticipated model to come a result of the partnership. Now the official details are in. Most recently we reported on news that the Fiat 500 would be coming first as an Abarth model. Sadly, that seems news was too good to be true. The first 500 model to come to the United States will be the standard, coming in the fourth quarter of 2010. The second model will be the 500C Convertible, coming sometime in 2011. Those looking for the sports-focused Abarth model will have to wait until 2012.

German tuning firm Hamann has had a go at Fiat's 500. They've decided that what the diminutive little Italian city car needed was more power. A lot more power. They bumped up the output to 265 HP as a matter of fact. So, is that insane, or insanely fun? There's a lot to love about the latest iteration of the venerable Fiat 500. Look at it as an Italian version of the Mini, only with more panache, and you can see where I'm coming from. And the petite 500 has been a hit with the aftermarket tuners as well. The latest got have a go at it is Hamann. The German firm just rolled out their version, dubbed the Hamann Largo at this years Frankfurt show. The

What have we here? Not just an Abarth-tuned Fiat 500 (the Italian auto giant's answer to the Mini), but one that has the mark of the prancing horse on it? Well this is interesting and unexpected. Normally, when Ferrari starts lending its brand to things, it's pen and pencil sets or the occasional bicycle. One could look upon this as being rather disturbing. Is this the start of serious as serious weakening of the vaunted brand? Would Enzo have cottoned to this? Just how far afield is this, and just how far will this go? Abarth is well known for digging into the little 500 in years past, making the original a bit of a terror on the rally circuit. This time around, according to corporate parent