Fiat Uno Revealed

No more teaser images this time. Fiat’s finally unveiled the new small car that’s going to be slotted in between the Panda and the Grand Punto.

The Uno will be powered by a choice between two engines. A 1.0L engine that dishes out 73 bhp runs on alcohol and a larger 1.4L engine churns out 88 bhp when running on alcohol and 85 bhp when running on gasoline. Power is delivered to the front wheels through a five-speed manual.

The car’s only 3.77m long and 1.64m wide. The car gets stylings from the Panda but has sleeker lines. The front grille and bumper are also redesigned to make the Uno look unique on its own.

The pictures are of the pseudo-SUV Uno known as the “Way.” The new Uno will be produced at the firm’s plant in Brazil.

Source: Autocar

Fiat Uno Pictures Leaked

So Fiat announced in its five-year development plan that it will be reintroducing the Uno as part of its lineup to sit in between the Panda and the Grande Punto.

The new model resurrects the good old Uno name. The car would then serve as the replacement for the old Uno and the Mk2 Punto supermini.

Now we finally see what the car would look like thanks to leaked images.

The car is reported to be based on a shortened Grande Punto platform and is set to slug it out with the likes of the Ford Fiesta and the Mazda 2. The Uno, however, is expected to more spaceous than the Mazda 2.

Unlike the Panda and the Punto, however, the Uno sports more curves in its lines creating a less aggressive-looking car.

Hamann Abarth 500

Hamann decided to stop messing with Germans and decided to put their hands on some small Italian cars. Good thing they’re Fiat 500s.

Here’s Hamann’s take on the Abarth 500 and the Abarth esseesse. Max power outputs thanks to a range of Hamann treatments include 271-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. And you thought that the Abarth 500 esseeesse’s the best the little car can get with its 158 hp.

The boost comes from ECU tweaks, turbocharging, intake and exhaust upgrades. To help cope with the power, Hamann also had the great German sense of putting four-piston brake calipers. The car also sits on top of 18-inch matte black wheels. The car’s lowered for good measure as well.

Hamann’s packages are

Alfa Romeo Set for US Return in 2012

So we guess that Fiat’s indecision on how to streamline their brands is still an ongoing issue. Reports earlier indicated that Fiat is looking at consolidating several brands including Alfa Romeo, Abarth and Maserati under one marquee.

But that doesn’t stop them from teasing the US market on the possibility of finally getting Alfa Romeos stateside. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said that the Alfa Romeo is a brand that can compete in a wider market especially in North America.

“There is a strong likelihood that the brand will be back here within the next 24 months,” said Marchionne.

Initial plans on brining the brand over included platform sharing with Chrysler but it looks like Fiat is seeing some value in selling cars with the Alfa badge.

Fiat came to the rescue of Chrysler when it neared its demise due to the sales crash of 2009.

Top 10 Best Cars of the Decade

So it’s the year and the decades end and it’s all about lists. So we’ve made our own and checked it twice on our pics for the best cars of the decade. Largely our basis for choosing is the car’s impact to motoring. If it’s all about speed and performance supercars will pepper the list. For some reason, it does, but that doesn’t stop us from looking at the sensible side of things.

10. Toyota Prius

While die-hard gear- and petrolheads aren’t throwing in the towel yet in this econmentalist revolution that has affected the motoring industry, we have to admit the the impact of the hybrid. It might be slow to drive and you might look like a smug and sanctimonious bastard who likes the smell of his own farts owning one. But it did challenge the status quo regarding cars and saving the planet. And quite frankly, whether we like it or not, that’s where motoring is headed.
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Romeo Ferrari Fiat 500 Abarth

And you would’ve thought that you can only pack as much inside a small car like the Fiat 500. Italian tuning firm Romeo Ferraris found a way to make the 500 a virtual cannonball.

This Romeo Ferraris-tuned Fiat 500 Abarth is set to join the 6 Hours of Vallenlunga endurance race in Italy later this year. The car basically reminds me of Stewie Griffin dressed as Darth Vader in that Family Guy Star Wars Episode with the black paint job and a huge rear wing.

The 1.4L turbocharged engine has been heavily tweak for it to dish out a bonkers 360 hp. That’s almost triple of what the standard 500 Abarth dishes out.

This Romeo Ferraris 500 Abarth will be driven by Italians Aldo Cerruti, Michela Cerruti, and Mario Ferraris.