Fail or Win? Lady Drives Fiat Cinquecento with the Handbrake On

While we could understand if someone forgot to release a broken or a loose handbrake that allows the rear wheels to turn around with some difficulty, how can you drive a car on the road with the rear wheels completely locked down and not take any notice?

And that's exactly what we have in this video starring a lady behind the wheel of a green Fiat Cinquecento (which was the 500's predecessor in the Italian brand's range).

Not only did she forget the handbrake on, but she doesn't even pay attention to the young men trying to inform her about the brake. Follow the jump for the video.

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Zagato Disavows Scagliarini 504cze, Threatens With Legal Action

Yesterday, we published the news about a limited-production Fiat 500 by American design house Scagliarini Motorsports called the 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata. Scagliarini claimed in a press release that the car was inspired by the 500 Zagato Coupe launched in Geneva last March, and even used the Italian company’s name.

However, Zagato contacted us today and stated that it has no involvement whatsoever with Scagliarini’s project, nor has it granted permission for its name and logo to be used. Therefore, it intends to use all necessary legal actions in order to protect its individual property.

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Most US Buyers of Fiat 500 Prefer their Cars Customized – and Expensive

Fiat has returned to the American market after 28 years – and it has done so in style with its colorful city car, the 500. Besides having already sold 7,982 cars since March with 3,038 deliveries in July alone, Fiat seems to be reaping great profits from its small model.

That’s because American buyers apparently like to personalize their 500 by choosing pricier editions and adding numerous options. As a result, prices go up generating bigger profits for the Italian brand.

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Scagliarini Motorsports Creates One-off 4x4 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata

American-based design house Scagliarini Motorsports has unveiled its latest creation, the 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata, or 504cze. As the name implies, the car is inspired by Zagato’s 500 Coupe concept that was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show last March. Read more »

New 2012 Fiat Panda Prototypes Filmed in Italy Ahead of Frankfurt Debut

Fiat's engineers are putting the final touches on the third generation of the Italian firm's best-seller in the mini segment, the Panda, which will make its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September before going on sale in select European markets by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in early 2012.

If you're weren’t content with our recent spy photographs of the prototype 2012 Panda, you might want to take a look at this video that was said to have been filmed in Napoli, Italy.

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Marchionne Says 54.5 mpg “Doable”, Hints at Retirement, Drives a Charger

Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne gave a speech today at the 2011 CAR Management Briefing Seminars. He quoted philosopher Albert Camus, talked about the reason geese fly in a V formation (they create uplift for those that follow, thus extending their range by 70%) and even used an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, specifically a dialogue between Alice and the Queen in “Through the Looking Glass”.

Marchionne did all this to convey the message that he feels vindicated. For effectively taking over Chrysler, for receiving the bailout money when most were skeptical or openly opposed it (and paying them back six years before schedule) and for wanting to merge the American group with Fiat.

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Fiat 500 by Gucci Goes Topless, Priced from €20k

With the "500 by Gucci" hatchback having already logged some 3,000 pre-orders online, Fiat wasn't about to let a good run go to waste. Today, the Italians announced the release of topless version that goes by the name "500C by Gucci". Read more »

Marchionne Merges Fiat and Chrysler Group Management Teams

Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, has announced the unification of the two automakers’ management teams in one, smaller unit. As Fiat said in a statement, from September 1, the group will have four regional managers for both companies’ operations in Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

These regional chiefs, along with Marchionne himself, and other 17 managers will form a “group executive council". Not surprisingly, Fiat execs dominate the new consolidated management team, with 14 people sourced from the Italian-based carmaker and only five from Chrysler.

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Mopar Launches More than 150 Accessories for U.S. Market Fiat 500

Fiat says there's already more than 500,000 ways to modify the 500 city car between paint finishes, graphics, and seat colors, but for those that would like a few more customization options, the Chrysler Group's Mopar brand is adding more than 150 different accessories to the range.

The available parts range in price and style from a simple $21 locking gas cap to a spicy $1,400 body kit. In between options include custom key covers priced at $48, a $399 roof rack and $409 body-stripe graphics.

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Ferrari Reports its Best Ever Six Months in Terms of Profits and Sales in History

Ferrari’s board of directors met yesterday to discuss the financial outcome of the first half of the year. And they came out with a broad smile on their faces: in the first half of 2011, Ferrari achieved its best ever profit and sales in a six-month period in its 82-year long history.

The numbers speak for themselves: net profits for the first half of the year reached €91.8 million, a 23.5% increase over the same period last year. Its revenue rose by 19.6%, to €1,080 million, and sales by 11.8% with 3,577 units delivered, including track racers like the 458 Challenge and limited editions such as the SA Aperta, but without any contribution from the brand-new FF.

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Video: Fiat Uno Cabrio Concept Filmed on the Road

You may remember that at last year's Sao Paulo Auto Show in Brazil, Fiat's local division pulled the wraps off a convertible concept based on the new generation of the Uno supermini for the South American market. Even though it has been a while, we had not seen the vehicle in motion, so we thought we'd share these videos with you.

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Rumors: Maserati to Show Jeep-Based SUV Concept in Frankfurt, Preparing Chrysler-Based Sports Sedans

The Fiat Group is getting ready to take its alliance with Chrysler to the next level with the presentation of three new models including an SUV and two luxury sports sedans, all using key technology and components from the Chrysler Group's lineup, according to a report from Autonews.

First up is the long-rumored Maserati SUV model, which is said to be previewed by a concept study (not to be confused with the independent design rendering by Andrey Trofimchuk that is pictured in this article) at the upcoming 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, before landing in showrooms in 2013.

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New Hyundai Azera and Fiat 500 Abarth Confirmed for LA Show

Ah Twitter; the land of 140-characters where you can follow anyone without creeping them out has lately turned into something like a news board for automakers.

Instead of releasing an announcement on their respective websites, Fiat and Hyundai chose the social network to broadcast their 2011 LA Show debuts, which include the 2012 Azera and the 500 Abarth.

Starting from Hyundai, the South Korean automaker that could, will bring to LA the North American market version of its next generation Azera sedan, which has already been launched in its home market as the Grandeur.

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Shocker! Chrysler Bringing Home More Bacon than Fiat...

Two years ago, Chrysler was saved from oblivion when the federal government provided a $15 billion bailout and orchestrated a rescue plan that gave the Fiat Group the management control of the company.

Last week, the Italian automaker raised its share in Chrysler beyond 50% for the first time, to 53.5%.So Fiat saved Chrysler in 2009, right? Well, yes, but 2011 is another story altogether.

You see, Chrysler’s US sales increased by 21% in the first six months of the year, whereas Fiat’s European deliveries dropped 12.7% in the same period. But that's only half the story. With the exception of the Maserati and Ferrari brands, the Chrysler Group will contribute to the alliance €155 million for June alone, while Fiat €175 million for the past three months.

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Fiat Completes Purchase of Chrysler from U.S. and Canadian Governments, US Taxpayers Lose $1.3 Billion

The Fiat Group today purchased the remaining Chrysler LLC shares held by the U.S. and Canadian governments. The Italian company acquired a 1.5% fully diluted stake in Chrysler Group LLC from Canada for US$125 million, and a 6% stake from the United States Department of the Treasury for a price of US$ 500 million.

After acquiring the shares in the two separate deals, the Fiat Group now controls a 53.5% fully diluted equity interest in Chrysler LLC.

Upon the completion of the deal, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability Tim Massad released this statement:

“With today's closing, the US government has exited its investment in Chrysler at least six years earlier than expected. This is a major accomplishment and further evidence of the success of the Administration’s actions to assist the US auto industry, which helped save a million jobs during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.”

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Fiat Panda Gets Euro 5 Engines in the UK

Last February Fiat recorded Europe’s lowest average CO2 emissions for the fourth year in a row. And now it reinforces its eco-friendly character by introducing an all-Euro 5 engine line-up across the Panda range in Britain. Read more »

SPIED: All-New 2012 Fiat Panda Caught Stretching out in the Sun

The car that helped Fiat get back on its feet at the turn of the century, the nuova Panda, will soon give its place to an all-new model that was snagged by Carscoop’s photographers during hot weather testing in Europe.

It's hard to picture the styling details with the heavy cladding and camouflage on the prototype, but it’s evident that new model will retain the shape of the tall-bodied, second generation Panda.

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Naughty Fiat 500 with a Very, Very Suggestive License Plate

We’ve seen some pretty weird license plates over the years, some funny, some meaningful, some witty and others just plain nasty. No need to explain why you’d be better off staying very far away from the one pictured above.

The…suggestive license plate belongs to a Fiat 500 city car that was spotted at a South African showroom by Carscoop reader Jeff G.

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Oops! They Did it Again: Alfa Romeo’s Return to the US Delayed Until 2013

It’s 2003, 2004, 2006 – you get the idea- happening all over again; Alfa Romeo’s return to the US market has been delayed and will not happen in 2012 as was the most recent plan. Instead, Fiat Group and Chrysler LLC CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has pushed the Italian brand’s arrival back for another year, or so until he announces another delay. Read more »

Fiat Marks 500 Launch in China with 100 “First Edition” Models

The first Fiat 500 to make its way into China was presented today in Shanghai by Fiat Group Executive Vice President for International Operations, Lorenzo Sistino.

To celebrate the launch, Fiat crafted a special version named 500 “First Edition” featuring bodywork graphics by five young Chinese designers. The special edition will be available in a limited run of just 100 numbered units ahead of the city car’s regular launch in China on September 15.

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