Here’s in interesting video about the new Fiat 124 Spider, which isn’t quite as Italian as you would think given its name and legacy. This new roadster is actually built of the new Mazda MX-5 model with some design changes and a different engine. Now, this Mazda is a great vehicle and offers a great starting point, but it’s very odd to have this iconic Italian roadster built from a Mazda.

Step aside 500, the X is in town.

FIAT introduces their first true crossover model with the AWD FIAT 500x. It shares a lot of the same platform design and cues that were introduced with the smaller Jeep Renegade. Where the Jeep succeeds, the FIAT does not.
The Jeep Renegade is obviously designed for urban dwellers, but it is also contains a lot of the Jeep off road sustainability, where as the FIAT 500x is doesn’t quite offer that feel. But what it does offer is that iconic Italian flare.

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Here’s an interesting profile of John Elkann in Fortune. Elkann is the grandson of the legendary Gianni Agnelli and he now leads the family’s business interests. The Agnelli family essentially controls Exor, a public company that controls Fiat. Elkann was responsible for putting Sergio Marchionne in charge of Fiat which was critical to turning the company around.

Times are good for Chrysler, which provides some good economic news for the administration on a day that the lame job numbers came out.

Chrysler sales jumped 30% in May, which extend an incredible steak of 12 consecutive months where the company has exceed 20& year-over-year sales growth. This is excellent news for the company and for anyone who defended the auto bailout.

And things might get even better for Chrysler soon:

And it comes as Chrysler prepares later this month to roll out its key new car introduction for the year, the Fiat-based Dodge Dart, above, that it aims to get the company back into the small-car game. Dart is an enlarged, Americanized version of Fiat’s sporty Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

All the company’s brands — Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat — posted year-over-year gains in May. Fiat was up most, 128% to a record month as the tiny 500 finally gains some traction.

But the Chrysler brand was heroic — up 81%, as the 200 sedan zoomed 87% and the big 300 rocketed 140% for its best May since 2007.

If the Dart is a hit, then Sergio Marchionne and his team can really celebrate.

Check out the entire article for news on the other automakers.

With the New Year brings new sheet metal and Bullz-Eye has identified 20 Cars to Look for in 2012!

Dodge Dart
Following the daft Dodge Caliber, Dodge is looking to redeem itself in the small car segment with the Dart. The Dart also marks the first fruit of Chrysler’s merger with Fiat, because underneath the Dodge skin lies Italian bones. And not just any bones either, but the platform of the Alfa Romeo Guilietta. The Dart will be powered by a host of new engines and transmission choices, also supplied by Fiat. No hatchback version will be offered, unfortunately, but the Dart is shaping up to be a serious contender in the small car marketplace.

Check out the rest of the 20!