Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Velocity Invitational 2026 partners with Cars & Bids for a live on-site auction at Sonoma Raceway, May 29-31. Featured: a 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ from the Petersen.
Read moreStellantis brought six brands to the 2026 New York Auto Show, including the refreshed Pacifica, Charger SIXPACK, Durango Hellcat Jailbreak, and America250 editions.
Read moreMonterey Auto Week has a problem, and it’s about as good as it gets. After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the return edition ended Sunday, August 15 with the 70th anniversary of the Concours d’Elegance. It was the grand finale to a now 10-day occasion of about 30 events. And therein the issue for automotive enthusiasts gathering on the Monterey Peninsula: Where do we go and what do we all do first? How do we prioritize? Isn’t it great to have choices? Bruce Aldrich and I have represented The Weekly Driver website and podcast at Monterey Auto Week for several years. I’ve attended various auto shows, racing, auctions and related events on the peninsula since 1987 while contributing content
Read moreAutomobile manufacturers try to outmaneuver each other every year for advertising honors during the Super Bowl. Prices escalate and commercials succeed and fail with carmakers’ futures at stake in million-dollar-minute increments. Fiat Chrysler gambled a few years ago with its Alfa Romeo brand — and won. It promoted the new Giulia, showing the sports car blazing along winding country roads, past vineyards and through a tunnel with narration provided by a sultry voice. The commercial, titled “Dear Predictable,” needles Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz, the German frontrunners, while touting the Italian alternative. Alfa Romeo sales falling The second of the carmaker’s one-minute spot ends with the sports car powering toward the horizon. The moderator softly states, “You know what they
Read moreOrganizers of the Tour of Italy introduced the Stelvio Pass into the country’s most celebrated bike race 66 years ago. It rises above 9,000 feet and includes a few dozen hairpin turns on narrow roads. Alfa Romeo has branded its first compact sport utility vehicle with the same name. The Stelvio route in the Ortler Alps near the Swiss border has been canceled several times because of inclement weather. Many cyclists have successfully negotiated the rugged trek, others have failed because of mechanical failures in the nasty elements. As such, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio has a rugged legacy to follow. It’s powerful and confident like cycling’s best who ride top-end machines. But the all-wheel-drive luxury SUV also has failings.
Read moreThe Geneva International Motor Show is arguably the most important car event of the year. In addition to new model debuts, the Car of the Year is selected. This year marks the 54th year of the honor. The announcement will be made Monday, March 6 at 3 p.m. local time in Switzerland. Among 29 original candidates, seven finalists were selected last November after a week of testing in Denmark. The finalists for the sixth Car of the Year celebration during the Geneva International Motor Show include: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Citroën C3, Mercedes E-Class, Nissan Micra, Peugeot 3008, Toyota C-HR and Volvo S90/V90. The finalists were tested again in Denmark. The Car of the Year honor is organized by seven of
Read moreChrysler has awarded 86 Alfa Romeo franchises in the United States and Canada ahead of the Italian brand’s limited return of the Alfa Romeo 4C coupe later this year. The franchises are in 33 states, primarily in California, Texas and Florida, according to the automaker. Seventy-nine of the initial 82 franchises in the United States were given to existing Fiat dealers. The initial supply of Alfa Romeos will be limited. Only 1,500 Alfa Romeo 4Cs will be distributed in North America annually. A mid-sized Alfa Romeo sedan, based on the brand’s new Georgio architecture, is expected to debut in Europe in late 2015. But it won’t arrive in the United States until at least 2016. The two-seater already is available
Read moreAccording to Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne, Alfa Romeo is likely return to the U.S. at the the end of 2012 although MiTo and Giulietta may not be available. While the MiTo is already available in some markets and the Giulietta is making its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the U.S. is expected to only receive the larger Giulia 159-replacement and another large sedan based on the Chrysler 300 platform plus several sports models. Designed by the Alfa Romeo Style Center, the new Giulietta is a five-door hatchback and on an all-new platform simply titled Compact. New technology features DNA driving mode selector, which offers Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather modes, as well as the automaker’s Q2 electronic front-wheel
Read moreBut the Ghia had its moments. I once drove it round-trip from Sacramento to Las Vegas and managed to maneuver through heavy rain, strong winds and followed a snow plow over a mountain pass on Interstate 50. A few years into ownership, the Ghia was heavily vandalized and I sold it cheap. Turns out my father had good taste, similar to readers of The (London) Daily Telegraph. In its recently released list of the “100 Most Beautiful Cars,” the VW Karmann Ghia was voted No. 32, finishing better than some Ferraris and eight positions shy of the unique Talbot Lago T150C SS. The London Daily Telegraph’s comment on the Talbot Lago was great, succinct commentary: “Commonly known as the “Teardrop”
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