2010 Opel Astra and Alfa Romeo Milano Styling: Too Close for Comfort?

Many of you, our readers, were quick to point out the Alfa Romeo Milano showcased in the leaked factory spy shots shared one too many styling similarities with GM's forthcoming Opel Astra hatchback. Are we talking about a cloning case here? Absolutely not. Even though we only have these fuzzy photos of the Alfa to go by, the only way you're going to confuse these two cars is if you wasted your paycheck on drinks. But, we think that many of you caught on to something and by that we mean the styling of the rear quarters.

And oh, since we're all quick to jump in the bandwagon when we see a Chinese vehicle 'borrowing' styling traits from other cars it's only fair that we do the same with everyone else.

But before we go into any details, let us say that designs are not finalized in a matter of weeks so don't go and claim that Alfa 'plagiarized' Opel (unless you know something that none of the rest of us don't) just because the Astra made its debut first.

Truth to be said, when we compared the two cars side by side, we were quite amazed by the similarities in the design of the rear quarter panel and the rear-end. If we didn't know any better, we'd say that from the B-pillar and back, it's as if someone drew a rough sketch and gave it to two different design teams for further development: one from Germany and one from Italy.

Just look at the crisp belt-line and how it meets the corners of the same shaped tail lights, then pay attention to the window line, the C-Pillar, the wraparound rear windshield with the roof spoiler and even the styling of the rear bumper with the blacked out apron 'swoopy' curve line.

So in a nutshell, that's what we think. Time to agree, disagree or just simply have your say in the comment section below.

Poll: Should Fiat Cut Loose Alfa Romeo and/or Sell it to Volkswagen?

Like Saab and countless other brands before, Alfa Romeo is at a tipping point. The famed Italian automaker, which once stunned the world with its gorgeous styling and motorsport victories, is now losing an estimate €200 million (US$265 million) per annum. It’s hard to believe that the company that brought us cars like the GTA, the Spider and the 158/159 Alfetta could be reduced to such a sad state of affairs.

Sergio Marchionne, the unwavering CEO of Fiat and its subsidiaries, is determined to turn the ailing automaker around. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is sniffing around for more brands and smells a potential winner in the Milanese company.

There are many arguments for and against selling Alfa Romeo to ze Germans. Here are the ones we’ve covered in our previous article:

The Case For Selling Alfa Romeo

• Alfa Romeo is valued at €1.5 to 2 billion. By selling what equates to their biggest loser, Fiat would emerge virtually debt free.
• The brand’s dismissal would save Fiat a further €1.5 billion that it would of spent product R&D over the next four years.
• Fiat would also save €200 million a year in losses.
• Alfa’s departure could potentially allow for Dodge to return to Europe as Fiat’s sporty brand, with Fiat remaining the first choice for entry level buyers and Lancia / Chrysler for those seeking something a little more upmarket.
• Volkswagen has worked wonders with Bentley, Seat and Bugatti. Can you think of a better mother hen for one of Italy’s finest?

The Case Against Selling Alfa Romeo

• If Fiat can survive until 2014, analysts predict it will emerge with no debt and fatter profit margins. And that’s with Alfa Romeo.
• Fiat could net the same amount of lira by selling three of its OEM suppliers: Magneti Marelli, Comau and Teksid.
• After Fiat’s expected 2014 recovery, the Milanese automaker is expected to account for 10% of Fiat’s sales.
• Fiat has plans to share platforms between Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Jeep, helping all three brands. Without the platform sharing, Chrysler and Jeep will continue struggle and Fiat’s push into the Chinese and Russian markets will be delayed.
• With Fiat focusing primarily on small cars, it would have to develop new mid-sized and large car models to fill the gap left by the departing Alfa.

So there you have it: five points for and five points against. All that’s left now is to cast your vote, so get voting!

My Top 10 Cars of All-Time - U.S.A.

In the past I’ve covered my picks for the best cars of the 1980s and ‘90s. Now it’s time for my Top 10 cars of All-Time, whereby I pit country against country. Our six contenders are the U.S.A., Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and France. Will you side with American muscle or French flair? Can Japanese perfection trump Italian passion? Or do you choose German engineering over British ingenuity? Whatever you choose, you’re in for one helluva ride. So, let’s count down my Top 10 Cars of All-Time.

Today’s contender is...the U.S.A.

10. Ford Model T

Ford’s Model T is widely considered to be the world’s first mass produced automobile, and the first to make cars popular among common, middle-class Americans. It was Henry Ford’s crowning achievement, and was as influential to automobile design and manufacture as the Hoover Dam was to engineering. It’s more than just a car: it’s an American icon.

9. Dodge Power Wagon

Another famous first, the Dodge Power Wagon is considered to be the granddaddy of the modern, 4WD pickup truck. Though the name would disappear at the end of 1980 the Power Wagon lives on in the form of Dodge’s venerable Ram. The Power Wagon isn’t all things to all people, but it is all things to a few. Powerful, rugged and affordable: everything a labourer could want in a car.

8. Ford Crown Victoria

You may be wondering what the Ford Crown Victoria is doing on this list. Here is a car that is not revolutionary, attractive or outstanding in any way. So why have I included it? Simple: roughl five million of these vehicles are (or were) in use with the nation’s police, taxi and rental companies. The Crown Vic is as ubiquitous and identifiably American as McDonald’s and baseball caps.

7. Cord 810

The Cord 810 is one of my favourite cars. It is a rolling piece of art; art deco in automotive form. Sleek, fast and looking like something off the cover of Popular Mechanics, the Cord made almost everything else at the time look like a relic from an earlier age. New York’s Museum of Modern Art even went so far as to name the Cord 810 as one of the 10 most significant cars of the 20th century. So there.

6. Ford GT40

In the 1960s, Henry Ford II was negotiating with Enzo Ferrari to buy the fame Italian automaker. When the deal fell through, the American decided to beat Old Man Ferrari at his own game and commissioned Lola Cars of England to build him a Ferrari beater. And build one they did. With four consecutive Le Mans wins and still holding the title of the only American car to win at the prestigious event, the GT40 is a defiant, one fingered salute at the European racing aristocracy. And that’s why we love it.

5. Cadillac Eldorado

Yes, the post-’78 Eldorado’s were rubbish and the 1986 model in particular makes me cry tears of blood. So what? From 1953 to 1978, five generations of Cadillac’s indefatigable Eldorado showed the world how America does luxury. Big, powerful and supremely comfortable, these were the it cars for celebrities and commoners alike. Elvis Presley had two, for crying out loud. This was American luxury at its very best.

4. Chevrolet Bel-Air

The 1957 Chevy Bel-Air is my favourite classic car. I’m constantly scouring the classified ads, seeing what’s out there and how much their owners are asking. This isn’t the only reason it’s on this list though. No, the Bel-Air was a revelation. Here was a car that was stylish, powerful and well-equipped, a luxury car with a sub-luxury price. I mean just look at this thing: it was gorgeous. And it was a popular seller for Chevrolet to boot. The Bel-Air is truly one of the greats.

3. Pontiac GTO

Pontiac’s iconic GTO set the benchmark for muscle cars for years to come. It had everything you would expect from such a car: rear wheel drive, a limited slip diff and any one of several big, honking V8s under the hood. Vin Diesel drove one in xXx, and it was the main antagonist in the classic Two Lane Blacktop. It even has a starring role in the recent teen comedy Sex Drive. Though perhaps not as well known or well loved as its Dodge Charger / Challenger brethren, the GTO is still one of the greats.

2. Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is American automotive royalty. It was the first of the pony cars, and forced the General to produce the equally as awesome Chevy Camaro. Available as either a V6 or a V8, with pricing comparable to the venerable Chevy Bel-Air of seven years earlier, the four-seat Mustang was a revelation. And the styling – don’t get me started on the styling. In a word: gorgeous, like Grace Kelly or the Chrysler Building. The Mustang is a true icon of the American automotive scene, trumped only by our number one.

1. Chevrolet Corvette

I defy anyone to name a more iconic American automobile. The Corvette is as American as apple pie. Big V8? Check. Rear wheel drive? Check. Gorgeous styling? Check, with a few forgivable fopars; nobody’s perfect, after all. The first generation was penned by Harley Earl – widely considered to be the U.S.’s most iconic automotive designer – and signed off on by GM’s top brass. Today, the Corvette remains Chevrolet’s halo model and a favourite of GM engineers and customers alike. It’s also, in my opinion, the best car America has produced.

So there you have it. Though remember, this is only my opinion. It’s hard picking just ten, and there are countless cars I was forced to exclude: Ford’s F-Series, Dodge’s Charger and Chevy’s Camaro to name a few. We want to hear what you think, so get commenting!

Will Fiat S.p.A. Save the Chrysler Group? Me Thinks Not...

In an announcement Wednesday morning, Fiat S.p.A finalized its purchase / alliance with the Chrysler Group after the U.S. Supreme Court got out of the way of the deal thus opening a new page in Chrysler's history. While there's no way of accurately predicting what the future holds for the alliance, I must say that for numerous reasons that you can read about after the jump, I am not at all convinced that Fiat will save the 'new' Chrysler Group LLC. Maybe Fiat will rape benefit from Chrysler's assets and presence in North America, but that's another story entirely.

First of all let's take a closer look at Fiat S.p.A. The Italian group's automobile portfolio includes three-and-a-half mainstream brands: Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat and its recently revived Abarth marque which is something like BMW's 'M' division. The group also controls the Ferrari and Maserati sports car brands as well as Iveco and Fiat Professional that builds light commercial vehicles.

In the past two decades, Fiat's automobile division has proven successful in building two types of vehicles: city cars like the Panda mini and (Grande) Punto supermini and exotic sports cars such as the Ferrari F430 and Maserati GTs.

Sure the Italians have come up with some really great designs and ideas, but with a few exceptions and for a great number of reasons, Fiat and its Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands have yet to create a model that will dominate or even compete head on with the top-sellers in any other category - at least in Europe.

Speaking about Lancia and Alfa Romeo, while Fiat Group's CEO Sergio Marchionne is 'playing big' with Chrysler LLC, the two historic Italian firms desperately need to update/refresh their model portfolio. We've heard talk about a variety of new models including SUVs, compact MPVs, coupes, sport sedans with RWD - you name it. But sketches and grapevine stories aside, it's just talk until now.

Lancia, which has lost its identity ever since Fiat decided to turn the firm into a faux luxury carmaker for chicks and chick-like hairdressers with a low budget, has been left with an aging Ypsilon that is aimed squarely at women, a remasked version of Fiat's Idea small MPV called Musa and the weirdly positioned Delta that is a C-segment hatch trying to allure D-segment buyers. There's also the PSA Peugeot-Citroen co-developed Phedra minivan but we doubt anyone cares. No sports car, no five-door supermini, no three-door Delta, no sedan...

Alfa Romeo is in a somewhat better position in terms of its car lineup. Aside from the new MiTo hatch, there's also the relatively fresh 159 Sedan and Sport Wagon, the Brera Coupe and Spider, and the 8C Competizione 'halo' supercar. What about Alfa's Golf-sized hatch? Well, it's called 147 and it has been in production since 2000 so it's no match for the modern C-segment hatches. Up until 2007, Alfa also offered the BMW 5-Series rivaling 166 but it went down the same way that the Lancia Thesis did.

Surprisingly, Lancia sold more cars in Europe than Alfa Romeo did in the first four months of 2009 (Lancia: 38,617 units, Alfa: 36,761 units). But either way, those numbers are very low. Just to get an idea, during the same sale period in Europe, MINI sold 38,879 units, Volvo 65,345 units and Skoda 155,864 (the Fiat brand delivered 352,234 cars).

But the lack of models or ones that aren't successful/competitive, isn't the only problem that Fiat faces in Europe. In a recent study performed by J.D. Power, Fiat scored in the bottom quarter of more than 20 brands in vehicle quality and reliability in key European markets. "Fiat is below average in each of three markets that we measure -- Germany, France and the U.K. -- particularly in terms of vehicle quality and reliability," said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power.

What I'm trying to say here is that the Fiat Group is not as successful and problem-free as many have portrayed the company to be. I've been hearing many voices around the net (mainly from sites in the U.S.) saying that Fiat will develop an array of sub- and compact models for Chrysler and Dodge based on its cars.

Maybe I'm missing something here, maybe I'm completely wrong, but if it's so easy and Fiat does have the funds, then could someone please explain to me why has it taken so long for Fiat to introduce core models like the Alfa 147 and Lancia Ypsilon replacements, or why is the company absent from important segments like compact MPVs and SUVs?

Furthermore, as much as many would like to see American consumers abandoning larger vehicles (cars and trucks), this won't happen anytime soon. Maybe they'll downsize, but don't expect to see cars like the Panda or the Ford Fiesta coming anywhere close to the top spots in the sales chart. So while Fiat is really good in creating city cars, in order to succeed in the U.S., the company will need to focus on compact and mid-size sedans such as the Honda Civic and Accord as well as (like it or not) trucks and SUVs of various sizes.

And let's say for the sake of conversation, that Fiat will find the funds and the way to create or share front-wheel drive platforms for compact and mid-size models with Chrysler and its brands. What will happen with the American carmaker's larger models including trucks, SUVs and rear-wheel drive cars like the Chrysler 300?

Unlike Chrysler's previous owner, Daimler, Fiat does not have a (mainstream) rear-wheel drive platform nor any SUV models (or experience for that matter). As you may already know, the Chrysler Group's 300 sedan, Dodge Challenger and even the new Jeep Grand Cherokee use a fair amount of Mercedes hardware beneath the sheetmetal. Maybe Chrysler's acquisition could justify the costs of developing a rear-wheel drive platform that could be used on Alfa Romeo models also. Maybe Fiat could inject some cash into Jeep and use the platforms and AWD systems to develop its own range of SUVs.

Too many maybes, too many questions, very few answers. If you've had the patience to reach the end of this lengthy post, I'd really like to hear your opinion on the matter.

My Top 10 Concept Cars of 2010

In less than two weeks, 2010 will draw to a close. So what better time to look back at the real stars of this year’s motor shows: the concept cars! Enter into a world where considerations like practicality and profitability fall by the wayside and the world’s designers and engineers show us their true potential. Let’s count down...my Top 10 Concept Cars of 2010!

10. Kia POP

Kia’s POP small electric vehicle study is a designer’s wet dream: a one piece glass windscreen and roof, scissor doors and an interior that looks more like a space capsule than a car. It also offers further proof that the South Korean company has evolved from a budget buyer’s first choice into a proper, world class automaker.

9. Citroen Lacoste

Again and again, Citroen has proved that it can do concept cars like no other automaker. Alas, with so many other awesome concepts this year, the Lacoste never made it further up our list than here. Still, this beach buggy for the 21^st century has some standout features like its funky LED dashboard, semi-open design and plastic-clad body.

8. Renault DeZir

Renault has never been so cool. In a perfect world, this electric two-seater would be the French automaker’s Audi R8. In reality, it’s just another fantastic shoulda-been from France’s dullest automaker (Renault Sport models notwithstanding).

7. Mercedes Benz BIOME

The BIOME is pure flight of fancy. Designed to be seeded in an orchard and grown like a cob of corn (no, really), the BIOME emits nothing but oxygen and marketing hyperbole. Am I the only one who thinks this looks a bit like the 2001 SEL from Spaceballs?

6. Peugeot EX1

Part car, part motorcycle: Peugeot’s eccentrically electric two-seat, three wheeler packs 250 kW / 340 hp between its narrow front wheels. This isn’t Peugeot’s first three wheel concept (remember 2005’s 20 Cup and 2009’s RD?) and is unlikely to be the last. Tres magnifique!

5. Lotus Elise

2010 has been a great year for Lotus concept cars, what with the Aston Martin Rapide rivalling Esterne and the relaunch of two classic nameplates in Esprit and Elan. Still, this teaser for the next-generation Elise is my favourite. 2013 can’t come too soon.

4. New Lancia Stratos

A fabulous one-off that’s drivable to boot, the new Stratos is underpinned by the same (if tweaked) 510 hp V8 that powers Ferrari’s 430 Scuderia. Designed and built by Italian design house Pininfarina, the new Statos recalls the much loved HF rally and road cars of the 1970s. Here’s hoping Pininfarina secures the licence to put this schoolboy’s wet dream into limited production.

3. Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

If there’s one 2010 concept car that divided opinion like no other, it’s Lamborghini’s Sesto Elemento. Between its stealth fighter styling, cacophony of oddly shaped intakes and outtakes and the de-saturated grey and red colour scheme, this was one of the wildest concepts to come out this year. Still, there’s no arguing with its 570 hp V10. We’ll take two.

2. Audi Quattro Concept

Raise your hand if you weren’t utterly enraptured by the rebirth of Audi’s ur-Quattro of the 1980s? No one? I thought as much. With its lightweight body, historically accurate 5-cylinder engine and 911-rivalling performance, what’s not to like? And the styling is to die for. The 1980s never looked so good.

1. Jaguar C-X75

And so here it is, my #1. 2010 had a lot of great concept cars, but none so much as Jaguar’s fabulous C-X75. Here is a gas / electric hybrid with 780 hp with a body fashioned out of texalium and vapour-blasted aluminium. This car is so cutting edge you have to wear gloves. It’s the perfect mix of exotic materials, futuristic technologies and pure styling jizz, and the top dog in our top ten.

So there you have My Top 10. What? You don't agree? Does putting a Kia on this list outrage your sensibilities? Are you disappointed that there are no American cars on the list? Is Jaguar's C-X75 and poorly conceived attempt to elevate the brand beyond its upper-class retiree roots? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Muscle Car V8 Sound Comparo: New Camaro SS vs Challenger R/T vs Mustang GT

Masculine looks aside, one of the main traits of any authentic pony car is the sound of its V8 engine. With this in mind, Edmund's Insideline created a short video with the audio tracks of the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and 2010 Ford Mustang GT. For the record, it seems that the Mustang was filmed on a different location than the other two cars, something that could have affected the sound quality. Either way, judging by this video, we'd give first place to the Stang because its V8 churns out a more consistent and less chainsaw-like sound with our second vote going to the Chevy. Check out the video after the jump cast your vote.

Via: Insideline

Most Beautiful Cars of All Time - 20 Top Auto Designers Vote

It's a question that has been asked more times than we can remember in the past, and one that will most certainly draw our attention again in the future: "What is the most beautiful car of all time?" Obviously every individual has his or hers own likes, but British Classic & Sports Car magazine went one step further by asking those whose opinion weighs in a bit more than your everyday Joe. The Brits polled twenty leading car designers of our time ranging from the awarded "Car Designer of the Century" Giorgetto Giugiaro responsible among other designs, of the Maserati Bora and VW Golf I, to current Jaguar director of design Ian Callum.

Each car designer nominated three vehicles which he believed are the most gorgeously styled cars of all times. And the which car was the winner, we hear you ask? Well, if you were expecting some sort of exotic Italian sportscar or a classic British roadster, then sorry, you judged wrong. The car that received the most votes was the iconic Citroen DS. Not surprisingly, Ferrari secured the most votes as a marque.

Along with casting their votes on the most beautiful cars of all time, the folks over at Classic & Sports Car magazine also asked the 20 designers what they thought about the Citroen DS as well as other cars of their own and of other colleagues.

Source: Classic & Sports Car

TOP 10

1.= Citroën DS

2= Jaguar XK120

2= Ferrari 275GTB

4= Cord 810/812

4= Ferrari 250GT Lusso

4= Ferrari 250GT Short-wheelbase

4= Jaguar E-type

4= Lamborghini Miura

4= Lotus Elan

4= Lotus Elite (1957)

What they said about the Citroën DS

Giorgetto Giugiaro: "The only example of a car really conceived 'outside the box'. It is just impossible to imitate."

Leonardo Fioravanti (former Pininfarina design chief and the man behind Ferrari's Daytona, Dino and 308GTB): "A real road car that, at its time and perhaps still now, has represented the 'dream' in its extreme progress."

Peter Stevens (British great responsible for the McLaren F1 and second-generation Lotus Esprit): "I have always considered the fact that this car was first drawn in 1955 to be extraordinary."

Marcello Gandini (Bertone stalwart responsible for Lancia Stratos and Lamborghini Countach among many others): "At the time I think it was complete folly, madness from a business and industrial point of view… but it was a really innovative car in 1955. A few people may have thought of all those beautiful ideas, but it was real bravery to implement all of them in one car."

On their own designs:

Peter Stevens (McLaren F1): "I always intended that the design should be timeless rather than 'of the minute', and that is something that I would use as a measure of other designs."

Ian Callum (Jaguar XF): "It is the biggest challenge I've faced, but I think we pulled it off. I don't think people appreciate how well proportioned it is, given that it's a five-seater."

Gordon Murray (McLaren F1): "Designed as a road car, but went on to win Le Mans, which in my opinion is more difficult than F1."

John Heffernan (Aston Martin Vantage): "When I borrowed one, it was much appreciated by 'bikers of the Hells Angels persuasion, which I liked."

Patrick Le Quément (Renault Twingo): "Some love it, some hated it. I wrote to the president of Renault and said: 'I think you have to vote for instinctive design rather than extinctive marketing.' He wrote back: 'I agree.'"

And on other peoples' cars:

Steve Crijns
of Lotus on the Ford GT40: "It's so sexy and has so much presence without really being aggressive."

Paul Bracq, former head of design for both Mercedes and BMW, on the Aston Martin DB9: "It's more beautiful than the current Ferraris. I don't understand modern Ferrari design: the new California looks like a big VW Karmann-Ghia."

Julian Thomson of Jaguar on the Lamborghini Gallardo: "I love the proportions… It's a tiny modern interpretation of a supercar: things like the Bugatti Veyron are totally irrelevant to me."

Martin Smith, executive design director of Ford of Europe on the Lamborghini Countach: "It was like a spaceship, something totally new combining smooth curves with geometric forms. I remember thinking 'I'll never be able to do something as good as that!'"

Ian Callum, Jaguar director of design, on the Ferrari 250GT Short-wheelbase: "A blend of beauty and aggression… I just drool over them, and I can draw them with my eyes closed."

Marcello Gandini on the Cord 810/812: "It was an impressive design for the 1930s, with solutions that could be seen in cars of 20 years later."

Tom Tjaarda, former head of Ghia's studios, on the Jaguar E-type: "A gorgeous car. It looks narrow, like a woman in high heels. It doesn't have the stance that cars have today."

The Designers: Adams Dennis, Axe Roy, Bracq Paul, Callum Ian, Carr Russell, Crijns Steve, Fioravanti Leonardo, Gandini Marcello, Giugiaro Giorgetto, Heffernan John, Karen Tom, Le Quément Patrick, Martin Paulo, Murray Gordon, Okuyama Ken, Smith Martin, Stevens Peter, Thomson Julian, Tjaarda Tom, Winterbottom Oliver

All the cars that received votes

Alfa Romeo Canguro

Aston Martin DB9

Audi A6

Bentley Continental GT

Bentley R-Type Continental

Bertone BAT 5

Bertone Marzal

BMW 328 Mille Miglia

Bugatti T41 Royale Coupé Napoleon

Bugatti T57SC Atlantic

Buick Riviera (1963-'65)

"Cadzilla"

Citroën ID/DS

Cord 810/812

Delage D8-120S

Ferrari 166 Barchetta

Ferrari 250GT Lusso

Ferrari 250GT swb

Ferrari 250GTO

Ferrari 275GTB

Ferrari 330 P3/4

Ferrari Dino 206S

Ferrari Dino 246GT

Ferrari P6

Ford GT40

Hispano-Suiza H6 (Tulip Wood)

Jaguar E-type

Jaguar XJ6 S1

Jaguar XK120

Jaguar XKSS

Lagonda Rapide

Lamborghini Countach

Lamborghini Gallardo

Lamborghini Miura

Lancia Stratos

Lincoln Continental (1961)

Lotus Elan +2

Lotus Elan S3

Lotus Elite (1957)

Maserati Boomerang

Maserati Khamsin

Mercedes-Benz 500K

Mercedes-Benz Gullwing 300SL

Mini

Pagaso Z102 'Thrill'

Phantom Corsair

Triumph TR4