Autoblog

The Italians are known for making great sports cars, touring cars, supercars, even little itty-bitty cars. Sport-utes, not so much. Lamborghini's monster LM002 notwithstanding, the last time few times Fiat tried its hand at SUVs, it came up with the Sedici (a slightly taller than normal compact car built in partnership with Suzuki) and the Oltre concept (some sort of twisted cross between a Hummer and an Apple store). But with crossovers continuing to sell big, despite the impediments of fuel prices and an increasingly enviro-conscious market, the mafia legitimate business association of the Italian auto industry can hardly afford to sit it out. So they'll try, try again.

The next up to bat is the production version of the CX-Over, expected to hit the market in 2010. Sources indicate an overall length of about 4.5 meters, potential for hybrid powertrain options (though more likely a range of the company's highly-efficient diesels), available AWD and a body style fitting somewhere between a minivan and a sport-ute. The Fiat version is expected to sell in the €22k-30k range in Europe, and is expected to spawn an additional version from sister brand Alfa Romeo.

[Source: Info Motori]

BMW is expected to release its new corporate strategy later this year, and when it does, it might include expanding to swallow up some more brands. What those brands might be has not been revealed, although reports indicate that the Bavarian automaker could be looking to take over Volvo cars from Ford's rapidly disintegrating Premium Auto Group, which has also recently shed Aston Martin and may be prepared to offload Jaguar and Land Rover, as well.

Munich has had varied success with expanding its family tree. It's had seven years to recuperate from the Rover Group fiasco, and would evidently be hoping for more success along the lines of its MINI and Rolls Royce ventures.

[Source: Börsen-Zeitung via Motor Authority]

In the ongoing struggle between magazines and websites, it should be immediately clear to anyone where we stand. With websites like ours getting constantly updated as the news emerges, magazines are increasingly becoming an outdated relic for delivering automotive news to enthusiasts (like yourself, reading this post).

There are, however, a few redeeming publications out there that deliver the kind of features that are best enjoyed in print, despite the stale news that precedes the juicy articles. Some of our favorite magazines come from across the pond, where members of the motoring press seem to have a better grasp of what makes for a quality publication. Among them are evo and Octane, two small-time magazines that consistently deliver quality content that rivals, if not exceeds, the offerings from the more established car mags on the news stand. (Check them out at your local magazine rack and you'll see what we mean.) evo consistently puts the most exciting cars through the paces while forgoing the boring minivan group tests, with a long-term test fleet that includes track cars and exotics. Octane, meanwhile, is a favorite of classic car enthusiasts and features regular columns from the likes of Jay Leno and Carroll Shelby alongside retrospectives and buying guides on the most iconic cars ever to grace asphalt.

Now these two quality publications will be coming under the same roof, as evo's parent Dennis Publishing has announced the acquisition of Octane Media. Dennis is an independent publishing house, where Octane joins its motoring division along with evo and Auto Express. The new synergy between these two top-drawer magazines should only help both continue to elevate the level of quality that will keep us reading even during those sad moments when we have to step away from our monitors.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: Dennis Publishing]

Not unlike other exotic Italian marques, Maserati has a tendency to dramatize the offering of any slight variation of its cars just a bit. It's somewhat excusable when you consider that, aside from the MC12 supercar, their line-up consists essentially of two models. But while it'd be all too easy to overlook and dismiss the launch of the Quattroporte Automatic, for Maserati this is more than just a new transmission – the newest offering from the Trident marque represents Maserati's venture into the mainstream. It's a bit sad in a way, that even under the wing of the all-conquering Fiat conglomerate, a brand like Maserati can't remain a niche marque. But in the "real world" even the fabled Trident brand needs to turn a profit to stay afloat, so they saddle that screaming Italian V8 with a torque converter for smoother shifting in the hope of attracting customers who'd otherwise buy a Jaguar or a BMW.

Maserati delivered the first seventy Quattroporte sedans equipped with the ZF-sourced transmission to European dealers just two short weeks after its official unveiling at the Detroit auto show. The ceremony took place in the picturesque courtyard at the military academy in Modena, near the Maserati factory. While we can't quite get our heads around the idea of Cadillac, for example, presenting their latest sedan at West Point, the Italians (with good reason) take real pride in their automobiles – plus it made for a beautiful photo-op, and we've got the shots for you in the gallery (and the release after the jump).

Related posts:

• Detroit Auto Show: Maserati Quattroporte Automatic
• Masermatic: Quattroporte now available with six-speed auto

Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte Automatic dealer hand-over

[Source: Maserati]