Romeo

There are only 500 examples of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione planned, and 70 have already been scooped up in Japan. Don't worry, though-- Maserati wants America to get a taste of at least a few of them.

Audi seems to have grown particularly fond of Alfa Romeo's styling, and as a result they have been poaching the Italian marque's designers. The first to make the move northwards was Walter de' Silva, and now, Wolfgang Egger is following suit.

America has become the Land of the Crossover, and if Alfa Romeo wants to succeed here when it returns to the US market in 2009, it will need a CUV with which to combat the competition. Fortunately, last November Alfa revealed that it will be launching just such a vehicle to coincide with the Italian marque's sailing the ocean blue.

Changes are coming to the family as the Fiat automotive empire alters its structure to give several of its divisions more autonomy. While the Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat auto and Fiat light commercial vehicles have all been divisions within the same corporate hierarchy (not unlike the structure at its one-time potential partners at General Motors), each of those brands is now being spun off and individually incorporated.

Excess weight is the enemy of every automobile. Extra pounds will make a car slower at the top end, more sluggish off the line, wobblier in the corners, more lethargic under braking, guzzle more gas and expel more toxic fumes...among other problems. It can render an otherwise great car imperfect. Case in point: the US-bound Italian beauty, the Alfa Romeo 159.