Creatively named the Fiat 500 by Gucci, the car is customized by Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci. The introduction of this special edition which features a Gucci inspired interior and some unique stripes, coincides with the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification and also the 90th anniversary of the Gucci brand.

According to reports, Ferrari is looking to adapt Fiat’s MultiAir technology for its own use. This system uses hydraulic actuators to change the setup of the vavletrain, and this can be done while on the move. So you can tune your engine to be run lean one minute for greater fuel-efficiency, or mean to get the maximum power output.

Ferrari head Luca Cordero di Montezemolo denied reports that the company was planning to go public. “There are no current plans (to list the company). Perhaps in three, four or five years. There is no project now. Maybe there never will be,” he told Reuters.

While speaking to Motor Trend, Fiat USA head Laura Soave told the magazine that in addition to new variants of the Fiat 500, there will be a new subcompact car arriving sometime around 2013, with a focus on the needs of the United States market.

The Chrysler Group of brands is set to unveil several new models at the Chicago Auto Show later this week, with rumors pointing towards a new commercial vehicle for the Ram truck brand. According to Automotive News, the vehicle will be, “a truck aimed at carpenters, plumbers and other tradesmen.”

After repeatedly voicing his interest in purchasing the Alfa Romeo brand from its Fiat parent company, Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech today received a decisive answer. It’s just not the answer he was looking for.

With the Fiat 500 already on sale in North America (if you can find a dealer), the Italian automaker will expand its lineup with the addition of a convertible model this Spring.

As part of the new joint venture between Fiat and Chrysler, the two companies will build 280,000 SUVs a year at the new Fiat facility near Turin, Italy. The SUVs will be produced for the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands.

The Fiat 500 just missed the now coveted 40 mpg mark, returning 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual, while automatic versions will net 27 mpg in town and 34 mpg while cruising. While the numbers are nothing to frown about, expectations were higher considering the car’s 1.4L four-cylinder engine and compact packaging.

Hit by fewer fleet sales and high interest on government loans, Chrysler posted a $199 million operating loss in it’s fourth quarter of 2010, despite generating earnings of $10.76 billion.

The road snakes steeply upward as we zip from corner to corner, whipping up gravel on the road’s edge, the local greenery fluttering in the car’s tiny wake as we nearly miss larger chunks of rock jutting out on the tightest of curves. Tuscany comes to mind, but this is not Italy. No, we’re in California.

We’ve heard a lot of talk about what kind of cars might result from the Fiat/ Chrysler venture, but until now, most if was speculation.

The launch of the 2012 Fiat 500 may present some problems for parent company Chrysler, as only 20 percent of Fiat franchises will be ready to go in time for the vehicle’s launch in late February.

With Chrysler having met its first performance related target, in reference to the turnaround plan instigated by CEO Sergio Machionne, Fiat has now raised its stake in Detroit’s number three automaker from 20 to 25 percent.

Chrysler set its Mopar division on the Fiat 500 for the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and the Italian runabout emerged with a matte black makeover and a number of other upgrades.

Having already announced almost an entirely new lineup of vehicles in 2010, Chrysler is planning to put the focus on accessories at the Detroit Auto Show next week.

Fiat is looking to up their stake in Chrysler from 20 percent to over 50 percent, according to reports in the Detroit News. Fiat was awarded a 20 percent stake in the company as part of Chrysler’s bankruptcy proceedings in 2009, and can increase its ownership as it passes a series of milestones. Marchionne also hinted that a Chrysler IPO may come in the second half of 2010.

These vehicles make-up about 7 percent of the market in Brazil. Fiat, which is the largest volume brand there, is now going to offer a sports version of its Strada pick-up truck called the Sporting.

As part of the Fiat/Chrysler alliance, one significant strategy moving forward is that smaller vehicles will be Fiat based while, larger offerings will use Chrysler’s own architecture.

Jeep‘s entry-level Compass model could get a diesel powerplant when the current soft-roader is replaced with an all-new model in 2013. According to officials at Chrysler, the replacement vehicle for both the Compass and Patriot could get an oil-burner which would be sourced from Chrysler’s new Italian owners at Fiat.

With all the flashiness and gaudiness of Fenice Milano’s recent entries to the aftermarket world, it’s refreshing to see that Romeo Ferraris was able to tame the tuner down a built to introduce a nice Abarth 500 to the world. Paying tribute to the legendary race circuit, the Monza edition adds a bit more sport to the Abarth 500 while keeping it mild and clean on the outside.

Fiat will look to reinvent its struggling Lancia brand at the Geneva Auto Show, breathing some life into the marque by unveiling its new flagship luxury sedan.

The seemingly endless stream of limited edition Fiat 500s doesn’t seem to end. Adding onto the list is Fiat’s announcement of their 500 Bicolore, which is surprisingly simple. The Bicolore will simply be a standard Fiat 500 sporting a two-tone paint job, white on the top and red on the bottom.

With Fiat’s 500 about to hit dealers in North America, we’re about to see an influx of aftermarket tuners producing products for the Italian car and all its many variants.

Move over Ferrari, Fiat has just launched its own online store here in the U.S., where you can buy everything from Fiat-branded hats and sweaters to Espresso makers.

Going, going, gone! If you waited to order a Special Edition Fiat 500 in Canada yesterday, you’re out of luck. This model is sold out – after just 12 hours!

With the Fiat 500 having just launched at the LA Auto Show, the aftermarket has already started releasing plenty of toys for the Italian economy car. Set to debut at the Essen Motorshow in Germany later this month, Hamann and H&R have teamed up to release their Fiat 500 rendition and there’s quite the surprise under the hood.

Debuting at the Eibach Springs booth at the Essen Motor Show this year will be a Fiat 500 Abarth model sporting Polizia livery and a nice adjustable Eibach suspension kit. For those who don’t know, Fiat’s in-house Abarth tuning arm builds hopped-up versions of cars like the Fiat 500 ( which just debuted in U.S. Spec as the LA Auto Show), including everything from new wheels and tires to a turbo under the hood.

This television ad, the first Fiat has produced for North American in almost 30 years, is longer than your average 30 second spot, and makes it clear that the new 500 isn’t just for the teeming masses, but people who like to enjoy life.

Filled with images of happy people and young families, the Fiat ads are decidedly less cheeky than MINIs ad campaigns have been over the years, and we figure that Chrysler is playing it safe considering that the brand is primarily known for the acronym “Fix It Again Tony”. Hit the jump and see for yourself.

[Source: Fiat 500 USA]

Hit the jump to see the video