Oklahoma State Polyester Flag on 2040-parts.com

GM, Fiat considered merging Europe operations, report says

General Motors Co. and Fiat S.p.A. "briefly" discussed a merger of their European operations earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the talks.

Lorenzo Ramaciotti to head Chrysler and Lancia design

Lorenzo Ramaciotti, current head of design at Fiat Group, has been tasked with leading the design of future Chrysler and Lancia products in a bid to more than double the sales figures of the newly collaborated brands. The 63-year-old former Pininfarina designer – credited to some of the most beautiful Italian machinery of the modern era – has been asked by Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat and Chrysler Group LLC, to create a common styling language for the two brands that wouldn't look out of place in Detroit or Milan. Ramaciotti has made it clear that badge-engineering isn't going to be the future for the two brands and is hoping to inject a unique, but global flavor, into the two brands.

Audi A5 Sportback offered exclusively in Europe, U.S. customers stiffed

Audi is expanding the A5 lineup in Europe with a Sportback version--we're talking a four-door with a coupelike roofline. It will join the coupe and convertible A5s now on sale. The bad news?