Pfd-1 Pilot's Flight Desk on 2040-parts.com

Alfa Romeo to launch 8 new cars in next 4 years – Alfa MiTo to be dropped

The Alfa Romeo Gloria (pictured) could point to a new Giulia Alfa Romeo has been stuck in the doldrums for quite a while, and is now in the sorry state of having just two cars on sale – the Alfa MiTo and Alfa Giulietta – both compact cars and both with front wheel drive. Not really Alfas, although they’re better than you might expect. But in a brave plan to turn Alfa Romeo in to a proper force again – a plan we reported was on the cards a year ago – Sergio Marchionne has revealed that Alfa is planning to launch eight new cars in the next four years and concentrate on proper RWD cars with proper driver appeal.

Crunch watch Apr 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard and Ben Pulman Motor Industry 30 April 2009 17:21 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Thursday 30 April 2009• It's official: president Barack Obama confirms this afternoon Chrysler will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it strikes a patnership with Fiat (Automotive News, subscription required)• 'Over the past month, seemingly insurmountable obstacles have been overcome,' says Obama. 'Chrysler and Fiat have formed a partnership that has a strong chance of success' • Chrysler is filing for bankruptcy protection under Section 363(b) of Chapter 11 bankruptcy code – expected to last for 30-60 days (Detroit News)• Treasury to pay Chrysler $4.5 billion 'in exit financing'• Chrysler tipped to get new board of directors.

Treasures from West Germany lurk at Sonoma Raceway

In my role of Chief Justice of the 24 Hours of LeMons Supreme Court, I travel to Sonoma Raceway, aka Sears Point, at least twice per year. Most of the time I'm there, I'm stuck disciplining miscreant racers with incomprehensible penalties, but every so often I slip away in my Race Organizer Review car to shoot some action photos of the competitors. A good area for shooting LeMons cars is from the access road that runs parallel to the track between turn 10 and turn 11, and getting there takes me past an area of shops and garages… and I always spot some interesting cars parked there.