With a number of shocking nameplate-engineering jobs on deck (who’s ready for a Chrysler 200-based Lancia Flavia?), Fiat’s easing into things with one of the more innocuous moves on the to-do list: rebadging Dodges Journey as a Fiat. In Europe, the Freemont will slip into obscurity between Fiat’s Qubo and Doblò, much as the real Fremont struggles to serve as more than a unnecessary and unwanted distraction between Oakland and San Jose. And even though European buyers don’t buy many midsized crossovers, and don’t come to Fiat when they do, the Journey has been reworked to live up to the refined tastes of the European soccer mom. From retuned steering and suspension, to diesel engines, a new instrument panel and more soft-touch materials, The Freemont is a Dodge Journey for people who aren’t willing to buy shockingly poor-quality vehicles on the strength of inane advertising alone. And since they’re not calling it the Multipla, there’s no tip-toeing around comparisons to storied predecessors. But the fact that Fiat isn’t used to selling vehicles like the Journey is already showing up in its marketing literature, which enigmatically refers to the Freemont as a

“factotum vehicle” which has been “designed to meet the diverse needs of families and those seeking a spacious, comfortable and versatile vehicle to cater for the frenetic pace of everyday life or weekend leisure time”

Looking at this picture of Ferrari’s newest GT model, I can’t fight the smile that it brings to my face. Only yesterday, I asked TTAC’s Best And Brightest to square the eternal tension between the enthusiast’s love for unusual, communicative, original cars and the bland, practical vehicles that allow the industry to even consider the needs of those few of us who truly enjoy our cars. And while TTAC’s readers discussed the tortured relationships between enthusiasts and the industry they simultaneously love and hate, I spent some much-needed alone time in a car that could no more be described as boring than it could be described as a sales success (BMW sold nearly ten times the total production run of Z3 Coupes in each year of Z3 Roadster sales). And which has a remarkably similar profile to this new Ferrari FF.

Leave it to the Maranello madmen to popularize (and doubtless make tons of money off of) a look that previously separated the fans of unique quirk from even the sportscar mass market. No other automaker does as fine a job of turning the bizarre desires of the enthusiast community into a profitable business. Unlike BMW, Ferrari won’t need to sell ten twee soft-top versions of the FF to subsidize each sale of this handsome shooting brake… from its lofty peak atop the enthusiast-car competition, Ferrari can not only set the market’s tastes, it can make money doing it. But then, Ferrari has no more “freed millions from the tyranny of immobility” than I have… so perhaps this sudden embrace of a noble yet-neglected automotive form isn’t as significant as circumstances make it seem in my eyes.

[Hit the jump for actual information about the Ferrari FF]

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This came to me tonight from my old pal “The Berg”, noted serial purchaser of old Bentley Turbos, bon vivant, and Jewish playboy extraordinaire.

I’m sure it was on a closed course, although I know Berg doesn’t hold a professional license. There’s a photo of the actual car after the jump, but for now, I just want to ask: Is there anything better in life than to pilot an authentic, made-in-England-by-an-English-company-owned-by-actual-English-people-from-England Bentley?
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Having abandoned its unloved Nagare design language, Mazda has offered only two hints at its new stylistic direction so far, the Shinari concept and a design study on a forthcoming iteration of the Mazda3. And though both hint at how Mazda will express its “Japanese Alfa Romeo” ambitions, neither is obviously a near-production design. But with these just-released renderings of the Mingai Concept, Mazda is bringing its new design language ever closer to reality, as we’re looking at a future CX-5 compact crossover aimed directly at Hyundai’s hot Tucson (ix35 in Europe). It’s a sleek, Shinari-influenced design that proves that the brand’s cleaner, classier design direction can impart any segment with an upscale vibe. In fact, with mild alterations to the grille, this could almost be the rumored Italian-built Alfa compact CUV. For a brand that wins as many accolades for its fun-to-drive performance as it does ridicule for its “deranged Pokemon” styling, this is clearly a good direction to be headed in.

Hyundai’s Azera has long flown under the radar in this country, offering a near-luxury option that’s (at least) as stolid as it is solid. But because the Azera has never connected with America’s love of flamboyance, few know that the Grandeur, as it’s known in Korea, has a long, proud history full of grandiose names. Did you know the Grandeur was originally a rebadged Mitsubishi Debonair, and that these two suave nameplates were jointly developed for at least one generation? Only the second domestically-produced front-drive sedan on the Korean market, the first generation had to be made from Mitsubishi knock-down kits so the Korean automaker would have a luxury car ready to transport dignitaries in time for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. It unseated the Daewoo Royale (an Opel Rekord/Senator mash-up) as Korea’s top luxury car, and eventually became the country’s best-selling car.

Yes, the “Azera” has had a more storied history than its near-invisible styling, marketing and name in this country seem to suggest… but back in Korea it’s making waves again. The latest Grandeur launched last Thursday, and our man in Korea, Walter Foreman, has sent us the latest production-model press shots, which give a far better sense of the car than the last set of spy shots and renderings. And though Hyundai says it expects to sell 100k Grandeurs in 2011, Reuters reports that a US launch is not going to happen until 2012. In light of the new design direction, perhaps they’re taking the time to rethink the “Azera” nameplate…

Chrysler has just released pictures of its drop-top 200 (neé Sebring), and we want to know:  Would you pay a Dollar (or Thrifty)  for that?

One of my favorite features of my beloved Z3 M Coupe is that it offers a snug, driver-oriented coupe cabin without the hemmed-in claustrophobia of most sporting two-doors. But not everyone (or, more precisely, almost no one) is willing to put up with a honking hatchback on their sportscar in order to add an airy ambiance to its cabin. Which is where Mercedes’ new SLK comes in. Not only does it offer a retractable hardtop, which sends it from confined coupe to open-air roadster in minutes, but it even offers a glass roof for maximum top-up natural lighting. And that’s not all: the 2012 SLK, which skipped NAIAS to debut at Mercedes’ 125 year anniversary gala, even offers a “magic roof” option, which electromagnetically darkens the glass roof at the touch of a button. Necessary? Not exactly. But it does help break the perception that sporty coupes must make their owners feel like bunker-dwellers.

Buick’s Verano aims to bring a touch of class to the compact segment, and what’s classier than a Latin motto? Especially Ad Astra Per Aspera (Through Hardship, To The Stars), the motto used by such refined institutions as Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Buckinghamshire, England and (of course) Starfleet. Unfortunately, the Buick Verano isn’t aiming for the stars… it’s got more humble foes like the Audi A3, Volvo S40 and Lexus IS250 in its sights. In fact, it’s actually “from” the stars… well, it’s closely based on the Opel Astra, anyway.  So, make that “Ex Astra Per Aspera.” Although, come to think of it,  it didn’t really come through “hardship” so much as “China.” So I suppose the official classy Buick Verano motto should probably  be “Ex Astra Per Sina.”

The hardship part comes when GM tries to slot this bad boy between the $22,695-$26,780 Cruze LTZ and the $26,995-$36,105 Buick Regal. Or when they realize that neither the Audi A3 nor the Volvo S40 cracked 7k units last year (Lexus doesn’t break out IS250 numbers, but if were half of the IS-line mix, it would have sold 17k units last year). Keeping it classy in the compact segment just isn’t that easy.

The tuning house Gull Wing America have a huge thing for vintage Mercedes models, resulting in such bizarre creations as a re-interpreted W-121 and a retro-fied SLS. But for its latest project, GWA has taken on the most ambitious gullwing Mercedes ever, the “forgotten gullwing” known as the C111. Based on a tubular steel chassis, and sporting a 400 HP Mercedes V12, the “Ciento Once” is more of a re-interpretation than a strict replica. Still, it’s heartening to see such an influential yet forgotten car re-appear on the automotive scene, if only as a one-off prototype.Perhaps it will even inspire the the boys in Stuttgart to come up with their own “take two” on the great gullwing C111.

Yes, this is for real (if not brand-spankety new). Multimedia artist Soomi Park swears that her LED eyelashes are a comment on cross-cultural notions of beauty, explaining

The LED Eyelash project is brought into the world from a simple question: Why do women want larger and bigger eyes? Asian women tend to have stronger needs for bigger eyes as a standard of beauty, but relatively few of them are born with naturally big eyes. Those without big eyes can only look for alternative ways to make their eyes look prettier, i.e., larger, by using a repertoire of skills such as putting on makeup and wearing jewelry. Sometimes, the desires for bigger eyes can become almost obsessive, and many women opt for plastic surgery in order to make their dream come true. Soomi calls this, the fetish of Big Eyes.

We prefer to think of the idea as being inspired by the Audi-led proliferation of LED mascara… but that’s just us. [via Michael Banovsky]

Not to inflame the passions brought on by our CAFE regulations and pickup trucks article, but take a look at this still from a movie called “The Dentist 2”. Keep in mind, this is the very old second-gen Explorer that is busy dwarfing a GMC C-20 full-sized pickup; the modern, D3 unibody 2011 Explorer is a foot longer and three inches taller.

If you had to guess what vehicle underpins this Guangzhou GAC Trumpchi, what would you guess? Here’s a hint: if you’re basing your answer on exterior styling, you will definitely get this one wrong…

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Does this new BAIC BC301Z remind you of anything? How about the Mercedes-Benz B-Class (with perhaps a touch of Opel Meriva in the headlights)? Sure, it’s about a foot shorter than the B-Class, and it uses old Mitsu motors, but the resemblance is tough to deny. Still, whether you see the connection or not, Daimler probably does. After all, BAIC is supposed to be Daimler’s Chinese-market partner. But with partners like BAIC, who needs competitors? [via AutoBild]

Nissan has partnered with the telemetry firm Carwings for years, but with the electric-drive Nissan Leaf, what was once a way to suggest efficient navigation routes and driving techniques has become a game. Yes, Carwings allows you to track every trip in your Leaf down to the last nauseating detail and helps prevent the creep of “range anxiety,” but it also ranks you against all other Leaf drivers in your region. In short, the Leaf isn’t just a car, it’s a competition for the “Platinum” Leaf Cup. The fanboys at MyNissanLeaf.com are all abuzz over the competitive feature, which Nissan hasn’t done much to publicize otherwise. But do the early adopters who buy Leafs need a competition to encourage efficient driving, or is this just going to turn the Leaf into a posterboy for antisocial hypermiling? Sometimes getting where you need to go on time is competition enough.

Still, based on the forum chatter, telemetry data is hugely popular among alt-fuel adherents and hypermilers alike. Carwings-style telemetry reporting will definitely be a significant trend in future automobiles… even if the Leaf’s competition aspect gets left by the roadside.

On the list of things that should not have survived the last two years of Carpocalypse, Maybach pretty much takes the cake. Even before global credit markets froze up and luxury car sales plummeted, Maybach’s appeal was wearing thin: as one TTAC writer put it, the brand built on lavishly trimmed S-Classes was born old hat. Or, as another Maybach gravedigger put it,

To paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut, the Maybach experiment was a conspiracy between Daimler and the rich to make the rest of us feel smart.

Well, get ready to feel extra-smart. While Aston is prepping a new look for the brand, the old Maybach is having one last hurrah, thanks to the German custom house Xenatec, and the Saudi-based Auto Kingdom. This “Cruiserio” Coupe is the product of a €70m Auto Kingdom investment, and was built by Xenatec with cooperation from Daimler. And with 100 units planned at €715,000 each, Auto Kingdom stands to make €1.5m profit on the project… provided they all sell. And if they do, this garish, gargantuan coupe is just the beginning. According to Jameslist,

The AutoKingdom’s investment in the project is but the first in a series of projects the company is working currently on, [Auto Kingdom Chairman Waleed Abdullah Al-Hokair] noted, adding that details of 3 such projects will be revealed in the near future.