More New Monte rumors..

[ecohen2]

If they build it and if it came to the US I would get one...

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/01/will-lancia-make-a-new-monte-carlo/

[John O]

If they build it and if it came to the US I would get one...
Right ...and if my Grandmother had wheels she'd be a wagon. With the way things go these days, they'd probably build it on a front drive chassis like they did with the new X1/9 prototype - it missed the whole point of the car.

John O.

[ecohen2]

You might be right...

Actually, I saw another article last week and it sounds like it would be the real thing if they built it...

[mogul_x]

Where did you see the other article? Magazine, or online somewhere?

Not that it matters anyway - North America will be lucky to Alfa Romeo back on its shores, nevermind Fiat or Lancia... :(

[Will]

I haven't been following the X-1/9 thing much, did you write that they built a new prototype of that, John? I was only aware of a design study that was done by some students maybe two years back or so, that wasn't really an *official* FIAT project and AFAIK wasn't built, but like I said, I'm not up to speed, is why I'm asking?

Then there were some (English blokes) that built a modernized Stratos, which was kind of cool save for the center pillar thing and the amine-lime-grreen color that I think they believed was "retro".

Recently, I loved the article in Autoweek that demonstrated how Ital Design could fuck up a perfectly good Pony car and turn it into a neither-here-nor-there American-gone-Italian monstrosity I will just refer to as "The New Ford Guido". and note that I'm not a big mustang fan, else I would have shot GG in the head personally. :)

The recent Fulvia prototype was pretty nice, an updated Monte would be something I'd be interested in seeing, but design-wise, I agree it could go either way, and of course there is the issue of affordability since I really would have to think twice with some of these cars (new Vette, etc.) where the car payment starts to look more like a mortgage. In my book, unless you have something really exotic your car payment shouldn't stretch into four figures, unless you are car-crazy or make, well, more than I do.

[mogul_x]

I saw the X1/99 at the Frankfurt Auto Show in '05. It looked more like a full scale interior/exterior mockup than a drivable car, but I could be wrong. I think I have a picture or two of it somewhere. It was definitely not anywhere near the FIAT stand.

Saw the Fenomenon Stratos at the same show. That was certainly an exterior styling buck, not a runner. The color was pretty close ot the lime green available from the factory on Stratos and X1/9 in '74-'75, but it had a little pearl in it. I also found the center pillar hinged scissor doors a little impractical.

I actually thought the overall shape of the Guigario Mustang was a winner. The taillights, one piece glass windshield/roof/backlight, and a few other details would have to go, but the basic body shape is very evocative of a '69 Mustang fastback without being a blatant copy, and would probably be a good follow up to the current model's '67 fastback inspired styling. It's better looking than the Ford-designed Mustang successor's styling that showed up in Autoweek a few weeks back.