With a wider rear track...
With a wider rear track, stiffer suspension and bigger brakes, the M Roadster will be a real enthusiast"s car when it goes on sale in two years" time. It"s set to be joined by a hard-top version, which will share the same engine and be targeted at Porsche"s recently revealed Cayman. But before then, a facelifted Z4 range will appear, featuring new front and rear bumpers, revamped light clusters and an iDrive-style cabin control system. The wraps are expected to come off the revised car at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
Following the Punto-based...
Following the Punto-based X1/99 concept seen at March"s Geneva Motor Show, the new two-door signals Fiat"s intent to corner the sports car market again. Along with its eye-catching body, the coup탩 - dubbed the Sportiva Latina - is a launch pad for some advanced electronic systems.
It"s fitted with steer-by-wire, which removes the physical link between the steering and front wheels. Current EU laws mean such a system is illegal on a production model, but Fiat is trialling the set-up to give itself a head start should they change.
The car seen here is also a test bed for an eye-level recognition unit that automatically moves all the instruments into an ideal position for drivers of different heights. Fiat has a working prototype fitted to an Alfa Romeo 147, and claims it could bring the technology to showrooms within six years.