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Maserati looking to book 13,000 sales of new Quattroporte in 2013

Europe's continuing financial woe is forcing automakers to get creative, and while Fiat may be scaling back its volume vehicles, it's looking to ramp up production of the exclusive Maserati brand. Following the debut of a new Quattroporte sedan, Fiat wants to boost Maserati sales to 50,000 vehicles by 2015. Maserati may lose as much as €7 million ($9.05 million) this year, and Fiat is betting big on Chrysler platforms and dealers to turn that around.
Currently regarded as a low-volume boutique carmaker, Maserati sold just 6,159 units last year, and 4,700 units through three quarters of this year. For 2013, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne is targeting 13,000 in sales of the redesigned Quattroporte alone. Fiat apparently wants the brand's low volume image to change, hoping to position it closer to BMW and Porsche in the market.
The recent unveiling of the new Quattroporte will be followed by more new vehicle launches, including a crossover utility called Levante, and a long-promised sub-Quattroporte sedan, called Ghibli. The latter will share certain components with the Chrysler 300 sedan in an effort to optimize production costs. The Ghibli will be positioned to take on the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It's all in an effort to turn the profit tide for Maserati and its parent company Fiat amidst European economic turmoil.

2013 Fiat Panda Antartica is crossover dressed as a penguin in a tuxedo [w/video]

If the results of our totally informal, completely unscientific poll are anything to go by, Americans are eager to get their hands on small utility vehicles like the Fiat Panda. And it's easy to see why - accessibility, relatively low price and 4x4 capability are traits that ought to work in America just as in the rest of the world. Indeed, Fiat has sold 500,000 or so Panda models over the past 30 years all across Europe.
Based on the Panda 4x4 Rock and updated with a special white, black and orange color scheme (called a tuxedo and inspired by a Penguin, apparently), fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels, the Panda Antartica will soon hit European dealerships in limited quantities powered by either an 85-horsepower 900cc TwinAir engine or a 75-hp 1.3-liter diesel.
Take a look at it in our high-res gallery above, and be sure to scroll down below for a press release and the complete Fiat press conference from Frankfurt on video.

Fiat 500 Cattiva coming in Q4, priced from $18,350*

When it comes to the 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva, we already knew that the show car would make it into production, we just didn't know when... until now. Fiat has announced that the "naughty" 500 Cattiva will be unveiled at the Concorso Italiano in Monterey, CA, and it will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, with models based on either the 500 Sport or 500 Turbo. Pricing will start at $18,350 for the Sport Cattiva - *not including $800 for destination - with the Turbo commanding an extra $2,000.
Looking almost identical to the concept car we saw earlier in the year at the Detroit Auto Show, the Fiat 500 Cattiva will have a custom look with its blacked-out headlights and taillights, 16-inch wheels and gloss black-painted roof and liftgate spoiler. The Cattiva also features a matte black instrument panel, black and gray seats (cloth is standard, leather is optional) and a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel. Scroll down for Fiat's official press release on this car, and stay tuned for live coverage of the car's unveiling this Friday.