The Fiat Group Wish List

Fiat 500 Abarth Essesse and Assetto Corse 500 Abarth. There's a reasonably good chance the button-cute 500 will eventually make it to the U.S., particularly if Fiat can find a place closer to here to build them. It would be a sort of Italian Mini. What we're more interested in is this little number from legendary performance group, Abarth. The Essesse comes with full aero body kit, 17-inch wheels, lowered ride height and 160-hp turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. The Assetto Corse is a racing version which adds another 40 horsepower, Brembo four-piston brakes, racing suspension and a reinforced structure. It weighs in at about 2,200 pounds.

Everything Alfa-Romeo makes. Alfa was already set to enter the U.S. market with the 8C super-sportscar heading the charge. We'd like to think that the deal with Chrysler will mean it'll be easier to bring everything else in. The 147 is maybe the best looking hatchback in the world. The 156 Sportwagon is the practical man's sports car. The Brera is gorgeous. Even the wide-eyed MiTo is a hot little number.

Lancia Thesis. We'd like to see Fiat bring in this hideous thing just to prove that even Italians can build ugly cars. It might even make the Chrysler Sebring look slightly less ridiculous. Okay, the Thesis is not that bad. And if Lancia can stop making ugly cars for long enough, perhaps there would eventually be hope for the return of the charming little Fulvia, as seen in concept form in 2003 (below). Or hell, if we're going to be stupidly optimistic, how about a rebirth of the Lancia Stratos?

Fiat Qubo. With the recent watering down of the freakshow Multipla van, the Qubo is easily the silliest looking thing to come out of Italy since that frenetic little Roberto Benigni guy. Plus, it's fun to say and reminds us of this guy: 

New Holland TK 7060 tractor. Yes, Fiat also owns tractor and commercial-vehicle maker New Holland. The TK7060 is a good looking tractor, for a tractor. The company also offers fully tracked versions of some of its tractors. Nice.

Auto Show Product Specialists. The Fiat Group has a long and lusty history of hiring the most talented and/or special auto show-booth decoration in the industry. We're not saying we approve of the objectifying of women at glorified trade shows. But if a company is going to do it, there is much it could learn from the master.

Lapo Elkann. With a name almost as entertaining as the Qubo, Lapo is the scion of the Agnelli family that still controls 30 percent of Fiat Group. Fashionista, bon vivant and bad boy , Elkann (pictured above, left) has already lived much of his life in New York. We're adding him to the wish list only because we want to see him out partying with Bob Nardelli and Jim Press. Perhaps it will not comes as a surprise, but Elkann is said to have personally chosen the auto show product specialists for the Fiat Group in his former post in the marketing department.