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Fiat will bid for Bertone's dormant contract manufacturing unit

Fiat S.p.A. confirmed it will make a non-binding offer to buy struggling Italian contract manufacturer Carrozzeria Bertone S.p.A. Fiat's offer is one of five for the dormant coachbuilder.

First Sight: Mini

The first 'New' Mini was launched just five years ago, replacing the original Mini that had changed only in detail since its 1959 debut. Designed by Frank Stephenson, now head of design at Fiat, the current design has been a sales success and most significantly has been very influential in demonstrating how small cars need not be explicitly functionalist, smaller versions of larger car types or feel cheap. The new 'New' Mini, designed under the direction of Gert Hildebrand at Mini, is announced today with exterior design by Marcus Syring, interior design by Marc Girard and colour and trim design by Annette Baumeister.

Dodge Viper operations draw limited interest

Chrysler LLC's Viper sports car business has drawn only limited interest from buyers, according to court statements filed in connection with the automaker's bankruptcy hearing. Chrysler recently offered to sell the entire Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, which builds the Dodge Viper sports car, for $10 million, Chrysler Chairman Bob Nardelli said in a statement. "We received no purchaser interest," he said.