Alluring Alfa Romeo falls far short of its promise

Few names can match the allure of Alfa Romeo. The sporty Italian brand is all about swooping lines, intoxicating engine noise, nimble road manners and the sexiest grille around. Alfa Romeo should be a bright Italian alternative to, say, Audi that stands out from the silver-gray herd of German luxury machines.

Chrysler reveals SEMA projects

Chrysler teased a few of its SEMA vehicles in sketches earlier this month; now the company has unveiled its entire stand. Its display area at the Las Vegas Convention Center will show off 20 customized vehicles running the gamut from the Chrysler 300 to the Ram pickup and new Jeep Cherokee. The Ram Sun Chaser, in Vibrance Orange Blast and Brilliant Black, is based on the 1500 Quad Cab.

Zaha Hadid Z-car concept

Zaha Hadid is an Iraq-born and London-based architect, who became the first female recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. Her ambitious buildings have earned her much acclaim, and having designed the latest BMW factory, Hadid has now turned her sights on cars with the unveiling of the Z-car concept. Not to be confused with the similarly titled Nissan/Datsun, Hadid?s Z-car is a small plastic-bodied monocoque with a prominent lifting door.