The innovative Phylla zero-emission prototype, that captures solar energy to power its electric motors and features extensive use of recycled materials, has been inaugurated to given its first test drives to Turinese VIPs

Photo Gallery: Phylla Inauguration/Test Drives, Environment Park di Torino

Maserati will line up its road and racing models at the 33rd Bologna Motor Show this week; its range will include the new versions of the Quattroporte and the Quattroporte S, the sporty GranTurismo S and the elegant GranTurismo

Photo Gallery: Trilogy of the Automobile 3: Dream, Torino Esposizioni - Fiat (I)

Dallara's successful Head of Aerodynamics, Dialma Zinelli, has been awarded the prestigious World Motorsport Symposium award for Racecar Aerodynamicist 2008, which has now been now renamed as the Dino Toso Award

Six Iveco vehicles will be used in Oltre – Beyond The Edge 2008 an expedition to the Arctic, traveling from North Cape to the Bering Strait to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the North-East Passage completed by explorer Roald Amundsen

Photo Gallery: Oltre - Beyond The Edge 2008, Iveco Massif 4x4 & Daily 4x4

Ferrari has just won a significant ruling in the Milan Courts that covers the use of the colour red in particular on car models; meanwhile next year will see new stores being opened in Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain, Florence and New York

Fiat has submitted three requests to China's economic planning authorities to restart manufacturing in China; they cover projects with Chery Automobile Co, Gunangzhou Automobile Group and Chongqing Changan Suzuki Co

The Fiat Panda Cross, a car that was only launched in the UK three months ago, has scooped its first major off-roading honour in the UK – 4x4 of the Year 2009; the award comes from the specialist magazine 4x4 and MPV Driver

The Alfa MiTo M430 is a striking new demo car by Marangoni Car Tyre, the division of the Group that manufactures and markets car tyres, all strictly "made in Italy"; it is being exhibited for the first time in the world at the Essen Motor Show

Photo Gallery: Marangoni Alfa MiTo M430

A memorable day of testing at the wheel of this year's Ferrari F2008 has been held at Fiorano for the three leading protagonists in the Italian Formula 3 Championship, the Italian series is powered this year by Fiat Powertrain Technologies

Photo Gallery: CSAI Italian F3 Drivers' Test - Ferrari F2008, Fiorano

The first Alfa 8C Competizione destined for the United States market has recently arrived in Connecticut; the handover ceremony took place at the Miller Motorcars dealership where the car was picked up by James Glickenhaus

Abarth will kick off its bid to win the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge title on 21st January when factory drivers Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alén roll down the start ramp in Monaco as the 77th Monte Carlo Rally gets underway

Iveco’s new Campagnola will be on display at the Bologna Motor Show, the end-of-year event for the motoring world; the Iveco stand will present a mountain panorama, with reproductions of streams, rocks and tree trunks under a clear blue sky

Photo Gallery: Trilogy of the Automobile 3: Dream, Torino Esposizioni - Italdesign/Giugiaro

Iveco's new joint venture in Russia with Samotler-NN, one of the country's biggest bodybuilders, has today become the automotive project to be hit be the global downturn, with the news that its new factory will see its opening delayed by almost a year

The Alfa Romeo MiTo has just been awarded a prestigious five-star Euro NCAP rating, setting it at the top of its segment in the field of safety, after scoring 36 out of a possible 37 points in the crash tests for adult occupancy

Automobili Lamborghini's development team and engineers from tyre partner Pirelli have put the Gallardo Super Trofeo through its paces on the Vallelunga Race Track outside Rome with the new car posting highly impressive times

Photo Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo - Test, Vallelunga

The launch of the Ferrari California marks the sports carmaker's first production engine with direct injection; Bosch supplies the complete V8 engine injection system, which was developed in close collaboration with Ferrari's engineers

Photo Gallery: Trilogy of the Automobile 3: Dream, Torino Esposizioni - Fioravanti

Team Modena has announced the first of their 2009 race campaigns to be unveiled, the team will be entering a Ferrari F430 GT in the LM GT2 category of the Le Mans Series and, entry permitting, the Le Mans 24-Hour race itself