ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: This year's Giro d'Italia Automobilistico saw a diverse array of Italian racing machines in action, from the tiny Abarth 500 Assetto Corse to the Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo MC and Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo (I)

Iveco and FPT Industrial will take part in the Dakar 2012 which sets off on 1st January from Mar della Plata in Argentina and ends in Lima, Peru, on 15th January; the two companies will supply vehicles, spare parts and engines to Team De Rooy

Luca Rossetti has powered the Abarth Grande Punto S2000 to the 2011 FIA European Rally Championship title - the Scorpion rally machine's fourth crown in this series - after he clinched enough points at the end of the first leg to seal the title

Luca Rossetti is now just four points away from clinching a fourth FIA European Rally Championship title for the Abarth Grande Punto S2000, after racing to victory against tough opposition on the 46th Rallye Antibes Côte d'Azur at the weekend

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: Lancia once again stole the show at Rally Legend 2011, the stage racing machines that built the brand's global reputation - such as the Stratos, 037 Rally, Delta S4, Delta 4x4 and Integrale - were the real stars of the action (II)

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: Lancia once again stole the show at Rally Legend 2011, the stage racing machines that built the brand's global reputation - such as the Stratos, 037 Rally, Delta S4, Delta 4x4 and Integrale - were the real stars of the action (I)

Fiat India's locally-built Punto Multijet 90 hp has set out on a tough expedition that aims to pay tribute to the true spirit of the Himalayas, challenging the hatchback over the difficult rocky terrains of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir

Claudio Menzi's hopes of a successful fight for the Argentinean Rally Championship title for Scuderia Fiat on the Italian carmaker's comeback year have received a big setback with a no points score on the Rally Vuelta de la Manzana

Geoff Mortimer and his co-driver, Gerry Gericke, piloting an Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 Progression, returned a very impressive fuel consumption of just 6.25 l/100km during the 35th edition of the South Africa's Total Economy Run

Luca Rossetti extended his European Rally Championship lead to 48 points after a maximum points haul in Madeira following a solid run to third overall which was only blighted by a puncture that stopped dead his bid for overall victory

Luca Rossetti will continue his European Rally Championship title defence this week when the series moves onto one of rallying's most famous events, the Rali Vinho da Maderia, where the Abarth Grande Punto has enjoyed huge success

Another tenacious drive from Luca Rossetti in Bulgaria saw the Abarth Grande Punto S2000 pilot clinch victory on the final day to extend his advantage at the top of the European Rally Championship with five rounds completed

Less than a week after extensively damaging his Lancia Stratos in Ypres, much to everyone's amazement, Steve Perez was back in the action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and came away with the Spirit of the Festival Award

Having wrested back the lead of the FIA European Rally Championship in Ypres a week ago, Abarth Grande Punto S2000 driver Luca Rossetti will be bidding build his advantage when the 42nd Rally Bulgaria gets underway on Friday

Luca Rossetti overcame early engine problems, as well as a spin and two punctures to claim second place in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) standings on the Ypres Rally which bounced the Abarth driver back into the title lead

ItaliaspeedTV: The New Lancia Stratos was recently the star of Sachsen Rally in Germany, the Ferrari-powered supercar running in the thick of the asphalt-action at the front of the field in the hands of project driving force Michael Stoschek

Having narrowly lost the lead of the FIA European Rally Championship standings after skipping the last round, Abarth pilot Luca Rossetti will be in action on the next event, the Ypres Rally as he looks to wrest back his advantage

After just four rounds of the Italian Rally Championship Luca Rossetti's hopes of winning the title for Abarth have all but evaporated as on the weekend's 95th Targa Florio retirement means he now trails leader Paolo Andreucci by 49 points

A stuck throttle cost Claudio Menzi the title points lead on the third round of the Argentine Rally Championship, the Rally del Petróleo y los Dinosaurios, although the Fiat factory driver is still very handily placed as the season unfolds

Luca Rossetti has made the best possible start to his European Rally Championship title defence after he swept to victory on the 38th Croatia Rally yesterday to make it two wins from two this year and take home another maximum points haul

The rally success forged by the GpB Ferrari 308 GTB is mostly overlooked and rarely do they cause a stir at auction, however a unique Michelotto-built championship winning example fetched 460,000 euros yesterday at Bonhams Monaco sale

Luca Rossetti goes into today's second leg of the Croatia Rally, round two of the 2011 FIA European Rally Championship with a very solid 44.7 second lead after the Abarth Grande Punto driver won all four opening stages yesterday

Abarth's Luca Rossetti finished on the podium on the Rally Costa Smeralda but it wasn't the result he wanted as his title-rival Paolo Andreucci won yet again to open out a 24 point advantage at the top of the Italian championship standings

ItaliaspeedTV: The new Fiat Punto Maxi Rally in the hands of Claudio Menzi in action on the Rally de Villa Dolores where it claimed its maiden victory on only its second event as Fiat returns to Argentine rally after 15 years hiatus (II)

Claudio Menzi was able to cruise over the final day to seal the first win for Fiat on its Argentinean rally return and also secure the debut victory for the new breed of "Maxi Rally" machines on the Rally de Villa Dolores at the weekend

ItaliaspeedTV: The new Fiat Punto Maxi Rally in the hands of Claudio Menzi in action on the Rally de Villa Dolores where it claimed its maiden victory on only its second event as Fiat returns to Argentine rally after 15 years hiatus (I)

Luca Rossetti made the best possible start to his European Rally Championship title defence on the Rally 1000 Miglia, the Italian taking home a maximum points score to open up an 11 point gap to his closest rival with one round completed

A new Dodge Avenger rally car concept was unveiled today at Chrysler Group's Mopar Complex in Center Line, Michigan, heralding the first collaboration in the brand’s newly announced relationship with Magneti Marelli

ItaliaspeedTV: Mopar chose a rally car concept to christen the new alliance with Magneti Marelli due to the latter company's rich tradition in rally car competition as well as the rising popularity of the sporting discipline in the United States

A day of high drama has seen hopes of back to back victories for Lamborghini on the Targa Tasmania evaporate after the front running Gallardo Superleggera of defending champion Jason White incurred a 20 minute time penalty

A new era kicked off as the 'Maxi' class made its debut in the opening round of the Argentine Rally Championship and for Fiat it also signalled the start of a new rally era as it attacks the series with two factory Punto Maxi Rally machines

Defending Targa Tasmania champion Jason White is locked in a fierce tussle with Tony Quinn (Nissan GT-R) and after the first full day of action around Launceston the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera pilot lags his rival by just 5 seconds

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: Claudio Menzi and Cristian Confetti debut the brand new factory Fiat Punto Maxi Rally on the opening round of the 2011 Argentine Rally Championship, the Rally de Areco, Capitán Sarmiento y Baradero

Reigning champion, Jason White, at the wheel of his potent rally-specification Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera has set the pace around the packed streets of George Town during the Temco Prologue at Targa Tasmania today

Kevin Weeks and Dale Moscatt are all set to kick off their bid for victory on this week's Targa Tasmania in the second of the two rally-prepared Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera sports cars which will be titling for outright honours

Jason and John White will be bidding to make it two wins on the trot for Lamborghini in the Targa Tasmania when they leave the start ramp for the prologue stage of the 20th edition this morning in their rally-prepared Gallardo Superleggera

Scudería Fiat will be in title chasing action with the brand new factory-supported Fiat Punto Maxi Rally when the opening round of the Rally Argentino (Argentinean Rally Championship) gets underway in Buenos Aires this weekend

A beautiful tarmac rally-prepared Ferrari Dino with the engine upgraded to Lancia Stratos-specification believed to have been the first 246GT imported into Australia will be a highlight of Shannons May 2 Autumn Auction in Sydney

The Lancia Stratos, one of the most iconic rallying cars of all time, is the first entry in this year's Circuit of Ireland Rally, the legendary Italian machine set to be reunited with one of rallying's most famous events three and a half decades on

The Scorpion brand is set to be back to defend the prestigious FIA European Rally Championship title this year as Luca Rossetti has confirmed he will tackle the series once again at the wheel of a Super 2000 Abarth Grande Punto

The news that so many Italian automobile fans were waiting for has been confirmed today: Luca Rossetti will be back in cockpit of a factory-supported Abarth Grande Punto S2000 to fight for the title in the Italian Rally Championship

The Trofeo Abarth 500 Rally one-make championship reserved for the 180 HP Abarth 500 R3T will be taking on a truly international flavor this year as a new format seven event series will comprise of rounds in Italy, France and Switzerland

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: From the World Rally Championship winning 131 Abarth to novelties such as a pump-up racing X1/9 and a "rally-raid" Panda, Fiat's rich race and rally heritage was on show at every corner of Automotoretro

ItaliaspeedTV: Abarth's successful Grande Punto S2000 rally car in dynamic action in thick snow in the Alps in a promotional video that celebrates the new co-branding between the Scorpion marque and Snowboard manufacturer Nitro

The New Stratos is set to prove itself where any car that lays claim to Lancia's long and rich heritage has to test itself: on the rally tracks, as next weekend the reborn supercar will be running as the zero car on the Rally Isla Mallorca

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: From the Fulvia HF and Stratos to the 037 Rally and the integrale Evo, the all conquering rally machines that forged the modern day image and reputation of Lancia were out in force at Automotoretro

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: One of the forgotten cars from Abarth's rich sporting history, the 325 bhp 1.5 litre supercharged Fiat 131 "035 Volumetrico Competizione" prototype, made a very rare public appearance at Automotoretro

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: It is more than 15 years since a new car wore its badge; however Autobianchi holds strong affections amongst car enthusiasts in Italy and at Automotoretro its road and rally heritage was widely on display

ItaliaspeedTV: From a heavily rusted Aprilia through to iconic cars such as the Fulvia, Stratos and Delta integrale: road and rally Lancias drawn from a century of tradition grabbed attention at every turn during Automotoretro

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: One of the most unusual sights around the booths at Automotoretro last weekend was the Lancia SE 037 'prototipo', the Abarth department's dramatic development car for the Group B 037 Rally project

ItaliaspeedTV: Fresh from its first turning its wheels in anger for the first time a quarter of a century after its birth at Rally Legends, Lancia's fearsome EVC1 was presented by the Automobile Club Torino at Automotoretro 2011

Abarth, the reborn sports brand now once again churning out tuned up Fiat models from it's headquarters a few kilometres away from Lingotto at Mirafiori, fused its victorious past with the present on its official stand at Automotoretro

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: Abarth showed off four cars at Automotoretro: the 695 Tributo Ferrari and three Fiat-based machines that have long since entered rallying folklore: the 124 Abarth, Abarth X 1/9 prototipo and 131 Abarth

ItaliaspeedPhotoStream: The most brutal and advanced rally car project ever: Lancia's dramatic ECV1, which was outlawed before it had turned a - composite - a wheel in anger, is this weekend stealing the show at Automotoretro

This year's Race Retro at Stoneleigh Park will celebrate the ultimate rally brand - Lancia - headlined by Miki Biasion in action behind the wheel of the Delta Integrale, the winning car that brought the Italian and Lancia so much success

Team De Rooy started the 33rd Dakar Rally yesterday with three new Iveco rally trucks and high hopes of gunning for honours; however disaster struck quickly and team leader Gerard De Rooy was forced to pull out after injuring his back

Exactly a quarter of a century after the Lancia 037 Rally famously swept to a 1-2-3 victory on the Rally Costa Brava the legendary GpB car was back in the winners' circle this year with the 58th edition now part of the FIA Historic calendar