CC5C: Family Life

Benvenuti amici!

As most of our readers know, by now, we are based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Although not the state capital, Milwaukee a/k/a Città Crema a/k/a Cream City a/k/a Brew City a/k/a Mil-Town is the largest and arguably the most culturally diverse city in Wisconsin. But, situated as it is in the northern part of the country, Milwaukee is cold, snow-covered & salted throughout most of the winter months. So, what driving/car enthusiasts refer to as 'driving season' is usually clearly distinguishable.

Driving Season = Yes

Driving Season = Not

Driving season, weather permitting, begins in April and ends in September or October. What this means is many enthusiasts/collectors tuck their prized rides away during the months temperatures, weather & road conditions could potentially cause permanent damage. For a car club, the number of active members coming together decreases severely until the Spring Thaw is underway. So, how does one maintain or grow active membership numbers with this known end to favorable driving conditions?

The growing part is easy… Active Recruiting. Have a plan in place for reaching out to new owners of vintage and/or contemporary coaches. Okay. That's settled. What of maintaining ones current group? How does one keep the fire burning in near, at or below freezing temps?

FIAT Famiglia F-U-N

There are many schools of thought on what one need do to keep a car club going during the off-season. To be sure, there are many well-established institutions (auto magazines, petrol head cable shows & internet programs, online auto communities, national Auto Show tour) to support the automobile industry and fans. But I've heard/seen little on what one need do to keep a Driving Social Club… well... social when a long, leisurely drive really isn't an option. Before we cruise in the direction of that subject, let's define what these clubs are.

Driving Socials, while most certainly drawn to specific coach builders & designers ~ as are the vast majority of other car clubs, are centrally focused on human relationships/interactions (supporting your brand/model at a local motorsport event, enjoying winery, museum and/or gallery tours, invading festivals, attending concerts, Cars & Coffee, Guidare e Gelato,  taking in a movie or gathering to share a nice meal, etc.).

Just another day in the life of FIAT aficionados

Now, with that definition of the way, let's face it. Mother Nature will have her way. We have no say in sun, rain, sleet or snow in the forecast. We have only to plan accordingly. Careful planning is exactly what it takes to keep the Driving Social vibe going strong, regardless of the conditions.

Here is a list of propositions:

1) Your club Facebook page... Keep things light & fun. Keep your readership coming back for more.

• Hold themed photo contests on your page ~ Get people involved
• Post photos to hype your 'followers' up for the upcoming season
• From time-to-time, announce when new 'followers' and/or members

2) Plan activities daily drivers and car enthusiasts can enjoy. One hurdle I never expected to run into is Famiglia members feeling they aren't invited to attend gatherings in any other car but a FIAT. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes… it's true… we are a FIAT club. But I'd like to think we are becoming a group of friends. Not everyone I know is a FIAT aficionado. But everyone I know likes to have F-U-N.

• Indoor miniature golf course
• Ping-Pong/Table Tennis bar/cafe
• Taking in a film or two as a group
• Local museum and/or historic site tours
• Sports Bar/Cafe/Social Club (Formula 1 & other sports)
• Meeting for a cozy lunch or dinner at a local eatery or member homes
• 'Special' club meetings used to plan the upcoming driving season activities… use be sure to include something F-U-N

Whatever you plan for your group, remember to consider what you want most out of the experience. Your choices should support/feed the vibe you promote during the driving season.

3) Visits to your local Studio and/or club partners. This activity can easily be extended to recruiting new partners. That frees up the driving season for… wait for it… driving.

• Have an agenda. Drop in as a small group… just to say 'Hi'. This presents opportunities to build rewarding relationships with your Sales & Service team while checking out new products. If you're visiting a partner, such as a local eatery, it provides the opportunity to give back.
• Ask whether you can keep cars/flyers at the establishment. Make it easy for your Studio and/or partners to support your efforts.
• At the Studio, ask the Studio manager whether there is anything you can to support their efforts… like supplying them with brand-related materials (books, magazines, etc.).

Seasons change, but the importance of making the most of every moment above ground never waivers. Start planning opportunities for good times now. The next opportunity for social F-U-N is waiting to be exploited.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

FIAT MKE 01/2011-08/2014

Benvenuti amici!

I had another theme in mind this week, but recent events led me to put that off to cover a more important pressing subject matter… the transfer of FIAT-MKE Bergstrom Automotive to FIAT-Fox Valley Bergstrom Automotive.

I began my relationship with Bergstrom FIAT of MKE on 19 May, 2012. Actually, the relationship began quite some time before my purchase. As you've, no doubt, read on this blog, there was a time of inquiry/discovery with Tony Westley. The period stretched over, maybe, a month or two. The emails were frequent and I'm sure poor Tony (owner of a rosso 500 Pop) thought I'd never be a FIAT owner. That was the first of many fond memories to come.

I purchased, not one, but two FIATs from the Bergstrom FIAT of Milwaukee location. The first was a verde chiaro Pop. You've seen photos on this very blog and our FB page. That was a major score, as there were no other verde chiaro FIATs in the city for a while. I loved it and I loved stopping in and chatting with the staff (Ryan, Tony, Leah, Jim, Mike & Kyle) every chance I could.

I work not far from the Hwy 45 & Good Hope location. So, it is likely I was in the Studio a lot more than made them comfortable. Still, I was invited to visit every time a new color, trim, model or update arrived. I'm not certain of just when, but I met Brandon and, later, Heather. I guess Heather is memorable for two reasons; her sense of style and her immediate purchase of a bianco ABARTH. How cool is that?!

Tony left. Ryan was moved to Chevy. Leah & Heather left. Jim was, eventually, moved to Chevy and Mike quickly followed. For what seemed liked ages, Kyle was the only person woking in the service department. He did it ALL. The guy is a champ… a legend... as far as I'm concerned. Luke made his way into the fold, as did Milton, Kelsey and Jeremiah. Through all those changes, in fewer than two years, my 500 Pop was well cared for and, even, modded!

I felt so good about my Milwaukee FIAT home, I began to inquire about my next purchase months before I paid off my first one. Brandon talked me through that entire process and I slid behind the wheel of a nero puro ABARTH 24 December 2013. Five months earlier, Brandon supported me in the launching of this blog and the Cream City 500 Club. Brandon, Luke and Ryan have championed the CC5C Driving Social cause from day one.

I was knocked off my feet when it was announced there would be a second Bergstrom Studio, FIAT of Fox Valley, in our state. That showroom was erected in Kaukauna, Wisconsin… effectively the Bergstrom's back yard. In hindsight, that was likely more of writing on the wall (for the coming end to their MKE Studio) than it was a play to become the premier auto group for the Italian city cars in the Badger State (especially in Cream City & the MadHouse).

Because it truly blindsided me, I was absolutely gutted when I received word of the Milwaukee transfer. For better than two years. I invested a lot of time & energy building relationships with members of the Bergstrom FIAT of MKE staff. We experienced many ups-and-downs together. I was committed to doing everything & anything I could to contribute to their success. News of the end of our relationship left me down, on an emotional level, but it's a business decision (nothing personal). So, I… we... must wipe the dust from my/our Pirellis and drive on.

Times change… people change… situations change. I am a [US Army trained] student and believer in the 'adapt & overcome' approach to life. It is also part of my leadership style. So, how will the CC5C adapt to & overcome this loss?

There are a few things every FIAT aficionado in the USA has always known:

• With a Sea Change going on their home turf (Italy as well as the EU), FIAT USA would feel some waves from time-to-time. Our faith in the brand would need to come from the domestic auto groups carrying the torch on our turf.
• We were taking a gamble with the purchase of our coaches. FIAT S.p.A. was absent from our market for nearly 30 years. We had little to no idea of the quality, dependability and service availability of our daily drivers.
• The Local Studio experience is a new concept in our country. Never before was there so much emphasis on the pre & post-purchase culture (unless you were in the market for a $60k+ luxury coach). This change cannot be easy for any vendor of economy cars.
• A strong consumer community is, to a large degree, more important to our experience than any given auto group/vendor. That is part of what makes CC5C so special. We get that and we choose to act on that knowledge by pulling together. Why shouldn't we? We do it so well.

But how will we adapt to and overcome the untimely loss of the Bergstrom FIAT of MKE team? There is no magic serum for it, folks. We will take time to mourn that loss and we will grab the reins in establishing an equally strong, if not stronger, relationships with the remaining FIAT dealers. Buon Viaggio Bergstrom & good luck in Fox Valley.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5Celebrazióne!

Benvenuti amici!

One year ago several FIAT 500 owners, of varying ages and backgrounds, gathered to celebrate their daily drivers. Unlike most USAmerican motorist gatherings, this one focused as much or more on the drivers as it did their coaches. With a commemorating event just around the corner, I think a quick recap is in order. Let's ride…

Most of my creative ideas come to me in a seemingly random manner. That is not the case with Cream City 500 Club. As has been documented on this blog and the CC5C/CCCC Facebook page, the idea for this club began with the friendly prodding of friends at our Local Studio and a random celebratory cruise & lunch with another married FIAT-driving couple. That is the very core of our club: FIATs. Family. Fun.

Ten months after that random cruise, with friends, we held the very first CC5C Guidare e Gelato gathering and led the cruise to a gelateria. The idea is any 'official' CC5Cruise is a Guidare e Gelato event. Unfortunately, we do not stop for gelato on every one of them. The name of our cruises is meant to be more of a nod to the Italian pedigree of our coaches as well as a cheeky wink to all the non-Italian North American car clubs.

The inaugural CC5Cruise event drew, I believe, 20 FIATs. Sixteen of the attendees actually stuck around after the photo-op and joined the caravan to La Coppa Gelateria & Café. Although the entry into the outdoor mall area was a bit awkward, we caused a stir and had a great time.

Our second Guidare e Gelato was a cruise into the heart of Milwaukee. We met where we ended our previous cruise and drove to the Pabst Brewery for photos... Cream City Brick buildings as a backdrop. The attendance was half what is was the month before, but that worked to our advantage. It was that much easier to stage a cool shot of our rides. Plus, it marked the first time we stopped for a family-styled meal and a vintage FIAT joined us… an X1/9!

It has been asked, of me, many times whether I mind non-500 FIATs joining our club & cruises. I want to take this moment to answer it 'officially'… once & for all. N-O. I do not mind non-500 FIATs joining our club and/or cruises. If you keep up with this blog and our FB page, you know I have a passion for ALL ITALIAN BRANDS IN THE FIAT FAMIGLIA. I want drivers of these lovely coaches to feel free to come & go as they please. This is a 'family' of Italian car lovers. Not every member of any given family looks or sounds alike. Why would a club identifying itself as La Famiglia exclude members that look different?

I first thought to name the club after the Topolino & the Cinquino, because it is the coach I assumed most members would own. I didn't see or hear of many vintage 124s and/or X1/9s in the Milwaukee area. Plus Cinquecento fit perfectly with Cream City. The more I dove into the wonderful world of FIAT S.p.A. history, the more I realized just how important the 1936, 1957 and 1991 500s were to Italy and the rest of Europe. It mirrored how important our first 2012 500 was/is to us. But that does not equate to us missing the fact there are other FIATs out there.

Get over the name. Get over the model. Get over whatever hang up/s you have and start joining in on the F-U-N of life experiences with other amazing people in your immediate area. Life, after all, is what this is really all about. Am I right? Of course, I am. Keep cruising.

The third Guidare e Gelato saw 11 FIATs join in on the fun, as seen above. It was held in October. That meant the view, as we made our way through tree-lined windy backroads was amazing. We concluded our drive with another family-styled meal. This would be the second time a CC5Cruise would end with such a meal. It has, to some degree, replaced the idea of stopping for gelato. But I have not given up looking for a way to get the cold, tasty treat back into our time together.

The fourth Guidare e Gelato did not have tasty treats on the menu, but it did have cold. We led the fair-sized group to the Third Ward area and stopped for some Ping-Pong and food. I had no idea whether anyone would be up for this one. It snowed that day and many, including ourselves, had recently purchased a 500 ABARTH. It is not the model you would immediately think of when taking in a winter drive. All went without a hitch, we had an absolute blast and the ABARTHs handled the white stuff flawlessly!

As the cold lingered, while snow melted, and another CC5Cruise seemed increasingly more unreasonable an idea, we decided to hold a planning meet for the upcoming driving season. After the meeting we drove to Divino Wine & Dine for lunch. That day we put down some delicious food and put together what would become a breathtaking year for our toddler of a club.

We agreed, in part, at the enthusiastic request of our Sales & Service department, the first 'official' CC5Cruise of 2014 would be a shared drive & dine with Brandon, Jeremiah & Luke. This marked the first CC5Cruise with a non-FIAT-related vehicle. Luke trailed us in his slick, red VW Golf. The original Polo/Golf look, just as is the case with the Renault 5, was based on and meant to compete with the FIAT 127. So, Luke & his German coach fit right in. 

But I digress.

The chosen eatery was the same as it was for our third Guidare e Gelato and we had a fantastic turnout. The Fox & Hounds restaurant agreed to reserve an area for our group, which was a good thing. So many people joined us, there was one free seat and little elbow run to be had. It was truly a family affair… one I intend to make an annual group event.

One final note on this CC5Cruise: I found the tree-lined windy backroads were even more fun in our ABARTH!

We quickly followed up our first CC5Cruise of 2014 with another. This time, we were led by an X1/9 and drove to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum. I think a vintage FIAT taking the lead on a cruise to an auto museum was the only way to go. In addition, it gave the missus & I the opportunity to take a position near the rear. That led to us getting loads of great photos and enjoying the ride without the pressure of looking after the group.

Here is a second shot of the Auto Museum CC5Cruise group. How cool does that X1/9 look in the midst of more modern FIATs? To tell you the truth, I think of any post-Giacosa designed FIAT as modern. The Italian coach builder had a different energy after don Giacosa retired. FIAT was, once again, focused on making a global splash. 

We ended this event with a pitstop at The Mineshaft for lunch.

This is a different type of cruise… one I find inspirational. On our Facebook page, you may have noticed a photo album called 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.' That title was inspired by this photo and the one directly following it (See; below)...

A 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.'… in the truest sense… is a random gathering of two or more CC5C famiglia members. A photo is taken and shared on our Facebook page. I am very proud of the fact quite a few people from our group hangout in-between events. Truth be told, I could not ask for a better outcome than friendships growing out of our original proposition. For me, it is proof we are a life experience society.

I've grown that Facebook photo album, over time, to include stuff I want to share with the group. However, the very essence of 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.' is still very much about FIAT-driving friends getting together, because they actually enjoy the company they share.

The shot, above, is a special Guidare e Gelato cruise I proposed. It took us to Jefferson County. Ten or eleven members cruised to and/or met at the Hwy-18 Outdoor Theater, also known as a Drive-In. This was to commemorate the very first television advert FIAT aired in the USA, upon their return to our market. In fact, a large source of inspiration for our gatherings… along with the vibe I do my best to establish… for our group is based on the spirit of FIAT adverts over the decades.

I find there is something FIAT communicates, in print as well as in moving film, that is unique to the Italian automaker. Whether or not there is an Italian person present in their adverts, there is always the soul of Italian (and generally Latin) flair & drama in those ads. Modeling club events after them  draws people to at least check us out.

Many have chosen to do just that. In this photo of a Guidare e Gelato cruise to the annual Strawberry Festival, in Cedarburg, two coaches joined us for the first time. One, pictured above, is a giallo 500 Sport. The other is an azzurro X1/9. The drivers of each FIAT are very active on our Facebook page and enthusiastic about the brand & club. The household of the Sport has multiplied by three, while the X1/9 almost always brings in other drivers of vintage FIATs.

While some have decided we offer something they'd like to regularly take part in, others are just fine taking us in spaced doses or once, then, never again. I dig that. FIATs are not coaches every person wants to drive every day and not every person driving a FIAT does so for any other reason than they are small, economical at the pump and different. It takes all kinds to build a community. That includes the Italian runabout variety.

On the subject of community… it has always been a goal of mine to support and be supported by our local Italian community. One of the 2014 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.' was an opportunity to take part in local news advertising for the Milwaukee Festa Italiana event. It is a local festival, that takes place on our Summerfest grounds, celebrating Italian heritage.

The Italian Community Center asked, at best, for five FIATs. Imagine their surprise when seven drove onto the grounds, together, in the middle of a work day on a sunny Wednesday morning. The news agencies present as well as the Italian Community Center were so excited they asked whether we had an interest in taking part in this sort of thing every year.

How cool is that?!

Another community I've made it my business to wedge our group into is the greater FIAT community… on a national and international level. It is with this in mind we attended the annual gathering of FIAT Club America. This group has been around a few decades. That means they weathered the years FIAT no longer sold their fun lil' machines on our shores. I've offered my services by submitting editorials for their self-published RICAMBI magazine and becoming a Regional Contact for Wisconsin.

Their annual gathering is called FIAT FreakOut! and, in 2014, was held in the Midwest for the first time in the group's history. The Chicago area event is also the first time the group met so far to the West. I felt we had to attend. By doing so, we forged new relationships with other community movements and solidified friendships we'd formally only enjoyed online. This 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.' drew six or seven local and non-local CC5Cers.

Our next Guidare e Gelato also drew a non-local CC5Cer. Colin Brown braved a drive from Minnesota to help us celebrate the birthdays of FIAT S.p.A., the FIAT 500 and CC5C. Unfortunately, timing limited attendance. For the first time, even I could only join the first mile or two of the caravan. I will put a lot more thought into planning future July gatherings.

One late July/early August gathering requiring very little from CC5C, in terms of planning is the Reina Italian Auto & Moto Show. Reina International Auto, a local fine foreign coach dealer puts this show on every year. Attendees are treated with the opportunity to feast their eyes on beautiful Italian machines of all vintages, wheel counts and price tags. Considering the Reina involvement in performance/Motorsport, it makes perfect sense to develop a relationship based on our mutual appreciation for Italian things that go Vvrooom!

This photo captures a moment that, like our Reina 'Random. Road. Rendezvous.', is performance/Motorsport based. This is the group we led to the FIAT/SRT-sponsored ABARTH Track Experience. We led three other ABARTHs to the Autobahn County Club, in Joliet IL, to enjoy a day at the track on FIAT USA. The experience provided an opportunity to learn more about our "Small but Wicked" rides and meet with Madison-based CC5Cer Mike Bradley. 

The packaged bonus to living with an ABARTH 500, I think, drew CC5C attendees closer… as intense life lessons tend to do. I could not be more thrilled. Or could I?

Next on the CC5Calendar takes us back to the start of this entry. On 17 August 2014, we will celebrate the very first CC5Cruise with a trip to the Madison area. The initial destination is the home of Craig & Ann Swenson. They graciously offered to host a light lunch and lead the group of attendees, through windy backroads, to the Wollersheim Winery. Our Southeastern Wisconsin-based club will not be the only attendees from our area, though. 

The winery will also be playing host to Cedar Creek Wines this weekend. A happy coincidence or fate? You decide.

That wraps up this recap of our first year in cruises. I trust you found the themes of our cruises inspiring. FIATs are not ordinary cars for ordinary people. Why should a club devoted to these cute lil' buggers and the cruises of said club be any less extraordinary?

"Life is best when driven…"

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

The ABARTH Experience

Benvenuti amici!

As you may have realized, by now, I was the elated driver of a wonderful FIAT 500 Pop. That beautiful little grocery getter blessed me with over a year of motorized bliss and led quite a few CC5Cruises. I am, now, the ecstatic driver of an equally wonderful FIAT 500 ABARTH. This beautiful little grocer getter blesses me with a bit more than the signature Italian styling associated with runabouts designed by the Italian automaker. The 'more' is the focus this blog entry. Read on...

For uninitiated, the USAmerican SRT team, on behalf of FIAT's ABARTH division, enlists professional drivers to teach interested owners of a Scorpione what their favorite little runabout can do. This is a perk, included with the purchase of a 500 ABARTH, and… as a bonus… allows for relatives and/or friends of the purchaser to attend as a non-driving (for $100) or a driving (for $500) participant. The package includes; an introduction to the World of ABARTH, three competitive driving disciplines, a nice breakfast with an equally appealing lunch and a 'Hot Lap' ride along to close out an 8-hour day. They call this perk the ABARTH Track Experience. 

With so many CC5C members moving from a naturally aspirated 500 to the turbo'd variety, specifically the one adorned with the Scorpio Rising badges, I decided to propose a small CC5Caravan to the 2014 North American ABARTH Track Experience. Quite a few members hadn't attended yet and leapt at the opportunity to share this new FIAT life experience with others.

First, we had to coordinate our date of attendance and hotel stay. When the event dates were announced, on the ABARTH Experience website, it was revealed we would be taking in a lovely August day at the esteemed Autobahn Country Club. As the name suggests, the ACC is petrol heaven for retired race car drivers and speed junkies with deep pockets. The Motorsport club also offers off-season prices, which amounts to an 8-hour day of motorized bliss on a pristine track at a very reasonable cost to the bold & able. 

But that's enough about the venue. We're gathered around our 'future boxes' to learn about this amazing added benefit to our lives behind the wheel of the coolest car cities ~ the world over ~ have ever known. Our day with the USAmerican SRT/ABARTH team was, as stated earlier, divided into three driving disciplines. I will break those three into sections and offer my impression of each. Keep in mind, the courses could and likely do change as often as individual opinions. So, my takeaway could be entirely different than the 40+ in attendance on this or any other given day. 

Driving Dynamics:

Physical. This portion of the day is dedicated to learning what your angry mighty mouse can do on a road course. A professional driver serves as your co-pilot and instructor. This section is meant to teach you all about how the 'Small but Wicked' one responds to driver input on the open road and reacts to driver approach in the tightest of corners.

I must admit to being absolutely terrified my first lap or two… and the nero e rosso Scorpion they strapped me into knew it. As any good road companion would do, she gave me time to build up the confidence I needed to have some real fun on the track and extended moments out of the driver's seat to consider how I could improve the next track opportunity.

CC5Cers comparing notes between track time...

The driving instructors are fantastic. Their steady and confident voices, quietly caressing the ego and think box of the driver takes the mind off the fear of wrecking the beautiful coach and allows for laser focus on getting each turn just right as well as building up speed in the straights. This is stuff I simply did not learn in Driver's Ed and/or the US Army.

Learning to drive manual transmission in a military issue deuce and a half and living life in the city allowed me to come away from this portion of the day with many practical pointers on ways I can continue to hone my wheel, clutch & brake skills. I always feel I can be a better driver. This driving discipline most certainly provides the feedback needed to be just that.

Autocross:

Mental. This portion of the day tests your wits. While the road course teaches one the importance of confidence in ones micro-machine, autocross teaches the importance of confidence in self. This is a thinking driver's game and the course laid out by the SRT/ABARTH team is there to remind you of the fact at every nail biting/self-cursing turn. To raise the competitive spirit, times are recorded as well as penalized for knocking over tiny cones placed along the course boundaries. I'm pictured, here, in the bianco ABARTH.

Truth be told, I never quite got into my groove with this one. I improved my time, with each consecutive lap on the course, but three shots was not enough to lock on to the target time I had in mind. Regardless, I came away with a greater appreciation for my Sombrita and a genuine respect for autocross as a philosophical exercise. I am, now, terrorizing the missus with the thought of saving up to purchase a used 500 Pop for exclusive use in autocross. 

Head-to-Head:

Body & Mind. The Head-to-Head Challenge is similar to autocross, despite the course being significantly more straightforward. It combines ones confidence in self with the confidence built in the A500. To test that confidence, the lead instructor pits driver against driver. Once again, drivers are timed and those times are penalized for knocking over cones as well as not making a complete stop in the midway point of the course. The mind & body come together in the spirit of friendly competition.

I beat myself up so bad about what I failed to accomplish in autocross, I made a conscious decision to show a marked improvement in this challenge. I was strapped into a grigio ABARTH my first two attempts at this course and lost… due to penalties. I laugh, now, but I was genuinely disappointed. I knew I could make my way around the course at a quick pace without touching a single cone. What was I missing? Now, we're talking. For my final run, I was strapped into a nero ABARTH. It was squeaky clean and fast! There is something to the personal connection to these little stingers, isn't there?!

Hot Lap:

F-U-N. With our day of discovery nearing an end, we made our way back to the road course for our 'Hot Lap'. This exclamation point to a well planned and organized day puts drivers & their guest/s in the passenger seat with an instructor. Until this point, guests were the only attendees privy to the hair-raising experience. While not nearly as much fun, for me, as learning about myself, I thoroughly enjoyed wondering whether my pilot would launch us off the track. Brilliant!

I strongly recommend this activity to all FIATisti. If you can afford to do so, find yourself a new ABARTH owner, and do it more than once.

To every end there is a new beginning...

Conclusion:

Commitment. As you may recall, I am keen on doing my part to bring back the good ol' days of FIAT Motorsport as well as maintain the Driving Social experience to which I devote countless hours of each day. Yes, FIAT is relatively active in Europe and other parts of the world. But I live in the USA… the land of the Pirelli World Challenge and IndyCar. Despite the fact our brand competes in PWC B-spec class, most USAmericans would annoyingly snicker at the thought of racing Italian runabouts. To them, driving a generic powerful car in a giant circle is much more thrilling than pushing a 500, Punto, Panda, Linea or Stilo around a a challenging road or off-road course. Little do they know, FIAT played & plays an integral role in creating and growing Motorsport. The ABARTH Track Experience and my relationships with true North American FIAT enthusiasts solidifies my resolve to action. You know what that means, dontcha? Wash 'Em. Wax 'Em. Wake 'Em Up©.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Vivere. Amare. Guidare.

Benvenuti amici!

With July and the first complete year of building a Cream City foundation in the books, it is time for a bit of reflection on the past and fixation on the future...

As you may be aware, I have been busy, at work, doing my part to establish a strong North American FIAT community. Taking on this kind of challenge is not a simple task ~ which explains why they call it… a... challenge. It is very easy to lose sight of the end goal. So, setting my sights on a fixed target is crucial to accomplishing what I set out to do. Where to begin? Ah, yes.

Everything begins with a thought…

There isn't a goal worth reaching for that can be had without some serious thought. This includes establishing a FIAT community. FIAT has been around a long while and the world around the automaker has seen many sides of the same company. For me, there are two primary approaches to building a community around an automobile or an automaker; Performance a/k/a Motorsport and/or Lifestyle a/k/a Social Driving. Despite my drag racing pedigree, I've never been much of a Motorsport guy. Don't get me wrong. My father took his two sons to Great Lakes DragaWay and we were absolutely thrilled. I remember building model cars (and modifying the designs to fit my own creative vision). My brother & I breathed the scent of the electrified metal and tiny burning tires on various toy race tracks. I collected... and lost... innumerable Hot Wheels toy cars. But, as I grew older, I found myself pursuing things not immediately associated with Gas - Tires - Oil.

When I made the commitment to kick off the first Milwaukee-based FIAT club I considered what I most wished the brand had in North America. The one thing that stood out, as I joined various online communities, is a lack of passionate fanaticism. It seemed as though FIAT could be any other brand and too many communicated their belief the Italian automaker ought to conform… falling in line with USAmerican tastes & whims. No one digging the brand & coaches would truly want the company to be any less Torinese than it is. So, I sought out other Wisconsinites interested in celebrating the life & style the coach builder pours into everything it does.

I decided to take FIAT's eco:Drive Social online campaign literally. Rather than drive alone, only sharing cyberspace with others bent on driving as eco-friendly as possible, I would drive with a group of fun-loving people and share our life experiences (and the way/s our FIATs enhance them).

As it would turn out, there were quite a few people looking for; 1) a new way to celebrate their favorite daily driver, and 2) a fun excuse to get on the road. Thus, Cream City 500 Club was born. Oddly enough, the most successful of our events/gatherings have also been the most people-focused, social of the bunch. People will drive through rain, sleet and snow for fun activities with a likeminded group. Quite frankly, it has taken me by surprise while validating what I thought car clubs were missing in this country. But a local club is just that… local. I considered how to spread the news.

Back to the internet!

Armed with the CC5C blog and an online persona, I wrote about FIAT history, our local club exploits and shared photos… first on our club blog and, then, on our Facebook page. I found people in other parts of the country (as well as the world) were interested in this social endeavor. Maybe they were missing the same thing? I reached out to people, asking whether they would be interested in supporting the effort by sporting a free CC5C window cling on their FIAT/s. Many were happily willing and shared photos of their 500s adorned with the logo I created. Others chose to start their own club/s.

Along with their photos, I shared their exploits. If they organized an event, I promoted it. If they founded their own club, I announced it. If they launched their own Facebook page or forum, I pushed it on this blog and our Facebook page. Fortunately, for me and our club, they reciprocated and brought additional notice to CC5C. These mutually beneficial relationships continue to grow our individual efforts as a collective… C-O-M-M-U-N-I-T-Y.

With the growing community, I can see people becoming more passionate about FIAT as a brand (and specifically their runabout of choice). FIATisti, in the US and Canada are repeat customers at their respective Local Studio. They are paying off their first FIAT and choosing to slide behind the wheel another trim or model. They are keeping their first FIAT love and mating her/him with another one… or two! Is this a direct result of the efforts of community builders? I don't really know. But having a support group, cheering on ones fandom, can't hurt.

So, with the social driving aspect of FIAT life taking firm root, what's next? How do we keep a good thing going? Well, as is the case with any other relationship, evolution is the key to continued growth. Yes, I believe it is paramount we keep the "Live. Love." element of our local club as the primary focal point/s of what we do and why we do it. But our respective purchase, or purchases in many cases, is what created the opportunity.

My gaze has fallen back on childhood motorized fancies. Seeing the FIAT logo on Ferrari F1 cars, following/attending the Pirelli World Challenge and including typical car club-type events to the CC5C 2014 schedule of Famiglia gatherings, I've noticed there isn't enough attention and/or respect paid to the racing heritage of Italian runabouts. Raised to believe one ought to put much energy into fixing something prior to complaining about whether or not the thing works at all, I am devising ways to include some overdue FIAT-sized trackside excitement to community activity (CC5C vs PWC, Trofeo CC5C, CC5C at ABARTH Track Experience). I trust you are ready to join me on the "Drive." 

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@