Mainstream Mayhem!

Benvenuti amici!

You've read about and seen many CC5CM3 PSAs hyping the FIAT Club America national event -- here, on our Facebook page and in the threads created for my two favorite North American FIAT/ABARTH forums. There was the additional blog post to help push registration activity at FIAT 500 USA.com.

You may have come across the two articles that appeared on the FCA North America multi-media blog called Objects In The Mirror...

The twin articles, FIAT FreakOut Headed To Milwaukee and Advertising Goes Retro For FIAT FreakOut 2017, were written by Edward Cardenas and constructed from an email exchange between us. Cardenas contacted the national club leaders as part of the corporate annual backing of the epic FIAT Famiglia event and developed a keen interest in the "PSAs" created, by yours truly, as part of our guerrilla marketing campaign.

We were pleasantly surprised to be contacted during the first few days of FreakOut regarding the possibility of covering the Road America "anchor" event. That coverage surfaced as a cool short shout on Classic Cars.com. But William Hall was not the only journalist in attendance. Todd Lassa, of Automobile Magazine also got his FreakOn in his longterm FIAT 500X. His six-page article made an appearance in print (the December issue of the magazine) as well as online (link included above).

So, what's all the hype about? Why do people pour so much energy into promoting this 34 years and going strong event?

My past years as a small press publisher of "underground" comics tell me it's due, in large part, to something we feel as "La Cosa Nostra" or "Our Thing". Is this meant to be some sort of play on words tying FIAT and ABARTH fans to the Sicilian mafia? No. It's more a comparison to that feeling we get when we discover something understood to few and misunderstood by the vast amount of others.

The FIAT and ABARTH brands have never quite planted their wheels on North American roads despite the fact the brands enjoy a rabid fanbase in South America and, of course, Europe. So, monthly local or annual national events around those brands raise a few eyebrows. To our delight... some of the raised eyebrows, in 2017, belonged to those in mainstream media. This is the highest profile hype the club has experienced.

Could this mark the elevation (and evolution), of FIAT and ABARTH marques, from mere unsung underground to ultra mainstream marketshare on our shores? Only time can tell but it seems as though the likelihood of such a thing is more pipe dream than possibility.

FIAT and ABARTH will likely always belong to the true believers. That stated... It's nice to see some positive press in a six-page spread of a major domestic magazine. We embrace it and aim to capitalize on it with a more aggressive approach to promoting (local, national) clubs and events via consistent and entertaining online presence.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Cream City FreakOut!

Benvenuti amici!

When John & Lapo Elkann, Roberto Giolito and Sergio Marchionne reintroduced the Nuova 500 they could not have imagined the splash it would make… or the fevered passion their joint Labor of Love would inspire. The latest generation of the greatest runabout on the planet splashed on to North American shores in 2011 (earlier for Mexico) and the lives of people across Canada, Mexico & the US have never been the same since then.

Although FIAT America & FIAT Club America have been around for decades, the clubs weathered the vast majority of their fevered fan years without new model introductions. The 2011 relaunch of the brand, here, inspired a generation of enthusiasts, and venerated both [inter]national clubs with a spike in new membership.

While FIAT America holds club meetings, as well as other Race-Rally-Tour activities, throughout the year, FIAT Club America is made up of smaller "local chapters" sprinkled throughout the US and Canada and meets en masse once a year. The FIAT Club America gathering is called FIAT FreakOut (FFO). Cream City Cinquecento Club (CC5C) members have attended FFO since the 2014 Chicagoland Area gathering. Twenty-sixteen is the first year we attended as a chapter of FIAT Club America.

FFO2016 was held in Auburn Hills: Home of the FIAT Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Headquarters. The Detroit Area happening included activities like a visit to the breathtaking W.P. Chrysler Auto Museum. The museum is located on the FCA campus and offers an explanation as to why FIAT S.p.A. chose to save Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram (CDJR) from certain industry death. The museum also offers a solid argument for CDJR fitting perfectly into the FIAT Famiglia. But I digress.

[fellow]SHIP at Auburn Hills foto by Milacento

"From [126]Poland, with Love"

[be]LIEVER at Chrysler Museum foto by Milacento

The primary reason FIAT Club America-FFO exists and functions is the cold hard fact FIATisti/FIATeros and ABARTHisti/ABARTHeros love their runabouts. Give them a decent reason to gather in numbers and they are "all in". Whether  attending aficionados own a vintage (original, restored or replica) or a contemporary (stock, modified or replica) Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia and/or Maserati matters not. It's the soul of a human being who appreciates the Latin flair of Italian automobiles that keeps FFO going.

"Going" is one thing Italian cars... and the people who drive them... do better than any other. So, every year the organizers (the smaller local host city clubs) of FFO include at least one group cruise in the itinerary. In fact, at least one cruise is a requisite to gaining board approval. These cruises can come in the form of a traditional "Poker Run", a backroads romp or impromptu procession down a legendary boulevard or avenue. FFO2016 took enthusiasts to the legendary Woodward Avenue. The sights, sounds & smells on "The Ave" are indescribable. Take a spin and one "feels" what Motor City is all about.

FIAT Freaks and their DRAG[centos] foto by Milacento

The Ave: WOODWARD[cruise]

The Ave: WOODWARD[cruise]

The next "must-do" at FFO is The Concorso.

Rain or shine... "The Show Must Go On." Although there are [later] prizes and trophies associated with a Concorso, the true pleasure is in experiencing the soul of the driver permeating through the metal, carbon fiber, rubber, plastic, leather, cloth, circuits, wires and/or petroleum of the vehicles. Study the factory details and/or personal touches of a given vehicle and one can learn a lot about the pilot of said vehicle. FFO2016 was well attended, but partnering with the local "Italian Happening" event and the larger Concourse helped up the ante.

2016: FreakOut or BUST

Italian Happening & FFO Concorso 2016

The Cult of the Scorpion - Concorso 2016

FIAT FreakOut is not a spectator sport...

One of these things is not like the others...

My pick for Winner of the "Bead" Award

Italian Happening-FFO Concorso Ferrari!

"All work and no play" would make life a bore

Rally. Beast. Mode.

"DRAGO" the Lancia

The Legend that is STRATOS

The Awards Banquet happens the evening of the Concorso. Dinner and a high ranking FCA speaker play a big part of the FFO experience. An awards ceremony happens after drinks, fine dining and the corporate presentation.

Entrants are given ballots at the Concorso. Some of the award categories make their way into the ceremony each year, but there is plenty of room for creativity and growth... a reflection of the evolution of FIAT Club America. The 2016 awards were good to CC5C. Mister Reiners, Sean Kane, Bryan Reiners and Duane Hand each drove home with a plaque. Joe Noto & I, pictured below to the reader's right, did not enter our cars in the Concorso.

The men of "La Famiglia" foto by Milacento

CC5C + FFO16 Awards foto by Milacento

"Preaching" P3 for FFO17 foto by Milacento

The final event of any given FFO is the announcement of the host city for the following year. Cream City a/k/a Milwaukee Wisconsin is the chosen home of FIAT FreakOut 2017. Sworn to secrecy until the BOD officially announced their selection, the CC5C planning committee has been biting our collective tongue for nearly a year.

The idea of taking on such a daunting task came about when Bryan & Pat Reiners asked me whether or not I would consider organizing a national event in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Anyone frequenting this blog and the sister Facebook page knows I already keep myself plenty busy. I sharply communicated a condition in my response... I needed enough local volunteers for all phases. Bryan Reiners, Duane Hand, Joe Noto and Pat Reiners immediately pledged their commitment. So, I began putting together a tentative "pitch" for the FIAT Club America Board of Directors (BOD) to consider and fired off an "email of intent".

The BOD... especially Tim Beeble... gave the blessing to fine-tune my pitch and I established monthly meetings with Bryan, Duane, Joe, Pat, Sean Kane and Willie Carter. Kevin Dwyer & Mark Friedel also offered their assistance in planning routes and contacting other groups/clubs to enhance our plan. I am unable to adequately express my gratitude to local club members. No one person (regardless of individual talent and passion) does anything worth mentioning driving solo. It takes an equally committed team that is firmly rooted in a solid work ethic and unified in positivity. CC5C has that in spades. But we could always use more help. Volunteers can contact me via Private Message on Facebook, email or in-person at a local event.

Mark your calendar/s for 19-23 July...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: Give Me Liberty!

Benvenuti amici!

Time flies when you're having fun. It's been four years since the missus & I purchased our first FIAT... a 2012 500 Pop. I was immediately smitten with our new runabout and, in equal measure, taken with the early history of the company founded by don Giovanni Agnelli.

The enthusiast/investor faced [both] dark & hard times during his life journey, but his dream of equalizing the [driving] field between the have and the have-nots remained the central focal point for his endeavors. His grandson, don "Gianni" Agnelli, brought glamor & glitz to the everyday brand when he took control of the auto house. He chose (grandson) John Elkann to serve as his successor to the business head of the Agnelli clan... while Lapo Elkann took it upon himself to carry on the fashionista image of don Gianni. Together, tempered with the no-nonsense approach of don Sergio Marchionne and empowered by the superior design/engineering sense of don Roberto Giolito, the descendants of don Giovanni have realized nearly all his dreams. Pardon my digression...

FIAT S.p.A., the FIAT 500 and Cream City Cinquecento Club celebrate their respective birthdays this month (FIAT 500 & CC5C - 4 July, FIAT S.p.A. - 11 July). The Cinquino is seasoned at 56 years. Cream City 500 Club is still a toddler at 3 years young. The "Topolino", the Nuova 500 and the modern Cinquecento are meant to add a sense of liberty, unity & passion to the driving community. The unwritten CC5C "mission statement" is meant to adopt that very spirit. Participation has varied from 5 to over 20 FIATs... and at least twice as many smiling faces. Friends, Family and Fun rule every outing. Here is a photographic look at the exploits of the club over 36 months. Enjoy!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

"You know what I want to think of myself? As a human being... Under the sun, under the heavens, there is but one family. It just so happens people are different." Bruce Lee

Ciao!

@