CC5C: Meeting Details

Benvenuti amici!

I return with more exciting details regarding the first ever Cream City 500 Club Guidare e Gelato meet.

I recently visited our local studio (LS). On behalf of Midwest FIAT Corporate & the studio, Brandon kindly extended a very warm welcome to the club. The FIAT of Milwaukee welcome includes...

• Complimentary pre-cruise tire pressure & fluid/s check
• Complimentary access to the studio conference room
• Complimentary access to the studio vehicle wash bay
• Complimentary refreshments (water, soda, cookies)
• Access to Brandon ~ answer owner-related questions
• Continued support of the CC5C ~ check it out here...

As is made clear through their generosity, FIAT USA-MKE is definitely committed to helping us make this a buzzing success off the line. I am glad to have the level of support we enjoy [from the start]. It helps encourage future participation and growth of the brand as well as the club. 

On the subject of growth, I see more and more 'centos on Cream City streets. This is exciting for me. I neither need nor want to see them on "... for everyone" level, but more 500s on North American roads should equate to better long term support for the consumer and that higher level of support is a very good thing. It's the proverbial gift that keeps on giving. The brand wins = The local studios win = We win.

Back to the meet update. As mentioned in earlier entries, all FIAT owners are invited to  join the club & meets. The Italian automaker, long ago, established a legacy of designing suitable transport for various lifestyles. My ambition is to be a mirror of said legacy. Whether you are simply celebrating your everyday life behind the wheel of a FIAT or you are showing off your weekend toy, this is your club. You... I... we make it work ~ together. The same can be said for the brand as a whole. For me, the latest Abarth 500 print ad/video makes the point literal.

Brandon has asked me to give him advance notice, if I expect a larger group. You can help determine that by contacting us no later than a week in advance. It will help the folks @ FoM better prepare to host us. I look forward to seeing you on the 31st of the month. More smiles per mile...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: The Day Approaches

Benvenuti amici!

The first meet-up for the club is quickly approaching. I am looking forward to seeing a small group of tiny cars zipping around the city of Milwaukee. The more reading I do on other FIAT clubs, the more resolved I am to get this on the road. 

Ryan Lenfestey, the amazing former Director @ our LS, always spoke to me about putting together a FIAT club. He recognized my passion for the little mouse and thought a local club could do good things for owners, the studio & the brand in North America. I was aware Tony Westley, the former in-the-know Specialist @ our LS, once led drives for another city car brand. Also being a FIAT 500 owner, I thought he might be interested in partaking in a club geared toward FIATs and was inspired to at least give the idea more serious consideration.

Still, I dragged my feet on the idea until going out for a day drive with another owner-couple. I was sold. I committed myself to designing what I thought would be a worthy badge logo and name for meet-ups/drives of the would-be club. Once I settled on a look, I used my experience with another [unrelated] blog to set up this spot. In addition, I posted club threads on some established FIAT enthusiast forums to help draw local attention.

I am pleasantly surprised to find a good percentage of site traffic from other states & countries. Of course, much of this traffic is likely due to the various club links I include on this page and that is the point of including such things. I want to avoid becoming a tiny, static, digital island. There is plenty of passion for these great city cars to go around. I dig the idea of acting as vehicle to help stimulate said passion. So, a big THANK YOU to all the visitors from around the world is in order. Due to the added interest, I have included the translate tab & enabled comments. My goal is to continue to include content of interest and, in doing so, add value to your ownership experience. So, I hope you are enjoying all the hidden video clips embedded in my entries.

To the early members of the CC5C, thanks for expressing your passion for the brand with your online presence and supporting the efforts to get this thing started. In response to this support, I have decided to offer the initial batch of window badges [at our LS] gratis. I have already contacted the studio about refunding any money collected. I look forward to seeing you all, with your 'centos, the final Saturday of this month.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: The 1st Meeting

Benvenuti amici!

After giving the folks in the area a chance to make their way to our Local Studio (LS) and this blog for more information on the club... After an enjoyable month of writing about the history of our little mice, it's time to cut our own tiny slice of FIAT history.

On the subject of history, one of the longest running FIAT car clubs in North America can be found here. That club began with one man's desire to stay in touch with other FIAT and Lancia aficionados. That is not very different from what motivated me to propose the CC5C. With so many national and international clubs, blogs and forums popping up nowadays, we are living in what may be the best era of the Italian small car-loving variety of drivers in this country. Couple that with the fact Chicago will host the 2014 FIAT Freakout! and we have a major motivation for establishing our club in the region now.

I have been wracking my brain for a clever Italian-themed name for our meets, in the tradition of Cars & Coffee. I dig the idea of a Saturday gathering @ our LS, having a relaxing cup of caffè while connecting with a group of thoughtful and passionate people, heading out for a nice drive and ending the meet with a tasty gelato. So, I decided on Guidare e Gelato. It may not make perfect grammatical sense, but it's a concept not an Italian language lesson. Right? 'Guidare' is 'to drive' and 'Gelato' does not need translating. It needs eating.

Our inaugural meeting is Saturday, 31 August 2013. I propose noon as the ETA. The date should give people more than enough time to wrap up summer holidays and pick up their window badges. The studio has a few badges and my CC5C business cards onsite. If anyone needs extra badges or simply needs to contact me prior to the meeting date, the card would be the best way to get my contact information. Feel free to write or phone me with any questions you may have.

Finally, don't be concerned with whether or not you have have the coolest, most heavily modified or immaculately detailed Cinquino. That is most definitely not why I decided to pour energy into this idea. It doesn't matter whether you drive a classic FIAT, a bare-bones 500 Pop, a slickly modded Abarth 500, a sexy 500 by Gucci or a fresh off the boat 500L. They are all superb personal choices. I dig FIAT proposing rather than imposing.

FIAT put working class people on the road. Small 'city' cars are utilitarian in design. They are made to get you from point A to point B without breaking the bank or causing major parking anxiety. The Italians simply make them with Latin style. I think it is cool to celebrate life in a daily driver. Heaven knows  most everyone not in a FIAT likely bemoans their commute. So, this truly is about you... me... us having fun and not about us outdoing one another.

Until I see you & your 'cento in August...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Mondo FIAT!

Benvenuti amici!

Despite the fact many USAmericans would consider the company new to the marketplace, FIAT has left a huge footprint on the automotive industry. The automaker has been on the frontline of the city car evolutionary process. This is undeniable. With the reputation of being quirky, their old & new creations can be spotted zipping around urban areas the world over. Seemingly, every tiny FIAT ever made has its own giant following with dedicated clubs, forums & websites.

I recommend using these 'lineage' entries as a springboard to dive into your own personal research of the company and the various models which have driven the Italian car world since 1899.

Let's cruise down memory lane...

FIAT 600/Itay ~ 1955-1969

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

SEAT 600/Spain ~ 1957-1973

Jagst 600/770/Germany ~ 1960-1967

Zastava 750/850/Yugoslavia ~ 1955-1985

FIAT 600D/E/R/S/Argentina/Uruguay/Chile ~ 1960-1982

FIAT 750Z/Colombia ~ 1979-1982


FIAT 850/Italy ~ 1964-1973

The 600 successor marks the runabout redirection 
(See; FIAT 128)

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

SEAT 850/Spain ~ 1966-1974

Pirin-FIAT/Bulgaria ~ 1967-1971

FIAT 127/Italy ~ 1971-1983

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

SEAT 127/Spain ~ 1972-1984

Polski FIAT 127p/Poland ~ 1973-1975

FIAT 147/FIAT Spazio/Vivace
Brazil/Argentina/Colombia ~ 1976-1986

FIAT 126/Italy ~ 1972-2000

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

Polski FIAT 126p/Poland ~ 1973-2000

Steyr-Puch 126/Austria ~ 1973-1975

I am confident these shapes/designs look familiar to all hatchback drivers. What I find most striking is how FIAT has accomplished what they have with the same general shape. Take a second look at the '55 600 and compare it to the '72 126. It is all there in the profile. Amazing, is it not?

FIAT 500 'Topolino'/Italy ~ 1936-1955

FIAT 500/Italy ~ 1957-1975

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production

Steyr-Puch 500/Austria ~ 1957-1975

FIAT 500/Global ~ 2007-Present

A closer look at the 'Topolino' (above) reveals the same cabrio found on a 2013 500c. This design cue looks just as fresh today as it was in 1947. Okay, I will concede city cars have grown a bit in size over the years. But the FIAT variety has retained most, if not all, of the charm that has fueled the imaginations of designers & drivers since the early coaches put Italian citizens in motion. 

Now, on to a few other influential small urban legends produced by FIAT...

FIAT 124/Italy ~ 1966-1974

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

Lada 1200/Russia ~ 1966-1987

Premier 118NE/India ~ 1985-2001

SEAT 124/Spain ~ 1968-1980

Pirin-FIAT/Bulgaria ~ 1967-1971

Murat 124/Turkey ~ 1976-2002

FIAT-KIA 124/Korea ~ 1970-1975

FIAT 128/Italy ~ 1969-1985

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production:

Zastava 128 Skala/Yugoslavia ~ 1971-2008

FIAT 128/Argentina ~ 1971-1990

FIAT 128/Colombia

FIAT 128/Sri Lanka 

FIAT X1/9/Italy ~ 1972-1989

(Bertone years included)

FIAT Panda/Italy ~ 1980-Present

(Tychy, Poland years included)

Also Known As/Country/Years in Production

SEAT Panda & Marbella/Spain/1980-1986

(Panda 4x4 co-produced with Steyr-Puch)

This is history worth celebrating. Come & join us in the party!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

La Famiglia 'Elle'

Benvenuti amici!

The FIAT 500L. As I did with the FIAT 500, I would like to explore (through photos) the automotive history which led from there to here. I, along the way, hope to propose a new way of thinking about FIAT's latest hit ~ FIAT's first global car from conception to production.

FIAT 500 'Topolino' 1936-1955 ~ Giacosa

FIAT 500 'Topolino' Giardiniera ~ Giacosa

 FIAT 600 1955-1969 ~ Dante Giacosa

With squarish wheel wells & body lines and a roomier interior than its predecessor, FIAT grows as a nation recovers after the Second World War. In Spain it is referred to as 'el Fitito' in former Yugoslavia it is referred to as 'Fićo' and/or 'Fićko'. [Foreign] National terms of endearment in post-war Europe? Amazing. But it serves to further cement what we all felt the first time we laid eyes on our first FIAT… as well as we feel about our latest Italian-designed object/s of our desire/s.

FIAT 600 Multipla 1956-1965 ~ Giacosa 

An extension of the idea which spawned the popular FIAT 600 & the 500 Giadiniera Belvedere, the 600 Multipla included some of the same design cues as its predecessor (the 600). Additions to the beloved Seicento design are two more doors (5-dr coaches are not a new FIAT concept), a two-tone paint scheme (No, that idea was not copied from a rival brand design), a lot more room and a commitment to evolve. Why simply repeat oneself when one can do much more? FIAT pushes the envelope and don Giacosa's pen seals the deal. Don Giacosa did not simply set out to deliver small, affordable, utilitarian coaches for 'the little people', as directed by his employer. He delivered small, affordable, utilitarian vehicles anyone would be proud to be seen driving.

FIAT 600 Multipla & FIAT 500 Giardiniera 

Giacosa drew up a few notable 'giadinieras' or 'estate' coaches, but two are celebrated more than any others… the 600 Multipla and the 500 Giardiniera. Utilitarian to the core, these are the two vehicles Roberto Giolito & co. looked to for inspiration in creating a larger family vehicle with a dash of Italian flair and a bit of reckless abandon. His first attempt at an original design, based on the giardiniera works of don Dante Giacosa, is the FIAT Multipla.

Quirky and completely polarizing, this family car was met with reviews simultaneously crowning it as the ugliest car in the world as well as automotive perfection. FIAT Multipla Interior ~ 'Back to the future' styling and take note of the placement of the shifter. Look familiar? It should to present day Cinquino owners. I consider it a tiny hint of big things to come. Of course, we now know, it was just that.

FIAT Multipla (two become one) 

1998-2010 ~ Roberto Giolito. 

FIAT Multipla 2nd Gen ~ Roberto Giolito

FIAT Multipla Generations

Reigniting an old flame in a completely new package is something Roberto Giolito does to perfection. He doesn't simply regurgitate what has already been done. He examines what design elements are essential for an emotional register and finds ways to express that in something completely fresh & new. He is, for all intents and purposes, a modern extension in what has etched F.I.A.T. in the hearts & minds of passionate drivers for over 100 years.

Nuova FIAT 500 2007-Present ~ Giolito

500L: Pop, Easy, Lounge & Trekking

FIAT 500L 2012-Present ~ Giolito 

Sure, Roberto Giolito could have designed an over-sized version of his miniature [2007 FIAT 500] genius. But he went back to the drawing board, exercising the same philosophy with which he so passionately dissected FIATs of the '50s & '60s. This time his own creations would be the subject of his studious gaze. The 500L is what happens when Giolito of 1998 meets the same designer 10 years aged. I, for one, think it's brilliantly utilitarian and hold… firmly… don Dante Giacosa would be proud to know he helped ignite the flame.

I hope I have introduced a new perspective from which to see the 'Elle'. It comes from a pedigree at least as rich, if not as hip, as the more famous Cinquecento. Both offer cockpits from which to celebrate life ~ which is what you are all invited to join the Cream City Cinquecento Club to do. Contact me via our Facebook page for your window badge. Remember to...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

La Famiglia

Benvenuti amici!

The FIAT 500 did not simply appear out of thin air. As with any great work of art, it is an evolution of ideas and/or a series of successors to the ultimate city car tiny throne. Of course, they have not all shared the same degree of popularity and/or collectibility in their own time. But one thing for certain is they all have a cult following-like fan base to this day. That is no small fete for a coach of any size. For those still unaware of the history of our beloved Cinquino… Here is a pictorial 'connect the dots'.

FIAT 500 (1936-1955) ~ Dante Giacosa

FIAT 600 (1955-1969) ~ Dante Giacosa

Nuova FIAT 500 (1957-1975) ~ Dante Giacosa

FIAT 126 (1972-2000); Also Polski FIAT 126p 
(Sergio Sartorelli)

FIAT Cinquecento (1991-1998) ~ Giorgetto Guigiaro

FIAT Seicento (1998-2010); Also FIAT 600

Nuova FIAT 500 (2007-Present) ~ Roberto Giolito

Can you imagine an army of these little babies zipping around the City of Cream ~ buzzing about like a swarm of mirrored-up Vespas piloted by Jimmy and his gang of smart-suited hooligans? I most certainly can. Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo, indeed. Be sure to score your CC5C window badge.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Buon Compleanno, Cinquecento!

Benvenuti amici!

Today is USofA Independence Day. This is an extremely important day for USAmericans. It is a day we join with family & friends in love and celebration of liberty. For FIAT 500 enthusiasts, it is a double celebration ~ as this is also the official birthday of our beloved Cinquino. 

Pop Star: A Special Edition of a Special Coach

It is with these two events in mind I decided to launch the Cream City Cinquecento Club on this day of July. You can contact me @ our Facebook page. Be sure to ask the about the CC5C vinyl cling. I can get one to you to decorate your 'cento, if you so desire. If I am out of my supply, don't despair. There are more coming ~ I take the cautiously optimistic approach to my orders. As fate would have it, there has been a strong initial response to the idea. So, I know a proper supply is absolutely needed. If you have not seen the finished product, here is a quick snapshot I took just after the first batch arrived in the mail.

CC5C Window Badge/Cling: Spread the Love

Sorry, my friends, but I must cut this entry a little short. I have celebrating of my own to get rolling (in & out of La Fee Verte). Have an amazing day ~ and long weekend, if you are enjoying that gift of life too. As always...

Vivere. Amare. Guidare.

Ciao!

@