L'affetto per la Piccola FIAT

Benvenuti amici!

We saw some big time FIAT love during our 500 Parade through the Northwest-to-Northeast sides of town last Saturday. One woman went so far as to set up a blockade, with her car, to ask just what we were doing. We were quickly on our way after sharing our passion - and a card - with her.

Passion ~ I realize I regularly sprinkle my blog entries with various FIAT terms of endearment ~ specifically for the 500s and the 600s. In the interest of 'edutainment', and inspired by the Che Cosa Significa CC5C entry, I would like to provide readers with pronunciations and loose definitions of said terms...

'Cento [chéntō] - (Italian) nickname and/or affectionate term for a FIAT 500, shortened version of Cinquecento, literally one hundred, from Latin centum. To my knowledge, this is some loony present day invention of yours truly, so we will date it circa 2012. Also can be used as a suffix ~ as in my club handle, Amacento, or in mobicento (a mobile phone synched with a 500)

Cinquino [chìngkwi nō] - (Italian) nickname and/or affectionate term for a FIAT 500 circa 1957, shortened version of Cinquecento, literally five hundred, from cinque five (from Latin quinque)

Fića [fi cha], Fićo [fi chō] - (Serbian) nickname and/or affectionate term for FIAT 600 meaning little FIAT, built and sold under license as the Zastava 600 and 750 in former Yugoslavia circa 1960s

Fičko [fich kō] - (Slovene) nickname and/or affectionate term for FIAT 600 meaning little FIAT, built and sold under license as the Zastava 600 and 750 in former Yugoslavia circa 1960s

Fitito [fi ti tō] - (Spanish) nickname and/or affectionate term for FIAT 600 meaning little FIAT, built and sold under license as the SEAT 600 circa 1957

Maluch [ma looH] - (Polish) nickname and/or affectionate term for FIAT 126 meaning small one, built and sold under license circa 1973 as the Polski FIAT 126p (known as Peglica [peg li tsa], meaning 'little iron', in Serbia & Croatia and Bolha [bōl ha], meaning 'flea', in Slovenia) ~ modern EU FIAT 500s are built in Tychy Poland

Topolino [tō pō li nō] - (Italian) nickname and/or affectionate term for original FIAT 500 circa 1936, literally little mouse, also term used for Mickey Mouse

The above terms are also commonly used to describe the modern day FIAT 500. The cars permeate European cultures & history as if they are old members of the family. In turn, the names endure. Finally, the Americas can lay some claim to lineage of the more 'global' Cinquino. So, it is not a bad idea to make oneself familiar with the connections to/love for the vehicles credited with mobilizing much of post-war Europe. Right?

On the subject of mobilizing ~ I would like to get club members together again for some serious Cream City photos. How serious? Old Pabst Brewery area serious. The idea I am proposing is to meet for some gelato and drive to the downtown area via Lake Shore Drive. From there, we can hit some spots for owner-'cento & cool group photos. The date I propose is Saturday, 28 September (noon).

I have one last bit of info to share ~ great news for those currently without a CC5C window badge. The new order of vinyl clings has arrived. Send me an email to get yours before the next meet. You may also score them @ our local studio. I hope to see you sooner than later...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Success!

Benvenuti amici!

"Sexy People" indeed ~ Eat your heart out!

Feast your eyes on this handsome group of FIAT 500 drivers! Eighteen (2 Guccis, 5 Abarths, 2 500Ts, 4 Lounges, 2 Sports and 3 Pops) total 500s joined us for the first Guidare e Gelato meet. Ours was a gathering of good-looking, intelligent, passionate, fun, pleasant & real people.

Look! A 'cento Italian flag (albeit in reverse)...

We are looking forward to future meets and, if/when we receive them via email, adding the insights & suggestions of members to our agendas. Staying true to the automotive tradition established by FIAT long ago ~ our aim is only to propose the idea of these gatherings. What we do and how well it works is up to the collective. This is our club...

Dawn's nero Sport chillin' in the Lounge section...

Gang Of 4 mean, nero, turbo-charged 'centos!

However, I must admit to finding endless glee, to an obscene degree, in leading the Cream City FIAT Parade. Looking back on the string of 'centos, as we drove some 9 or 10 trouble-free miles, was nothing short of boss. From the look of it, the Harley Davidson riders, pedestrians and one - talk about a sign - Ferrari driver were loving the caravan of FIATs just as much. We had perfect conditions & best group of people for a chilled cruise.

The Italian invasion begins ~ still feeling the buzz!

Too many 500s to get in this one shot ~ so cool!

I have more exciting news to share. The CC5C grille badge is available for pre-order now here. As mentioned previously, the badge is available sans mount (for those with one), with nero mount (for those looking to match the mount with the classic FIAT honeycomb-style grille) and with cromo mount (for those with the belief one just cannot get enough of it on an Italian machine.

Unlike the vinyl window badges, I cannot offer the grille badge free-of-charge. I am not pre-purchasing them. This item is for sale to club members and FIAT fans. We, as a club, have secured a 10% discount on all orders. The discount code is… CC5C. Once again, they are now available for pre-order only. They will commence shipping this item after 13 September. Of course, my order is already in.

Finally, for those still interested in the CC5C vinyl window clings, we are out of the primary & secondary batches. Fortunately, we have a new batch coming in very soon. All we require is an email request and we will provide one badge per 500. The new crop will look slightly different...

As you can see, these will be printed with the name of the club in Italian, rather than English. But do not despair, this does not make the current badge any less authentic. We are, after all, driving the North American FIAT 500. I am an artist. We tinker. You doubt me? Ask Roberto Giolito. He used the differences between EU & NA regulations as an excuse to revisit his wildly successful creation. File this under creative license. Both versions were created from my hands and I love them equally. 'Nuff said.

I am stoked to get two Guccis for our first meet!

As mentioned several times before, I owe a great deal of thanks to the missus, FIAT, Troy (Midwest FIAT Corporate rep in attendance), Ryan, Tony, Brandon, Luke, Jim, Kyle & Mike for their encouragement and help in making this thing a reality. But, now, I also owe you a debt for help in making it a success.

Build it and they will come ~ quick shot of arrivals!

Troy (left), patiently waiting for us to sort it out...

Amado & Tony can't believe the turnout ~ Oh my!

We will compile and distribute photos as soon we can. In the meantime, you can check here for the shots Troy, my beautiful missus & I were able to snap. The photo shoot for our next meet will be in Cream City proper and be better organized, if we can get those RSVPs sooner than later. Can you imagine the shots we can get in the city?! Stay in touch ~ hope to see you next time ~ most importantly "May your smile shine on."

We are the Città Crema Cinquecento Club. Dig it!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: The Day Has Arrived

Benvenuti amici!

Today we celebrate, life behind the wheel of a Cinquecento... a Topolino... a Cinquino... a Fitito... a Fića... a Fićo... a Fičko... a 'cento and other FIATs!

Use this quick reference to make yourself familiar with the route ~ just in case you are separated from the group. We will attempt to keep the speed between 25-45mph (depending on limit and area). 

Begin: The Studio

• << Turn left onto W Metro Auto Mall
• >> Turn right onto 107th street
• >> Turn right onto Appleton Ave
• >> Merge right onto N41/45/West Fondulac
• >> Take exit 48/145 keep right
• >> Turn right onto Brown Deer Road/E100
• >> Merge right onto Lake Drive
• >> Turn right onto Silver Spring Drive
• >> Turn right onto BayShore Drive (FIATs on parade!) we will be making a series of three left  hand turns to make our way around the piazza & back to La Coppa
• << Turn left into the Kohl's Store parking lot find a spot

End: La Coppa

Be careful and stay together along the route. The big fun in this thing is the look on onlookers' faces when they hear/see our small army of FIATs humming along in harmony. Thanks for your part in making this a fun little cruise!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Che Cosa Significa CC5C?

Benvenuti amici!

Why Cream City Cinquecento Club/Città Crema Cinquecento Club? It's about time I break down the name of the club for those not in-the-know. First, allow me to concede the name, in Italian words, is not meant to be grammatically correct... it is stylistically correct. Grammatically correct, the name would read something like "Club Cinquecento di Città della Crema". We took artistic license in order to stylistically bring the Italian & English in alignment. With that bit of business out of the way…

Cream City - Cream City brick is a cream or light yellow-colored brick made from a clay found around Milwaukee WI, in the Menomonee River Valley and on the western banks of Lake Michigan. These bricks were one of the most common building materials used in Milwaukee during the mid and late 19th century, giving the city the nickname "Cream City" and the bricks the name "Cream City bricks". Cream City bricks were widely exported, making their way not only to American cities such as Chicago and New York, but also to Western & Central Europe.

Città [chi-tA] - (Italian) city, borough, town, capital, metropolis, urban center

Crema ['kreimə]- (Italian) cream

Cinquecento [chìngkwə chéntō]- (Italian) literally, five hundred, from cinque five (from Latin quinque) + cento hundred, from Latin centum

Club [klub] - an association of persons for some common object usually jointly supported and meeting periodically; also : a group identified by some common characteristic

Proper runabouts incite enthusiastic rallies

So, there it is. Now, you are aware what you and/or a loved one has gotten yourself/you into. This is going to be a blast and I am glad you, with your famiglia (including your 'cento), are along for the ride. Based on the number (twenty) of confirmations we received during the past two weeks, we suggest showing up a bit earlier than noon ~ if you intend to use the wash station and have your fluids/tire pressure checked. 

Happy Friday! See you tomorrow...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: Sounds

Benvenuti amici!

Miles Davis' Move, John Coltrane's Locomotion, Charlie Parker's Chasin' the Bird , Thelonius Monk's Introspective, the entire Swing collection and BeBop slice of Jazz makes for brilliant 'cento driving soundtracks. I select a Jazz playlist on my Podicento© & feel like I can cruise coast-to-coast. The music makes for such a nice compliment to my daily commute. While operators of other vehicles muscle their way through traffic, I zoo-be-zoo-be-zoo my way over it all.

The 500 definitely adds swing to modern living

My father listens to traditional 'Jibaro' music called Seis (Andalusian/Southern Spanish folk music), Aguinaldo and Johnny Cash. My mother is a bit more 'hip' than that ~ she listens to James Brown, The Beatles and other contemporary music from her youth. This led to a broad musical palette for Amacento©. I always have one ear longingly focused on the past with the other one straining lustfully to hear what the future holds.

As I commit these words to the digital page, I realize much of this may ring familiar to design & engineering fans of the FIAT 500. 

New footprint - Same Flawless Style

But the saga doesn't end there. FIAT has a penchant for choosing genre-spliced tunes for their adverts. Here are a few examples...

This tune begins as what sounds like dreamy classical music, but suddenly becomes a masterfully crafted symphony of strings, blips and metallic boom. This Italian FIAT 500 spot contains a track by Raffaele 'Raphael' Gualazzi ~ that boldly straddles musical eras as well as genres. Everyone, by now, knows this tune and just as inspiring is the softer traditional rendition. Below is my personal favorite of them all...

This Itailan classic informed this modern tune

So, what do you play on your daily and/or weekend drive behind the wheel of your FIAT? More to the point, what will be on your playlist during our Guidare e Gelato meet (this Saturday)?

Until our FIATs join in humming harmony...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: First Meeting Plan

Benvenuti amici!

We are only days away from our inaugural CC5C meet: Guidare e Gelato. This means it is nearly time to collectively celebrate our lives behind the wheel of the greatest city car ever designed, including all small FIATs ~ the 500 being the iconic hallmark to this breed of automobile. 

Let's have some fun...

Q: Where do we begin?

A: Bergstrom FIAT-USA of Milwaukee

11330 W Metro Auto Mall, Milwaukee, WI 53224

Q: Arrival time/reception?

A: Noon/31 August 2013 

Members will have the opportunity to meet one another and receive a short, casual briefing in regards to the activities & cruise route. We will do this over complimentary refreshments - provided by the studio - in the conference room. We will also use the opportunity to organize our vehicle pre-cruise check & wash bay list. It is first come ~ first serve...

12:15-1:15 PM

... The studio generously offered complimentary tire pressure/fluid checks of all member vehicles. We have available to us the vehicle wash bay & supplies. The early topolino gets the formaggio...

1:15-1:45 PM

... Members will have the opportunity to take photos of owners/famiglia & their respective 'centos together. The beautiful missus and I are more than happy to oblige photo requests. We would like a few group photos (owners, 'centos, owners with 'centos, all attendees with 'centos). It is a great way to mark the occasion...

Q: What is our destination?

A: La Coppa Gelato e Café ~ BayShore Town Center

5675 N BayShore Drive, Glendale, WI 53217

Q: ETA?

A: 2:00-2:15 PM

... Time to relax with new friends & family over some delicious gelato. We realize this is a holiday weekend and people may have other gatherings to attend. If some need to scoot off earlier than others, don't feel obligated to linger. We appreciate everyone sharing part of the day with our group and making this club a success from the start.  

We hope to see you next time...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Edizione Speciale

Benvenuti amici!

Being a fan of the FIAT brand, in North America, can be tough. Yes, we have available to us what many would say is the best of the new breed of Italian city cars. Yes, the Dodge Journey is upgraded/rebadged/sold, in Europe, as a FIAT Freemont. Yes, we drive the same 500L as is available in Europe. But that is it. Unless you have the money to import & drive the other cars in the modern FIAT stable or own one of the classic variety, the common FIAT fan only has the FIAT 500, the 500L and the not-really-a-FIAT Dodge Journey. 

Luckily, the 500 is selling well enough on our shores and FIAT has deemed it worthwhile to offer a variety of special edition Cinquecentos here. Most of them will be or are, now, available for purchase. Some are meant to give us something to which to aspire. All are special in their own respect. But I am preaching to the choir. If you're reading this blog, you already know this. Let's take a look, just the same...

FIAT 500 Prima Edizione

The early/introductory edition which officially announced FIAT landing on our shores. Enter the "new wave of immigrants". Welcome to the party!

FIAT 500 Pink Ribbon Edition

Limited to 250, this is the extremely rare North American 500 which supported an equally important cause. FIAT & the Breast Cancer Research Foundation joined energies to put this edition into production.

FIAT Abarth 500

The FIAT Abarth 500 seemed a lot more like a special edition FIAT when first introduced. The local studios had one or two demos consumers could test drive. If you wanted to own one, you ordered it to your aesthetic and convenience specs. Since then, it would appear FIAT makes available, to studios, a certain allotment to order. Of course, consumers can still order the mighty mouse to their specs. Not nearly as rare as they once were but just as special as they have ever been. Nothing looks or sounds quite like it.

FIAT 500 + 500c by Gucci

The FIAT 500 + 500c by Gucci enjoys a lot more exclusivity than the Abarth 500. Neither studio nor consumer may order this rarified version of the Cinquecento at will. It was introduced as a pre-order item and, now, seems to be allotted to studios as a better-than-average-sales reward. If you have never seen one up close and personal, you owe it to yourself to do so. The interior is inspired, the cabrio top adds an extra level of chic and the metal flaked [nero] paint gives it that extra wow factor.

FIAT 500 Sport Turbo

The FIAT 500 Sport Turbo was introduced as a blank canvas for consumers interested in modifications. It fits, and is priced, perfectly between the 500 Sport & the Abarth 500. It is available in colors not available to the Abarth ~ but it is not available in every color available to the standard 500. The 'blacked-out' head/taillights are the star of the show with this Cinquino.

500c Beach Cruiser + Abarth 500 Cafe Racer

These concept cars were introduced in tandem with the FIAT Custom Shop. They set the FIAT-USA world on fire with their cutting design and absolutely flawless execution. The Beach Cruiser takes the base cabrio to the outer limits of what can be done with the simple city car. The Cafe Racer strips the Abarth 500 down to its bare-bones. We have yet to see the Custom Shop realized to completion, but we still have these stunning images to keeping us dreaming.

FIAT 500 Sport + Sport Turbo Cattiva

Introduced shortly after the entries above, this was presented as a concept car considered for production. Apparently, the concept was very popular ~ it will available in the standard Sport as well as the Sport Turbo.

Abarth 500 Tenebra

Introduced with the Cattiva, this matte Abarth has not been introduced for actual production yet. This mighty mouse incorporates some design elements first introduced to the market in the 500 Sport Turbo package.

FIAT 500e

There is no denying this electric version of our beloved 500 is rare. It is only available in California-USA and in low numbers. This sexy e-Cinque may make it to other states with zero emissions-sales mandates. Even then, it will be rare in the 'cento line-up. There are no plans to make it available elsewhere.

Abarth 500c

This beautiful cabrio tears the roof off the standard Abarth 500. The canvas top adds chic to the performance-focused Scorpione. At the moment, sightings of this sexy beast are still rarified when compared to its hard-top twin.

FIAT 500GQ

We should have seen this one coming, but were completely blindsided upon announcement. The styling & specs of this exclusive cabrio sits it perfectly between a Sport Turbo and an Abarth 500c. FIAT continues to bridge the gap between the fashion & automobile industries as only they can.

By now, you may be wondering why you are reading an entry about Special Edition 500s. I have great [in a roundabout way] related news for every member, representative and fan of the Cream City 500 Club. I approved the first ever CC5C grille badge today. It will not magically transform your Cinquino to special edition status, but it is a special spin off the CC5C window badge. 

Unfortunately, I cannot offer this item free to anyone. What I can do is guarantee it will stand out among other grille badges ~ just as your 500 stands design & execution above other city cars. It will be available sans mount (for those who already have one), a nero mount and a cromo mount. In addition, club members will receive a 10% discount on their orders.

We hope to see this available for order from this vendor by the estimated 13 September 2013. As always, I will keep you in the loop.

Until its arrival, here is a sneak peak...

Vivere. Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@