MILITIA-OUS INTENT!

Benvenuti Amici!

Every few months we feature owner experiences. It's become something of a tradition to "capture" the experiences of the well-traveled, the adventurous, the passionate. and the inspired. Sometimes the owners find themselves inspired enough to start businesses and, in doing so, inspire other drivers. Sometimes the owners find themselves inspired enough to seek adventures beyond their daily driving experience. This blog entry is meant to pack all of these FIAT life experiences in one tidy holiday package... just for you.

I recently spent some e-time with FIAT500USA regular, Robert Nixon. Robert Nixon (RN). Nixon, among many other things, is a fellow blogger. He and Brian Nixon publish Nixon Motor Sports, a blog they use to share their burning passion for petrol-driven competition.

Team Nixon Motor Sports

CC5C: Model?

RN: I ordered by FIAT 500 Abarth in 2012, and took delivery in September of that year. This is a 2013 model.

CC5C: How are you involved with your local and/or the greater FIAT/ABARTH community?

RN: My main involvement with FIAT is as a moderator on the FIAT500USA forum. I like to attend car shows, local Cars and Coffee events, and try to keep up with the auto industry a little bit. 

CC5C: Why FIAT/ABARTH? What is the primary use of your car?

RN: My Abarth is my daily driver, so I’ve been very happy with it for over 59,000 miles so far. I was attracted to the Italian heritage of the company, and figured that I couldn’t afford a new Ferrari or Maserati, so the return of FIAT to the US got my attention! After test driving the regular 500 and the Abarth, I voted with my gas pedal foot and went for the Abarth. 

CC5C: How long have you tracked your FIAT/ABARTH? What competitions do you take part in?

RN: With the Abarth I started to autocross in 2013, and it’s been a great way to have fun, meet more car fans, and also learn a lot more about my car in general. Thanks to my job I’ve had to move a few times, so I’ve competed at events sponsored by various Sports Car Club of America and other clubs in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Earlier this year I drove the Abarth on track at a two-day National Auto Sport Association (NASA) event with an instructor, and that was really fun.

Proof Positive Daily Drivers Can Be Fun

CC5C: Wow! So, you actually track your daily driver?! I think that's an important point for people interested in the brand(s) but uncertain about reliability. Can you speak to that?

RN: The beefier stock suspension on the Abarth enables it to hold up fine on a track day. It’s not going to be a NASCAR or Indy car experience, but it is a ton of fun to drive non-competitive track events. Other great car experiences I’ve had in the FIAT are charity events where you can get on track for a short stint just by donating a toy or money to a charity. Not a race or anything, but I’ve enjoyed at least a few laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darlington, Martinsville, and Virginia International Raceway (VIR) and always had fun doing it for a good cause. 

CC5C: And is tracking a daily driver common? Do you see that a lot? Is there anything else you'd like to add to this point?

RN: I’d estimate that tracking your daily driver is common, but that at some point if you really get into track events with SCCA, NASA, or other groups that you’ll want a dedicated track car. To go with all the racing required safety gear (seat, harness, roll cage, etc.) is a big step up from just doing a high performance driver event with just a helmet and regular seat belts.

CC5C: How have you placed? How has your FIAT/ABARTH held up under the intensity of competition?

RN: At the local event level I think the Abarth is competitive in the SCCA H Street class this year, but it’s not seen much at the big national level events. With fewer drivers at local events I’ve won my class for the past three years, but the main thing for me is having fun driving! The Abarth has held up in great condition to a regular diet of autocross, and like any other car if you compete with it you’ll want to have better tires. I’ve got a second set of wheels and tires for autocross events. Other than regular maintenance of oil changes, spark plugs, and checking fluid levels, I replaced the brake pads this year so that I’d have plenty of pad for the track event. Even then, after four years of autocross, the stock brake pads were performing fine, although the fronts were due to be changed, the rear pads had plenty of life left. In other words, the stock Abarth can take whatever you throw at it!

Stickers Add 10hp to Every Abarth

CC5C: The last bit of your answer brings a new question to mind. How much of your ABARTH 500 is still stock?

RN: Most of the car is stock, I’ve only upgraded the brake pads (still using original rotors), wheels and tires, new slightly larger rear bar, and replaced the stock air filter with a K&N. I have some Koni yellow sport shocks to install for next year, and I might also add lowering springs to lower the center of gravity too.

CC5C: And what kinds of reactions have you received/witnessed from drivers of other makes?

RN: I think most other drivers love seeing the Abarth, as well as hearing it! The exhaust is designed with no muffler so it was designed by FIAT to have a nice sound! To me the sound makes me feel like I’m a 16-year-old all over again, even though I’m way past that age!

CC5C: 'Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

RN: There are all kinds of driving opportunities out there, so I recommend checking out the race track websites, and find out what your local car club is doing, whether it’s FIAT, Porsche, BMW, Corvette, Mustang, etc.

All Weather + All Wicked

I want to thank Nixon Motor Sports and Robert Nixon for sharing their FIAT-ABARTH life experience via the CC5C blog. This entry serves as my final e-publication for a while. It's been an honor serving the global FIAT and ABARTH community, in this way, since mid-2013. Be sure to check out the Nixon Motor Sports blog to read their exploits and inspire adventures of your own!

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

The Scorpion Queens

Benvenuti amici!

It's been a while since we last hosted you. We trust you passed the final weeks of summer in passion, purpose, peace... and your FIAT and/or ABARTH. 

Have you ever wondered why FIAT seems so hellbent on the inclusion of the female form in their ad campaigns? What is the connection? It may not be what you think. Sure, the female form is one of nature's great works of art, but the function of the fairer sex's heart & brain can be just as captivating... and mysterious to males.

We read, hear and celebrate of the men responsible for the machines that make our lives easier and otherwise more enjoyable. But little is written or spoken of the women responsible for supporting their industrial efforts and/or making their homes a place where they could restore their seemingly inexhaustible energy. Today we take a moment to salute two women of note; Nadja Abarth-Žerjav and Anneliese Abarth. Karl "Carlo" Abarth was married three times, but little has been written about his first wife. So, we shall move on.

I consider the definitive book on Small but Wicked to be ABARTH: The Man, The Machines. Featured prominently throughout the first half or so of the book is Sr. Abarth's second wife. Much is known about her due, in large part, to the social and historical stature of her family. So, we begin with Nadja "Nadina" Abarth-Žerjav.... daughter of famous Slovene-Yugoslav lawyer-activist-politician Gregor Žerjav... who was born in Gorizia, 1912. Sra. Nadja came from a highly educated and successful Slovenian family. She met Karl "Carlo" Abarth in the early '40s and married him in 1949... the same year ABARTH & Co. was founded.

So, how is it possible Nadja Abarth Žerjav is scarcely mentioned in global motoring circles? How, indeed.

The fact she was a humble person and did not make dramatic public appearances with the maestro may have something to do with the lack of mention (regarding her contributions). But... given her social status, the powerful contacts she had throughout Europe and the [7] languages she spoke, it is easy to imagine her a unique asset for any post-war industrialist. In fact, Abarth-Žerjav was/is quite well-known (as Nadina) in Turin Italy for the circles in which she freely moved and the part she played in the European automotive revolution. She brought the Austrian, Italian and Slovenian worlds together in much the same way as the most beautiful European mountain ranges.

The mind boggles at the value add a person/woman like Sra. Nadja would be for even the most modern business. Hers was a key role in the most early formation and successes of Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia a/k/a CIS-Italia or Cisitalia, the Squadra ABARTH racing team and the wild track & road models don Carlo would create until their divorce was finalized in 1979. We are honored to remember her, in this way, here.

Nadja Abarth-Žerjav passed in the year 2000 and was buried in the family plot at the Žale state cemetery (Ljubljana, Slovenia). We thank her for the smiles per mile owed to her great support of - invaluable service to - Sr. Abarth.

The loving memory and awe-inspiring legacy of Sr. Karl "Carlo" Abarth is survived by the commercial exploits if FIAT S.p.A. a/k/a FIAT Chrysler Automobiles and the diligent personal work of Anneliese Abarth. Sra. Anneliese, born in Austria 1939, began her professional life as a model with a special interest in Motorsport. She met don "Carlo" in 1964. The two became romantically involved and [later] married in 1979. He, with Anneliese at his side, consistently contributed to the democratization of the race car and beyond until sadly he returned to the stars... the Scorpius Constellation... later that year. But the story has only begun.

Sra. Abarth, an enthusiast, continues to focus her energies into the split-second thrill that is the motoring world. She co-founded FilmGo and produced racing films for Formula 1 and America's Cup for German television. She created Motorsport documentaries and still regularly appears at events. These activities put Sra. Anneliese in a position to continue the work to which her late husband devoted his entire working life as well as create a unique name for herself in the arena of speed. She continues to passionately promote the world of land & sea sports today and is the founder of the Carlo Abarth Foundation. Check out the website and the accompanying Facebook page today. You can also keep up with/follow the passion-filled life adventures of Anneliese Abarth by visiting her personal Facebook page.

So, you see, female Function & Form are, in more ways than one, the crucial cornerstones and successful commercial future of the Cult of the Scorpion.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Heralds of Heritage!

Benvenuti amici!

We enjoyed lots of exciting news this month. At the top of my list is the official announcement of the 2017 ABARTH 124 Spider [Geneva Auto Show]. In the spirit of total transparency, I was expecting the announcement thanks, in large part, to the spot-on reporting of Auto Italia Magazine. (The publication is one by enthusiasts for enthusiasts if you're unfamiliar with it.) Issue 240 included the inaugural ABARTH Classiche where enough hints were dropped to warrant an artist rendering of a stung FIAT 124 model on the cover. A few weeks later, dyed in the wool ABARTHisti were treated as the internet went alight with official word and images galore. The latest 124 offering is sublime. Heritage.

The styling of the ABARTH 124 Spider, as we've come to expect from Centro Stile, is exactly what the "Return of the Spider" deserves. It's slick, it's serious and it's sexy. Official specs for the EU release push the MultiAir to 170hp. While that isn't groundbreaking, it is far more powerful a factory tune than Europeans received with the [133hp] 2008 ABARTH 500 (A500) and enough of a bump above the [160hp] ABARTH 500 EsseEsse. But the ABARTH 124 Spider only told a third of the story. "Scuderia" ABARTH simultaneously confirmed the rumors of an upcoming return to World Rally Championship (WRC)! Heritage.

But that's still not it. The ambition of ABARTH & Co. would not be sated with the two former announcements. So, the firm revealed the 300hp ABARTH 124 Rally (A124R)… a completely bonkers version of the ABARTH 124 (A124) that will be offered to independent WRC racing teams at a racing team price. Heritage.

The only question that remains is; "if FIAT is doing all this for the European market what's in store for North America?" The question is a fair one. North Americans aren't forced to opt for the EsseEsse upgrade package to own a 160hp A500. We drive them [from the factory] off the lot. Surely FIAT USA will bring home an A124 that fits oh-so-comfortably between the EU A124 and the WRC A124R. 'Nothing too insane... we don't want to upset the EPAngels. But there must be a happy medium in mind, no?

Much to our dismay, FIAT USA has a far grimmer ABARTH future to report [2016 New York International Auto Show or NYIAS]  for the 2017 model year. Rather than a 170hp, 180hp or 190hp ABARTH 124 Spider, the plan is to deliver a near-ABARTH… the 160hp FIAT 124 Spider Elaborazione ABARTH. What happened to the 10hp lost on the trip over the Atlantic? What is that longwinded model name meant to communicate? Why would an ABARTH have the same horsepower as the standard model? Why was the "Elaborazione ABARTH" fender badge not available at the time of official press release? The gentlemen & ladies at FIAT North America are apparently reducing the storied ABARTH & Co. to what amounts to a tidy, sporty trim package for our market. The primary things differentiating this "Elaborazione ABARTH" from the previously announced [but equally beautiful] FIAT 124 Spider are; fascia and suspension. There are optional brake and seat upgrades.

Faithful readers, this is where the theme/title of this blog entry comes into play. From day one of my baptism into FIAT fanaticism, I've said/wrote brand heritage is our responsibility. Why? It seems FIAT USA cannot be bothered. Communicating FIAT and ABARTH heritage to the masses, it would seem, takes too much work. Sure, subscribers to their Youtube channels are treated to tidbits of easily digestible history. But most people subscribing to such channels are already sold on the FIAT life experience and know more than those clips communicate. Someone must take onus to educate the "casual shopper". Someone must explain why only an indecent person would shop a FIAT and/or ABARTH against any non-Italian offering. Heritage.

Sexy People: FIAT is 100% this…

… but FIAT is also 100% this.

It is in the area of marketing FIAT USA seems to be the most lost… or bored. Rather than balance [traditional FIAT] cute & fashionable adverts with the [traditional FIAT] smart & substantial variety, FIAT USA chooses to push their models as little more than fuel-sippingly one dimension. To be fair, there has been a short series of [little known] small attempts to prove the FIAT & ABARTH brands in track and road rally endurance events. Heritage.

Finish in 2012 Targa Newfoundland? No big deal.

Finish in 2012 25 hrs of Thunderhill? No big deal.

FIAT USA has seen fit to enter and [online only] advertise A500 participation in the two most grueling mechanical tests of North American motoring. Still, the American market has done little to nothing in regards to advertising the fact the model finished in both and took 2nd Place [Open Class] in one of said tests,  Targa Newfoundland. I'm sure, besting much more powerful cars at the Targa NFLD rally is a fete the Chevy & Ford marketing teams would kill to print and/or air ad nausea. A brand new-to-market runabout entry finishing at all at NASA 25hrs of Thunderhill is equally if not more than brag worthy. Heritage.

Come to think of it, the folks on the Dodge side of the FCA family are still showing campaign interest in their past. Can you imagine the campaigning we'd see if the present day Dodge Dart outperformed at and above it's curb class? But there has been no significant FCA Corporate follow-up attempt tying their accomplishments to stand alone studio sales across the continent… a non-communications faux pas that leaves North American FIAT dealers shouldering equal guilt. Brand education is not as difficult as the uncreative would have us believe. Other marques have done quite well importing their Motoring Heritage.

F4: ABARTH + New Generation of Track Stars

ABARTH 695 Biposto: 2014 Gumball Rally 3000

ABARTH 595 OT: Special for Future Competition

So, what of this FIAT 124 "Elaborazione ABARTH"? How will it help promote the legacy donna Annelise Abarth works tirelessly to preserve? That is assuming this "watered-down" usage of her legendary surname has anything to do with preservation. Why use the name at all if the model is not worth the proper iteration we see with the A500? The 500T, a model that specs in similar numbers to the EU-spec base A500, is not marketed as an ABARTH. The 500GQ, built on the A500 donor car platform, is not marketed as an ABARTH. So, why half-use the ABARTH name to market this otherwise beautiful Spider?

 I'm not sure, FIAT USA. Are you?

FIAT North America Brand Director was quoted saying, "U.S. regulations prohibit the 1.4L MultiAir turbo's 10hp bump from the European specifications car." That explanation seems fair enough. But, then, why not drop the 500T motor in the F124 Spider and save the A500 motor for the A124 Spider? Why not drop one of the larger EPA-friendly MultiAir variations [Dodge-Chrysler calls them "Tigershark"] into the engine bay of the A124? I mean, they are ABARTH-Alfa Romeo based after all. Why not ditch the upgrade package scam/scheme… in favor of permanently bolting on all the performance goodies + proper A124 markings? Why reduce the good name of don Carlo to Mazda Miata Club package status? Why risk further alienating FIAT life enthusiasts who likely waited decades for this release?

With what seems to be no [corporate] North American interest in promoting our inspired automotive history, the task falls to the community of FIATisti-ABARTHisti. Let your opinion on the matter be known. Contact FIAT USA/FIAT Cares. Post to your favorite [FIAT USA and FCA Corporate] Facebook pages. The Spirit King of the Cult of the Scorpion beckons us to remember his name and act as his heralds… United in unwavering Passion with Purpose. Heritage.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

(Dedicated to Heralds Everywhere)

Ciao!

@