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!

@

Trofeo CC5C 2015!

Benvenuti amici!

While we're in recovery, from a day of too much sun and fun with friends, we put together this report on our field trip to Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) at the legendary Road America race track. The 'tone' of this trip was decidedly marked by a chance meeting with a Fiat Tech board member, Thekler, and Bryan/Joe actively recruiting FIAT-ABARTH owners spotted in the parking area. In fact, one of their contacts blessed us with a Facebook 'Like' and posted a photo of the 'CC5Contatto' card to our page.

For those unaware, Wisconsin's Road America track is the stuff of legend. Robin Miller, Senior Writer for RACER Magazine and IndyCar reporter, proclaims it "the best test of road racing in North America". Officially opening in 1955, the track hosts more than 400 events per year. Fortunately, for true stock car racing fans, it is the perfect setting for this massive event.

Map of Road America Track

The main events, this year, were the Trofeo Maserati and the FORZA Ferrari Challenge. The Cream City Cinquecento Club, as fans of Italian machinery, was especially excited about this program change from the NASCAR practice runs of last year. I don't mean to knock the famous 'stock car' event, but I prefer my racers closer to what I could drive off a showroom floor. Although I don't see the bank account growing to Maserati or Ferrari owning proportions any time soon, these are real cars. They may be track ready, but they aren't purpose built race cars disguised as factory models. The fact both marques belong to the FIAT S.p.A. famiglia further sweetens the deal.

Unfortunately, there was one major disappointment in the 2015 TCA/TCB race. That disappointment was the lack of any FIATs. For some reason, FIAT USA was unwilling or unable to find a driver for their car. Likewise, no independent teams made an appearance. This is quite confusing... FIAT, after all, is a PWC partner and has two major marques showing in all their glory. I trust we'll see a change in the lack of attention the parent brand is getting this season. Time will tell the tale. In the meantime, enthusiasts will need to fill the role of herald to FIAT's legendary performance past. One way we're doing that is by planning events like this one. 

Jewelry: Jolly Club & ABARTH badges

We announced, in our Mighty Mouse Militia blog entry, a desire to add Motorsport activities to our local club events. One of the motivating factors in doing this is our relationship with the North American revival of Jolly Club. Like participants… and fans… of the original Italian Jolly Club, quite a few of the members of the CC5C Famiglia have a level of interest in street, track and course competition. It seemed unfair and, to be frank, silly to miss an opportunity to CC5Caravan to Road America for the Wisconsin leg of the PWC tour. We call this annual event 'Trofeo CC5C'.

Last year, we scheduled the event for the month of July (the birth month of FIAT S.p.A., the FIAT 500 and CC5C). The turnout was less than stellar. Many of our members have children, and schedule their holidays during the summer months. We decided it would benefit the club and event attendees to mate this event with something as exciting as the PWC. The result was better attendance… six FIATs and eleven FIATisti/ABARTHisti… and a fantastic second Mighty Mouse Militia Approved outing.

Upon arrival, we were made aware a Ferrari 458 Italia literally crashed and burned… taking out a rather large section of fence and combusting into flames. Fortunately, the driver walked away with little more than a few scratches  but there would be an extended delay between races. While we waited, we decided to grab a bite to eat. For those of you familiar with past events, we usual end our gatherings with a meal. But "rules are meant to be broken". 

Tifosi United: John & Amado

One very cool benefit to attending Road America races is free access to the paddock. Attendees can get up close & personal with the participating cars, drivers and tech teams. Many of the cars drive right through the outdoor 'cafeteria' area to get to the False Grid. As Mark Beckmann says, "There are 100 ways to get killed at Road America," so you must keep your head up, your eyes peeled and your ears listening.

As you can guess, from the images above, the first race we watched in its entirety was the Trofeo Maserati (Maserati Cup). The first GT-S race of the day ran just before, and we watched some of it as well. The PWC, at times, groups some of the races; GT & GT-S may run together, TCA &TCB may run together. This is due to race times/schedules, but nonetheless guarantees no shortage of the competitors and excitement on the track. Brilliant!

One of the ongoing 'fun activities' of the day was listening for the different engine/exhaust notes of the various manufacturers. This writer may come across as being heavily biased, but I truly believe the Italians engineer the best sounding machines.

Joe & Amado enter SPEEDVILLE

The Road America track has several different observation sites. Many people camp out at their favorite straight or turn. Others make their motorized or people-powered way around the course, to take in as much of the fun as is the variety offers. While this marked my second visit to Road America, this event was the first time I was able to watch the races. I was lucky enough to be in the company of a willing group of adventurers.

We began at the start line and quickly made our way to infamous 'The Carousel' turn.

The Carousel is the point of the track that whips the drivers and their cars back in the direction of the start/finish line. Watching Maseratis blast through 'SPEEDVILLE' was breathtaking. Onlookers are so close to the action it seems one could reach out and touch the cars seen in the paddocks only minutes (or hours) before. This intimate interaction offered at Road America took me back to my childhood years when my father would take my brother & me to 'Great Lakes Dragaway' for Ratrod and Funny Car drag races.

In my opinion, any track that doesn't immediately transport you to your formative years is not a proper course. Racing is primal… the sounds are guttural… the sights should be equally feral in vibe. Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Revell model car kits and Rat Fink cards. Oh my!

After the Trofeo Maserati, we hiked to 'Turns 6 & 7' for the second GT/GT-S run. It was thrilling to watch major super car brands go head-to-head. Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Audi, McLaren, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc. push their machines to the limit, in order to claim builder and team supremacy. Did I mention the sounds of the engines/exhausts? Well, my friends, it is worth mentioning again.

The final race of the day was, in many ways, the most fun. TCA & TCB class represent our daily drivers. Compacts and runabouts take it to the track and test their mettle far beyond what highway and city driving offers. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the future… with FIATs in the running.

The races over, and members slowing breaking away to head home, we too walked back to Sombrita. We took in the green field, reserved for free parking, and spotted an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT… complete with a Quadrifoglio Verde badge. This is probably the most appropriate way to end our report on the Trofeo CC5C/Pirelli World Challenge at Road America. Maybe we'll make our way out for Vintage Racing in the future?

Stay tuned…

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

ABARTH: Scorpio Rising

Benvenuti amici!

We celebrated our 100th blog entry with a short story on Autobianchi a/k/a the heritage of innovation. We continue that theme with another FIAT S.p.A. partner… the one & only King of "Small but Wicked".

By now, after the relaunch of the performance brand in 2008, all the world knows the name Abarth. If you are fortunate enough to live with either a vintage or contemporary ABARTH, you may know a little about the ethnic Austrian founder… Karl 'Carlo' Abarth. But I'd like to look at the abbreviated story we know in a slightly little less abbreviated way. I think doing this helps appreciate the heritage of our FIATs in a personally deeper way than we already do. Does this read like a worthwhile venture to you? 

Ready. Steady. Go.

ABARTH-Porsche: The Austrian Connection

In his youth, Herr Abarth raced bicycles and, later, motorcycles. Following a life-threatening accident, in Wels Austria, he was forced to retire. He took to the idea of utilizing the motorbike sidecar and returned to racing (against physician's advice) with Joseph Holly. In Holly he found a kindred spirt… someone equally possessed by the engine and the freedom it provided those wielding its power. It was, perhaps, during this period the young Abarth developed his fighting spirit. 

Together, the pair would design an unusually modified & dangerous motorcycle sidecar (a sidecar that increased their competitive edge and scared the bejesus out of their sponsor, Sunbeam Motorcycles). But the relentless pairing of Holly & Abarth would go on to secure many victories. This marked the beginning of what would become the Abarth way…

'Live to Win ~ Win to Live'.

Mounting victories took Herr Karl Abarth outside Austria and, eventually, in a tragic race in Ljubljana Slovenija (former Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia), out of motorcycle racing forever. But graver challenges lay ahead of him.

Down but not Dead: 1939 Motorcycle Crash

By this time, the hostilities of World War II were in full swing and Hr. Abarth, an Austro-Italian, found himself in now hostile territory. He was allowed to join the migratory movement out of Yugoslavia and made his way, on foot, to Meran/Merano Italy via Trst/Trieste (Slovenia/Italy). Abarth's paternal family long owned a successful business in Merano (a half Germanic-Autsrian-half-Latin-Italian territory). From the ashes of war and the comfort of his childhood sanctuary, don 'Carlo' would emerge a man more determined than ever to carve a name for himself in the annals of history. But, first, new life would need to be pieced together and fortunes would need to be replenished. Sr. Abarth returned to bicycles, reluctantly selling Bianchis. With the benefit of hindsight (Bianchi + FIAT = Autobianchi), one could theorize the occasion must have been an omen.

A short time later,  don Carlo would make contact with old family friends and fellow Austrians, the Porsche family. He began, in earnest, to secure rights to represent Porsche interests in Italy. Following WWII, it was near impossible for the automaker to do so without inside help. Sealing the distribution deal would/did mark his official return to the motorized world. The man was, once again living up to his astrological birth symbol and doing so with an unquenchable passion for speed.

 Scorpio Rising Star Cluster

With Porsche backing and the benefit of Italian nationality, don Carlo found himself in an unique position and in exclusive company. Representing the company interests meant Abarth had access to industrialists with the means to help him exercise his motorized ideas in gas, tires and oil. One particular racing legend turned industrialist, don Piero Dusio, having already convinced don Dante Giacosa to build the Cisitalia D46 (engineered from the FIAT 1100 and the FIAT 500 Topolino), found a passion-for-petrol match in the Austro-Italian. See, the Cisitalia D46 marked the rebirth of Italian Motorsport and don Dusio was hungry for more. These relationships were key to bringing don Carlo to Torino/Turin and, ultimately, into the the Angelli/FIAT fold.

Piero Dusio: Builder-Racer

Investment misfortune in the Cisitalia camp and Abarths insistence on 50% share in the company whose former success was in large part due to his work for them, as both an engineer and serving as sports director, would later set the stage for don Carlo to strike out on his own.

ABARTH & Co. was founded in 1949, with a lovely new Slovene wife (polyglot Nadina Abarth-Zerjav) and a handful of engineers-designers-technicians from the, now, defunct Cisitalia. The fledgling company needed a logo… one that defined the man at the helm and the spirit of the journey that lay ahead of his team. Don Karl 'Carlo' Abarth looked back on his life and chose the only symbol that made sense of the peaks & valleys he saw… his astrological sign… The Scorpio Rising. The early logo also utilized the primary colors; azzurro/blue, giallo/yellow and rosso/red. This color combination is also represented on the Meran/Merano coat-of-arms. I find it difficult to consider these choices as anything less than filled with absolute philosophical purpose.

Coat of Arms Meran/Merano

Early ABARTH & Co. logos

Coat of Arms Merano/Meran

Now, Abarth was on his own & once again solely responsible for his motorized legacy. But, now, he was also responsible for the livelihoods of the gifted individuals he was able to secure from Cisitalia. Don Carlo defined the collective mission of the fledging company as such, "The production of vehicles and complementary equipment for sports and racing cars, as well as modification of and improvements to sports and racing cars, service, preparation of equipment for mass production, the assumption of representatives and the sale of fuel for racing cars". No pressure… not ambitious at all. Am I right? 

Where does one begin?

Well, if you're someone as committed as the new industrialist, you take some time to evaluate what was gained in the liquidation of Cisitalia. In this case, don Carlo assumed possession of don Dante's D46 and three other race cars. Oh! and a team consisting of many of the greatest drivers of the period.

The company logo, engineering & driving team, and accompanying mission statement said it all. Sr. Abarth was interested in nothing less than becoming a legend for all times. He was willing & able to get the job done.

Cisitalia D46: Respect the Legend of the Line

Yes… 1949 was an exciting year for the Austro-Italian. Most men and/or women would be very pleased with themselves. I mean, the 'Carlo Abarth Team' placed as high as second place in their inaugural season. But you're reading about Karl 'Carlo' Abarth. 'Live to Win ~ Win to Live'. Remember? There was no room for satisfaction. There was not time for complacency. There was more to be done and ABARTH & Co. was the company to do it. All the aforementioned accomplishments of the year were overshadowed by what would become the single most identifiably ABARTH of creations… a performance exhaust system. This comes as no surprise to enthusiasts of the cars that came and continue to come from the house of ABARTH. 

In the worlds of philosophy and religion, every great teacher… every miracle worker… has a herald or scribe to announce their coming and arrival. In the world of small performance cars, that herald is the sound of an ABARTH. It is worth mentioning the system don Carlo created was especially popular with the 500 'Topolino' crowd. The scene, as they say, was set for all involved players.

A new company, one of the best race teams in the business and a popular exhaust system in the bin and… still… the man behind it all was still not satisfied. Fast-forward to 1955. On 12 March, the most influential of all ABARTH cars hit the marketplace. The Abarth version of the ultra-popular FIAT 600, another creation of Sr. Dante Giacosa, is still among the most popular Italian runabouts of all time. The base car, from its inception, was designed-engineered to be simple and reliable. But even don Dante has been quoted as conceding it was capable of much more. His mission was to create cars FIAT could build inexpensively and people could afford to purchase & maintain. The ABARTH mission was quite different. Don Carlo saw all the power don Dante left untapped and set out to exploit it.

FIAT 600-based ABARTH 210A

The Boano-designed ABARTH 210A is first of many cars don Carlo would base on FIAT 600 mechanicals. The discoveries made with the 210A, as well as the modified 600s that followed, set the stage for the brand we know today. Design houses, such as, Bertone, Pinnifarina and Zagato entered relationships with ABARTH & Co.. Together, they designed-engineered land speed record rockets. The greatness Sr. Abarth dreamed for himself & his team was beginning to materialize. The man, of course, set the bar of expectation higher.

In July 1957 FIAT S.p.A. introduced the Nuova Cinquecento. While the Seicento was much more affordable than the original 500, it was still designed with drivers in mind. Its size and sophistication were a clear indication of the fact. The automaker, with the pen of don Giacosa, now set out to create a less sophisticated, less intimidating selection meant to put non-drivers behind the wheel. Don Carlo, still unable to hold the full attention of the top brass at FIAT  believed a combination of his accomplishments with the 600-derived performance cars and a new performance version of the not yet as popular 500 could get him what he sought. As it would turn out, he was spot on.

FIAT 500-based ABARTH-Zagato GT Coupé

The ABARTH-Zagato version of FIAT's latest utility car garnered lots of attention when it appeared alongside other 500 variations at its launch. The ABARTH-Zagato team had already produced the very popular 600-based 750 GT Coupé, and FIAT [successfully] sought to keep those wheels rolling with their new offering. If it was not already clear to him, Karl 'Carlo' Abarth had arrived. His life and the world of the automobile... and automobile racing... would never be the same. In the years that followed, ABARTH & Co. would continue to set land speed records as well as rule at the track. The company virtually became known, in the industry, as the 'Factory of Victories'. It seemed every company and marque wanted an ABARTH version. This did not escape the notice of the automaker responsible for the cars on which his fame was built.

ABARTH & Co. Stable of Champions

In 1971 FIAT S.p.A. purchased ABARTH & Co. and, in doing so, would build a legend of FIAT domination in track, rally and hill climb competition not seen since the end of World War II. The Italian industrial dynasty had long abandoned such activities in favor of putting all of Italy (and greater Europe) on the road. But don Abarth had proven mass popularity could also be won on the track, in rallies and hill climb events. Utility cars need not only get drivers from Point A to Point B. Utility runabouts could deliver massive amounts of fun and democratize the racing world. I'm sure the lesson learned is not missed on any FIAT drivers since that time… including those initiated to the FIAT life experience since 2007.

So, as you make your way out to your beloved FIAT-ABARTH Punto or 500, I trust you will take what you've read here with you. Take your time to slide into the cockpit of your ride. Strap in and enjoy the process of placing your key into the ignition. Close your eyes. Turn said key & wait for the primer buzzing to stop and then, of course, start. Take a deep breath and listen intently at the sound of the exhaust Siren singing her song...

"Welcome to the Cult of the Scorpion."

2012 North American FIAT-ABARTH 500 Targa

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Mighty Mouse Militia est. 2015

Benvenuti amici!

Cream City Cinquecento Club a/k/a CC5C or CCCC was created to appease my desire to promote the FIAT brand (culture, lifestyle, design) philosophy. There is one critical cornerstone of FIAT heritage I initially left out of the club… that is performance. The club was too new, the missus & I were the only members and I don't take part in regular track days or AutoX. It's not my area of expertise. But I do enjoy recreational karting, I support Scuderia Ferrari and I did have lots of fun at the 2014 ABARTH Track Experience. While taking part in the FIAT-ABARTH 'Drive for the Fans' program, I discovered a desire to, in some way, offer that slice of the FIAT life experience to our local club as well as global blog & Facebook supporters.

Sr Giacosa's 1958 FIAT 500 Sport

It's important to note, prior to going any further, Motorsport activity is nothing new to the Italian automaker. FIAT designed & built the first ever purpose-built race coach in 1902 ... the 24 HP Corsa. There have been many models to carry the torch throughout the evolution of the brand. Today, the 500 Sport (in appearance and some engineering aspects, since it originally appeared in 1958), 500T (a/k/a Giannini), ABARTH 500 & the upcoming 500X keep that driving-for-sport tradition. Behind the wheel of Sombrita, I finally feel as though this is the perfect time to propose a loonier side of the FIAT life experience… 

... Mighty Mouse Militia (MYT MAUS MILITIA or M3).

The Legend & His Army of Tiny Terrors

What's in a name?

The original 1936 standard 500 is called 'Topolino' or 'Mickey Mouse', so a feisty 500 would be a 'Mighty Mouse'. No? For me, the name makes a direct reference to 500s... despite the fact the 'Mouse' part of the name could be about any small FIAT (or other true city car, for that matter).

That leaves us with the 'Militia' bit. Well, let's leave that to Merriam-Webster.

1. a) a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.

FIAT 500TV Giannini & 126GPA 800 Giannini

Unlike CC5C, M3 contains no reference to any nation or city. Anyone from/in any part of the world born to any ethnicity can fit right in. However, the name does make reference to something linked directly to FIAT and the small cars the automaker produces... along with the crazed loyalty they inspire in their drivers. Even the term 'FIATista' evokes a sort of militant loyalty to the brand. 

So, we now have a purpose and name. To be clear… this is in no way replacing what CC5C is all about. It is enhancing what CC5C is all about. This is something our local club can easily share with various groups in other cities, states regions and countries… in a more inclusive way.

In my area, we're organizing a spirited Road America jaunt to serve... from last year on... as the Trofeo CC5C. You can read a bit about it here. The Trofeo event simply did not work as a regular CC5Cruise. That is likely because it doesn't fit into the typical laid-back CC5C gathering mold. These Mighty Mouse gatherings could/should/would be for the most part spirited and Spartan-like. Other examples of CC5C Mighty Mouse-type activity can be read here and here. We're already working with other individuals & groups to get things rolling outside the Milwaukee a/k/a Cream City Metro area.

Mighty Mouse Militia ABARTH

Mighty Mouse Militia GIANNINI

We consider FIAT Tech, Jolly Club & SoCAL ABARTH Club to be a few of the key supporters in the North American Mighty Mouse Militia success puzzle. We opened up a dialog with those aficionados, similarly obsessed with the heritage of this brand, about the M3 logo and purpose. Everyone added their two cents to the overall vibe of what M3 should be, ensuring we weren't diluting what they already offer the community. As we see it, the informal motoring group can & should be represented by several individuals and other clubs from all over the world. No borders. No boundaries. Just fun.

Finally, for those committed to the cause, we are currently offering three versions of the Militia grille badge on GoBadges. In addition, we offer more affordable 2"x2" vinyl stickers (available via the EuroCompulsion Gear page). The logo incorporates the CC5C wreath, paying homage to over one hundred years of auto racing and Italian Driving Social clubs. The Giannini lightning bolt & ABARTH scorpion represent FIAT Motorsport tradition as well as the in-house rivalry between the two carrozzerias. They are available in ABARTH giallo, GIANNINI azzurro and RECORD grigio. Fans of the either of the two tuning mavericks, Motorsport and/or our can match one or all to their runabout of choice. We are also working on designs for a line of Mighty Mouse Motoring inspired t-shirts.

'Not into any of that? 'Just looking for another something cool to stick to your ride? I think you'll find these get you there fast. Get'cher motor running & stayed tuned...

CC5C Revival Badge

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

FORZA MultiAir!

Benvenuti amici!

Last year, we touched upon FIATs role in the history of Motorsport. The blog entry, from May 2014, went as far back as the first purpose-built race car… the 1902 FIAT 24hp Corsa. FIAT, along with it's prestigious subsidiaries, have dominated the course of racing history. Although we don't always read about or hear it mentioned in adverts, FIAT & ABARTH, along with their more famous cousins (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lancia & Maserati) are brands synonymous with performance. Enter either of these names + racing into your preferred search engine for indisputable evidence.

FIAT 500 & Alfa Romeo MiTo

The above-mentioned list of lustful Italians found ways to translate track advancements to street viability and vice versa. As was then is now. There is a new buzz in the air (for 2015) and that buzz is the sound of Alfa Romeo-derived FIAT Famiglia MultiAir/UniAir motors. Patented by FIAT in 2002, the technology (in 1.4 L petrol form) was introduced in the 2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo. Its most famous appearance to date, though, must be the Alfa Romeo 4C…  the dream inducing four cylinder supercar. 

The World's Fastest MultiAir Street Beast

The engine, developed by a Rinaldo Rinolfi led team of engineers, is nothing short of revolutionary in the realm of petrol-powered engines. The electro-hydraulic tech, for lack of better words, takes the place of the throttle valve… allowing the engine to create more power while producing fewer emissions. FIAT has since used the MultiAir as the basis for other applications, such as; award winning the Chrysler Tigershark and FIAT TwinAir engines (used in Alfas, FIATs & Lancias). All of them owe a great deal to the Rodolfo Benetto developed 1985 FIAT FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotized Engine).

Turbo-charged MultiAir for Formula 4

More recently, on March 4 2014, the ABARTH division of FIAT S.p.A. announced a collaboration with the FIA (Fèdèration Internationale de l'Automobile) to supply the MultiAir Turbo ABARTH engine for use in powering Formula 4 cars. This an important development for the future of FIAT passenger coaches. As we learned from don Enzo Ferrari, the sales of passenger coaches fuels the research & development in the Motorsport arena. Likewise, the involvement of a mainstream automaker in the Motorsport arena heightens recognition for the mainstream models. These realities are just what FIAT needs for the North American market… more visibility… separate from their involvement in rebuilding the once crippled Chrysler Group LLC.

From Italy with Love ~ MultiAir Turbo Style

The announcement of the FIA partnership came at the debut of the infamous ABARTH 695 Biposto. Dubbed "The Most ABARTH of All ABARTHs", the very exclusive special edition of the ultimate hyper city car is creating more global buzz for the FIAT brand, the flagship Cinquecento as well as growing the membership for The Cult of the Scorpion. While not every car aficionado or FIAT fan can afford the made-to-order "World's Smallest Supercar", it creates an in-house testing ground for future generations of mighty mice.

In-house Ad for the "Black-tie Racer"

Securing a spot as the official car of the 2014 Gumball 3000 rally has worked to create the image of a must-have car for the 695 Biposto and ABARTH 500. Years after its release in North America, the A500 is still reviewed by automotive magazines and online car channels. The iconic FIAT 500 and the rambunctious ABARTH 500 have grown from the latest foreign niche car in North America to a viable pair of runabout mainstays on USAmerican streets and highways. As practical as they are stylish & fun, no other standard and performance model pairing has the rich history and level of sheer coolness these Turinese twins and their MultiAir cousins enjoy.

I'm excited about the future of the new, global FIAT S.p.A. and I'm equally excited about the future of the legacy of the ABARTH brand name. I am fortunate to have firsthand commuter familiarity of the naturally aspirated (2012 FIAT 500 Pop) and turbo-charged (2013 ABARTH 500) MultiAir technology. I have not a single doubt this cross-platform advancement will keep FIAT life on the worldwide road for a long time to come. "Keep your motor running…"

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

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