Car clubs

Fiat Freakout 2019: The Winners

February 18, 2020 By pete

Adam and Rheana Watts won best Fiat 500 in this year’s Fiat Freakout.

By Philippe H. Defechereux © 2020
Event photos by Tim Beeble

In Part 1 of this report, the participants’ spirit had already been brightened by a surprise-filled countryside rally, a go-pro go-kart challenge or, for the sightseeing-inclined, a well-staged visit to historical Old Salem. But the fun was far from over: a fabulous Friday evening experience was still awaiting those who love movie thrillers filled with spectacular car chases and it would take place outdoors in a vast bucolic area and start at 8 pm close to sunset.

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Fiat Freak Out 2019

February 11, 2020 By pete

By Philippe H. Defechereux © 2020
All photos property of Fiat Club America except otherwise indicated

From July 10th to 14th of 2019, on the vast and resplendent grounds of the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, North Carolina, the 36th consecutive “Fiat FreakOut” (“FFO” for initiates) successfully took place. Why such a long-lasting and popular tradition?

For some peculiar reason, Fiat cars (and some of their close relatives) inspire a beguiling and enduring fervor in their American owners and even their families. The FFO, organized by the Fiat Club America, is the annual national celebration of that passion, mixed with a large dose of well-planned fun.

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New Website for Abarths

November 13, 2018 By pete

Dear fellow Abarth/Zagato enthusiast:

We are proud to announce the release of a new website (www.abarth750GTforum.com) dedicated to the Fiat Abarth 750GT Zagato “Double Bubble”. (Photo above by Greg Birch) This upcoming year will be the 100th year of Zagato (1919-2019). With many other world-wide events scheduled to celebrate this mile stone, we felt that it would be a wonderful opportunity to announce and launch our project. [Read more…] about New Website for Abarths

Fiat FreakOut and the Fiat Club America

August 21, 2018 By pete

“Timing is Everything.” Here’s a ubiquitous American adage implying that if you start something new at a time of related good news, the wind will blow strongly behind your sails. And vice versa.

So, how about starting a club of American Fiat owners, fans or both in 1983, the very year Fiat of North America announced it was pulling out of the United States market for good, and still be going from strength to strength 35 years later? That would be like defying gravity. Yet one Fiat hyper-enthusiast from Pennsylvania by the name of Bobb (with double b) Rayner set out to do just that.

And lo and behold, as you are now reading this wondrous story 35 years later, Bobb and hundreds of kindred friends just returned home from the biggest annual four-day event the Fiat Club has ever staged held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. For magically, the organized love fest for Fiat begun in 1983 America never stopped; it only grew and grew, against all odds. So here is the amazing story of the Fiat Club America. [Read more…] about Fiat FreakOut and the Fiat Club America