Lancia
Turin and the art of coachbuilders (1946-1980)

First of all Massimo Porta is an “old” friend: I met him during the army service – 45 year ago more or less – and we did many things together.
For this reason, I can talk about his book “Turin and the art of coachbuilders (1946-1980)” without any fear of being biased.
Massimo Porta is neither a writer nor a designer and he has never worked in an automotive company.
In...
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este: Cars Elegance without time

Every year when you went to Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, you are sure that it’s the temple of cars elegance.
The event was established as a contest for new Cars in Villa d’Este in 1929. It’s possible to see here some beautiful cars in the world, splitted in several categories.
It is possible to admire old cars, but also Concepts Cars and prototypes.
Every year I am impressed about...
Vintage car, historic car and “old car”…what’s the difference?

For those who approach the historic automotive field not everything is easy to understand.
According to the common sense you may thing that a Fiat Uno thirty year-old will always be only an old car, a Lancia Aurelia B20 or a Jaguar E type (the one of Diabolik) are, instead, collector’s cars.
But it’s not so simple!
To face the complex world of the historic motoring it’s better to...
Bertone, the epilogue of the last coachbuilder

It took little more than 100 years (102 to be exact) for a trademark, symbol of the design, to be smashed up in pieces.
This is the perfect example of how a generational shift is important in a company. No school, university or a master can ever transmit passion, tradition and pride.
Personally, I learned the news of the failure of this company symbol and its auction “of what is left” with...
New FCA Group: Second semester 2014

The Second semester of the year shows positive data for the new FCA Group at a global level, in particular in the European market and the North American one as well.
More in detail throughout the semester- just ended- FCA has recorded increases higher than those of both the Spanish and UK market, even with significant increases in double digits.
Instead the sales trend in the important German and French...
FCA: business plan or image campaign?

The five-years plan recently announced by the FCA President John Elkann and the CEO Marchionne has been commented, criticized and evaluated (in a positive and negative direction) by the Stock market.
It certainly has had a wide media space, has generated great expectations among workers but also among consumers and potential Customers.
To me this is a good advertising campaign for the Group and in...
Old Europe, if you’re there knock once

Coming back to Italy after a couple of weeks spent in different European continental countries and Northern ones, I realize that during that time I never heard about Marchionne. And this is not because in the rest of the Europe nobody speaks about cars – Fiat as well- about the crisis of the sector, staff redundancies and factory closures….
But perhaps it is a bit less pressing the identification...
November: the FIAT Group in the world

According to the main global markets data of November 2013 we can try to make a view, concise but accurate, on the trend of our National Builder about the main markets in the world, also expressing thoughts and forecasts.
European automotive market, overall, registered in November a little growth of 0.9%, this marks the end of the month with an increasing trend for the 3rd consecutive month.
In November...
The overproduction concerns the whole of Europe, or not?

Do you remember the article of Marco Saltalamacchia “Move the metal, Jack!” after just one month since our launch?
Over time it has become a MUST!
A way to tackle the situation “taking the bull by the horns“, reaffirmed about a year later in the interview that was issued by the same author of the post.
The subject is the automotive production capacity in Europe. Subject often...
Interview with Paolo Gagliardo, Head of Brand Lancia/Chrysler for EMEA – 2^nd part

…the first part!
GLOBALISATION! This term should allow you to achieve a product that is in line with the tastes of the “entire world”, with the underlying principle of listening to your customers. Are Lancia and Chrysler getting to grips with this term? Do they listen to the large mass of customers who are trying to convey their expectations? If not, what’s missing and what...
Interview with Paolo Gagliardo, Head of Brand Lancia/Chrysler for EMEA – 1^st part

Interview Date: January 4, 2013
Professional Profile: Paolo Gagliardo, after an MBA at Columbia Business School in New York, has built great part of its career in the Automotive industry. He has worked in Ford Motor Company and FIAT in various Marketing, Sales and Product assignments in the UK, US and Italy. He has also worked in the Italian Railroad Company, as Chief Marketing Officer and Piaggio...
Interview with Adriana Maria Quaglia, FGA and Chrysler Customer Innovation Manager for the EMEA

Interview Date: November 23, 2012
Professional Profile: Adriana Maria Quaglia begans her career at the end of the 1980’s in sales and marketing. From 1989 to 1997 she worked for several communications agencies, developing and managing advertising campaigns, trade marketing, events and external relations for premium Italian and international brands.In the following decade her career developed...
This is… or no?

This is the MINI we want! This is the Fiesta we want! This is…
This is the latest Fiat commercial. It could have been authored by Silvio B. himself. It would have been perfect for the Italy we experienced until a couple of weeks ago. Too bad that it has been broadcasted just a little too late. Now everything is different. Well, may be this is a kind of wishful thinking. Anyway, the Fiat Group...
Fiat in Serbia, what will the future bring?

A national news program gave the news a few days ago that Italian companies are investing in Serbia where Italy will be the third largest partner behind Russia and Germany but with the goal, on the part of the Italian government, of earning the second spot if not even the first.
Regarding Fiat and its future, we wonder about the status of the work being done on the new factory planned for Serbia, where...
SELLING FIAT? A NOVEL OR JOURNALISTIC INVESTIGATION?

Being extremely lucky to have the world available as being my office, I am often in contact with several Automotive Characters. During our enjoyable social dinners some interesting news and curiosities about business developments and challenging strategies of the several OEM Corporations emerge.
Particularly I am getting quite fascinated by Fiat Group Automobile Strategy or, better, the way...
Cadillac Man: fantasy or reality? Some interesting data collected in Italy, useful… everywhere!

What can happen when two very famous persons, known and loved by all becomes car salesmen? I know many car dealers and many salesmen who are ashamed to say the work they do, fearing of being compared to the ‘Cadillac man‘ of Robin Williams or to the‘Italian Car salesman’ of Robert de Niro.
In Italy from a few weeks two famous character actors, Paolo Kessisoglu and Luca Bizzarri, are...