Fiat North America Celebrates Italian Style at Concorso Italiano®

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- New and current fans of the Fiat brand can join Fiat North America as it celebrates Italian style and design at the upcoming Concorso Italiano®. The annual event, which focuses on Italian exotic and classic automobiles and motorcycles, takes place at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey, California, on Friday, August 13.

"Concorso Italiano is a unique event that brings together an amazing collection of vehicles and enthusiasts who are truly passionate about Italian design and heritage," said Laura Soave, Head of Fiat Brand North America. "With more than a century of history in which we have produced global icons such as the Cinquecento, Fiat is a proud sponsor of the Concorso Italiano, and we hope to build a relationship with all of these enthusiasts as the brand makes its way back to North America."

As the presenting sponsor of the annual event, Fiat North America will display the European version of the Fiat 500 as well as present the award to the vehicle selected as "Best in Show." A number of classic Fiat 500 vehicles, brought by the attendees, will also be on display.

Patrons to the event will be able to enjoy the 'Fiat Mobile Experience' – a unique display that hosts both a cafe station and a Fiat brand merchandise store. Fiat fans will be able to enjoy complimentary gelato, espresso and cappuccino, served by baristas, while browsing through various Fiat-branded merchandise, housed in a unique store setting that is finished in Fiat red and white colors and staffed by merchandising specialists. The Fiat Mobile Experience display is constructed from a repurposed auto-shipping container and will be seen at other future Fiat shows and exhibitions in North America.

Concorso Italiano

Each August, the Monterey Peninsula attracts 40,000 automotive enthusiasts to celebrate their passion for vintage, classic and exotic automobiles and their iconic designers. The opening event for this memorable weekend is the Concorso Italiano – a true Celebration of Italian Style™. Founded in 1985, Concorso Italiano is a gathering of all things Italian, especially Italian cars.

Concorso Italiano has evolved into a must-attend convergence of sophistication, taste and affluence and embraces all of the cultural elements of Italian style, including music, cuisine, fashion and travel. The event is centered on as many as 1,200 collectible Italian automobiles, motorcycles and boats. Non-Italian exotic and classic automobiles are also welcomed and represent a significant contingency as well. The Concorso emphasizes display and appreciation over competition, and although the cars are truly magnificent, this event is not just about cars; it's about people, too, with almost 8,000 passionate and discerning enthusiasts attending from around the world.

About Fiat

The Fiat brand is synonymous with modern, simple "Italian" design, and its models offer unique "world-class" technological solutions. The brand is known for the development of environmentally friendly cars, and its wide product range in Europe includes agile city cars, compact and midsize vehicles, station wagons and has been the source of many success stories such as the Fiat 500 (Cinquecento). For the last three years, Fiat was the lowest CO2 producer among Europe's best-selling automotive brands, and the Fiat 1.4-liter MultiAir™ turbo engine was named "Best New Engine of the Year" in 2010.

The reintroduction of the Fiat brand in North America will be led by the modern generation of the Fiat 500, which will be available at the end of 2010 and followed by the Fiat 500C (cabrio) in 2011.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC