Autoworld Brussels, July 2024

This time Autoworld Brussels has decided to treat us with a double show, by hosting a dual exhibition: the "Fiat 125 Years: La Dolce Vita" and, parallelly, the "Abarth 75 Years" exhibition honors the 75th anniversary of the iconic Abarth brand.

We've been invited for the vernissage party held on July 3rd, a rather elegant event reserved for the press, sponsors and the owners of the cars exhibited.

Italian decor everywhere; the buffet was complemented by rivers of Prosecco and Aperol Spritz graciously offered by the organisation which have put everybody in a good mood and eased the usual networking.

We have to say that this time Autoworld got it right: we have been sometimes critical on the way cars are exhibited, complaining about the lack of space, observing that some specimen recycled one exhibition after the other, the invasive light system.

Forget all that! If the introductory stage of the "Abarth 75" relied heavily (almost exclusively) on the collection of the Abarth Works Museum, the main show, the "Fiat 125 Years", really brought some special cars never seen before in Belgium and relied on the direct support of the Museo dell'Automobile of Torino. The set-up was excellent, spacious, with a stage backdrop unsurpassed since the times of the memorable Italia Car Passion many years ago.

A rich collection of memorabilia, car models, books, graphic arts, advertisments and even a italian-themed mock-up restaurant for guest to sit and have a rest, completed the show.

But let’s delve into the fascinating world of Italian automotive history. 🚗🇮🇹

Fiat 125 Years - La Dolce Vita

In 1899, Fiat was born, marking the beginning of 125 years of ‘The Sweet Life’ of beautiful Italian cars. Fiat has been the driving force behind the Italian automobile industry, offering timeless classics, small family cars infused with Italian flair, and occasional sporting sensations. 🎉

Abarth 75 Years - Passione per la Velocità

Carlo Abarth 🦂🏁, the austrian-born constructor known for its performance-focused engineering jsut to make fast cars going even faster, left an indelible mark on Fiat.

This exhibit features around 15 Abarth models (some of them replica). As already mentioned, most of them come from Guy Moerenhout's collection ... the big patron was there with his family, who share with him this enduring passion.

Notable cars from both exhibitions:

• The "number one"... the FIAT 3 1/2 HP from 1899, one of the 4 remaining, donated by Alfredo Puccio's heirs to the Turin Automobile Museum and the other "veterans" (FIAT S57/14B with extraordinary sporting longevity; the 501S; the 1A), also from the MAUTO collection.
• 1948 FIAT 1100 S Mille Miglia ... a sporting and aerodynamic version of the family car capable of reaching the podium in the competition restarted in '47 and which was destined to mark the rebirth of Italy after the WWII.
• 1967 FIAT 124 Coupé. One of the sleekest creation of the italian industrial descign ... a FIAT 1500 cabriolet of a couple of years earlier looked like a stonage product in comparison.
• 1968 FIAT 2300 Familiare De Luxe: an estate car the italian way: beautiful shape, gorgeous interior and a straight six engine for smooth cross-country in the italian of the economic boom: our "Best of Show". Special mention for her "sporty" twin sister: a gray 2300 S Coupe.

Both exhibitions run from July 4 to September 1, 2024, offering visitors a comprehensive look at the history and achievements of these influential Italian automotive brands.

Here below is a short photo gallery, for further images please refer to our twitter account #Fiat125Abarth75.