in honesty folks, do any of us really care all that much? We have a lot of people on here really liking their pandas and coming on here to say great theirs is, but despite that i feel that we're quite some distance from being enthusiasts and caring about the brand / model...
Au contraire, mon ami. er.....actually that's French isn't it? Never mind. I do care about the brand, because I care about the country. We shall be in Italy in June and just the other side of it in the South of France in August, and we'll pop over to Asti or Genoa while we're there.
My Mother is of Italian extraction, I love the country, even its lack of organisation. I love the way the Polizia Stradale and Carabinieri motor bike Cops dress not to offer themselves protection, but purely for style. Knee length highly polished riding boots (horse not motorcycle boots that is)? Check. Blue jodphurs with the red stripe up the side (useless in a crash)? Check. Short sleeve shirt (also useless in a crash) ? Check. Short kangaroo skin gloves (equally useless in a crash)? Check. Ray Ban aviator sunglasss (useful for looking cool)? Check. Open face crash helmet(fairly useful in a crash)? Check. Designer stubble (essential for impressing the ladies)? Check. White patent leather Sam Browne and holster (Prada)? Check.
Whenever I go to Italy, the first night there I feel like I'm home. The Alfas, Autobianchis, Ferraris, FIATs, Innocentis, Lamborghinis, Lancias, Maseratis, Aprilias, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis are all part of the make up of the country.
We've just replaced Mrs. Beard's ex-Stilo with an Alfa 156. I looked at BMWs, Audis and quite a few others. They were all so dull and tedious there was only one choice.
Italy is a land where you can see a young lad on a scooter being pulled along by a Punto driven by a girl he's trying to chat up as he holds onto the door frame. In this country he's a loutish hoody. Girls there won't have anything to do with a drunk lad. Here they get themselves locked up for trying to get him out of being arrested.
To me, FIAT is part of a country I love, and if I'd got off my arse years ago when I learnt a little Italian, I'd be living there now.
FORZA ITALIA! FORZA FIAT!