sammiboo said:
Same here. Its only good for Ferrari's, maserati's, etc. Not for Fiats
AutoItalia - Who buys it?
- Thread starter sammiboo
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AutoItalia - Who buys it?
Same here. Its only good for Ferrari's, maserati's, etc. Not for Fiats
I was a reader until about a year go. For me I got bored with it after a quick flick through.
I wouldnt like to see AI go down the tacky modified route, i.e. huge fibreglass kits on 1.1 cars. But I would like to see more about practicaly modified cars, i.e tuning for more power.
There are many owners that come to your shows how have done extensive tuning work on there Fiats that would love the oppurtunity to get a feature and show of there proud work. When I was a reader there didnt seem to be an oppurtunity to do this.
When I was reading it AI seemed to be all about top end italian cars and I dont want to be reading a magazine full of these. I am grown up now and have been thrown into reality.
There needs to be a balance between high end and real world cars, so that you cater for all types of car enthusiasts.
Saying this I will go and pick up October's copy and see if there has been an improvemennt since my subcription finished.
I wouldnt like to see AI go down the tacky modified route, i.e. huge fibreglass kits on 1.1 cars. But I would like to see more about practicaly modified cars, i.e tuning for more power.
There are many owners that come to your shows how have done extensive tuning work on there Fiats that would love the oppurtunity to get a feature and show of there proud work. When I was a reader there didnt seem to be an oppurtunity to do this.
When I was reading it AI seemed to be all about top end italian cars and I dont want to be reading a magazine full of these. I am grown up now and have been thrown into reality.
There needs to be a balance between high end and real world cars, so that you cater for all types of car enthusiasts.
Saying this I will go and pick up October's copy and see if there has been an improvemennt since my subcription finished.
I would have voted sometimes and on balance voted no.
I'd say it was more a coffee table mag, lots of nice glossy pictures but lacks substance. In my opinion this magazine needs more oily fingers.
I'd say it was more a coffee table mag, lots of nice glossy pictures but lacks substance. In my opinion this magazine needs more oily fingers.
i would consider buying it, if it it came with nice pics of everyday fiats, modified well and unmodified not ott modified or daddy paid for it modified
OP
OP
I could never find it on the shelf, I remember posting something on here was there a mag for FIATs and AI was the closest that came to it. I went on the website and subscribed for a year - after a few issues I got bored and didnt even take them out the selophane they were delivered in. See pic!
Its not that we dont want to see the top end market of car in there but I personally dont want them dominating it because I have no interest. Its supposed to be AutoItalia and to me that ALL italian cars.
I would like to see more articles on the new fiats/alphas etc that are coming out. Also write ups about the present models that would interest our end of the market.
Also I think clubs and forums should get publicity. I approached for this site to get a write up, but I was told how much the advertising was instead.
I dont want the forum to have to pay for advertising, its a free forum for everyone who has an interest in fiats. So I dont see why we should pay to get people on here so we can help them.
This forum attracts a wide variety of people, we steer clear of the cruise scene as this isnt what we are about. We have members of all ages and have people logging on from all over the world, as there is no other forum for fiats that comes close to this.
I know as steve has posted about Phil and Co swanning off abroad "on business" but lets get real - that doesnt interest us one bit.
I do hope you do take in consideration everything people are saying on here, because we are your customers, and from a wide spread of ages, interests etc.
We just want to read about good italian motoring thats all
Its not that we dont want to see the top end market of car in there but I personally dont want them dominating it because I have no interest. Its supposed to be AutoItalia and to me that ALL italian cars.
I would like to see more articles on the new fiats/alphas etc that are coming out. Also write ups about the present models that would interest our end of the market.
Also I think clubs and forums should get publicity. I approached for this site to get a write up, but I was told how much the advertising was instead.
I dont want the forum to have to pay for advertising, its a free forum for everyone who has an interest in fiats. So I dont see why we should pay to get people on here so we can help them.
This forum attracts a wide variety of people, we steer clear of the cruise scene as this isnt what we are about. We have members of all ages and have people logging on from all over the world, as there is no other forum for fiats that comes close to this.
I know as steve has posted about Phil and Co swanning off abroad "on business" but lets get real - that doesnt interest us one bit.
I do hope you do take in consideration everything people are saying on here, because we are your customers, and from a wide spread of ages, interests etc.
We just want to read about good italian motoring thats all
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Seems I’m going to be in a minority here but yes, I do buy AutoItalia. I don’t have a subscription or buy it every month, but I make a point of visiting WH Smiths to see what is in that month’s copy. It probably the only car magazine I’d even consider buying now; I’ve become so disillusioned with those in ‘the mainstream’, and I’m too old and miserly for modifying!
I’m not sure they have some sort of hidden anti-FIAT agenda. Off the top of my head there have been articles recently on three modified Mk 2 Puntos, the launch of the new Doblo, the expensive rebuild of a 128 and a review of the Grande Punto 1.9 Eleganza. This month’s has an article on the FIAT 1100 of the 1960s which I enjoyed but I realise maybe a lot of people may not; I’ve just finished reading Michael Sedgewick’s 1974 book on the history of FIAT, so may be its just me!
I can’t get enough motor racing, including all the old stuff so I also enjoy AutoItalia’s coverage of historical events and drives of older racing cars. I’ll admit, I do one-day want to see the start of the Mille Miglia in Brescia. And like an overgrown teenager I love reading the reports on the latest Ferraris; purely aspirational stuff of course, like watching Top Gear.
I can’t realistically afford a brand new car but I still want to read about them and store away the knowledge until some future date. The ‘big three’ exotics may always be out of reach but its interesting to read about the latest FIATs, Alfa Romeos and Lancias. At the moment, I’m very happy being a FIAT owner, how it makes me feel and how I think people perceive me because I drive one (yes, I suppose I am that vain). I can’t really imagine buying an Alfa next; even though second-hand they are financially within reach. But who knows, one day I might feel different. I don’t though see FIAT as the first rung on a ladder of Italian cars, there isn’t some sort of feudal hierarchy. AutoItalia and owners of Alfa Romeos, Ferraris, Lancias, Maseratis etc would do well to remember FIAT is the granddaddy of the Italian industry, end of.
Although giving us flavour of the ‘la dolce vita’ perhaps helps us understand why Italians make cars like they do, I think AutoItalia is treading a fine line between car magazine and something more “lifestyle”. Sadly we don’t all have a little villa in Tuscany or favourite bar in the Piedmont, nor do I really aspire to it. But I think I can enjoy driving my Stilo around Hampshire as much as driving it around Tuscany.
AutoItalia is never going to be about rebuilding the suspension on my Stilo, or buying Punto at auction for £100. And it will always feature the most glamorous cars on the front, that’s pure marketing. But it could do more to reflect ‘grass roots’; not just the posh clubs but also their modern counterparts like this excellent forum.
Italian cars are a broad church, so I guess getting one magazine to cover all interests is next to impossible. It's up to AutoItalia how they want to position themselves in the market; either maintain the “quality” feel of the current rather thin version or compromise on the production and get more pages and a diversified content. I’ll hold off subscribing for now.
Just my thoughts, like.
I’m not sure they have some sort of hidden anti-FIAT agenda. Off the top of my head there have been articles recently on three modified Mk 2 Puntos, the launch of the new Doblo, the expensive rebuild of a 128 and a review of the Grande Punto 1.9 Eleganza. This month’s has an article on the FIAT 1100 of the 1960s which I enjoyed but I realise maybe a lot of people may not; I’ve just finished reading Michael Sedgewick’s 1974 book on the history of FIAT, so may be its just me!
I can’t get enough motor racing, including all the old stuff so I also enjoy AutoItalia’s coverage of historical events and drives of older racing cars. I’ll admit, I do one-day want to see the start of the Mille Miglia in Brescia. And like an overgrown teenager I love reading the reports on the latest Ferraris; purely aspirational stuff of course, like watching Top Gear.
I can’t realistically afford a brand new car but I still want to read about them and store away the knowledge until some future date. The ‘big three’ exotics may always be out of reach but its interesting to read about the latest FIATs, Alfa Romeos and Lancias. At the moment, I’m very happy being a FIAT owner, how it makes me feel and how I think people perceive me because I drive one (yes, I suppose I am that vain). I can’t really imagine buying an Alfa next; even though second-hand they are financially within reach. But who knows, one day I might feel different. I don’t though see FIAT as the first rung on a ladder of Italian cars, there isn’t some sort of feudal hierarchy. AutoItalia and owners of Alfa Romeos, Ferraris, Lancias, Maseratis etc would do well to remember FIAT is the granddaddy of the Italian industry, end of.
Although giving us flavour of the ‘la dolce vita’ perhaps helps us understand why Italians make cars like they do, I think AutoItalia is treading a fine line between car magazine and something more “lifestyle”. Sadly we don’t all have a little villa in Tuscany or favourite bar in the Piedmont, nor do I really aspire to it. But I think I can enjoy driving my Stilo around Hampshire as much as driving it around Tuscany.
AutoItalia is never going to be about rebuilding the suspension on my Stilo, or buying Punto at auction for £100. And it will always feature the most glamorous cars on the front, that’s pure marketing. But it could do more to reflect ‘grass roots’; not just the posh clubs but also their modern counterparts like this excellent forum.
Italian cars are a broad church, so I guess getting one magazine to cover all interests is next to impossible. It's up to AutoItalia how they want to position themselves in the market; either maintain the “quality” feel of the current rather thin version or compromise on the production and get more pages and a diversified content. I’ll hold off subscribing for now.
Just my thoughts, like.
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A waste of money IMO, It will be a long long time until I can afford anything they print in it.
I have bought every issue since 1997, and I am a subscriber. I think the mag is superb, but I never read the ferrari or lambo articles as I dont like the cars much. In recent times it has however become more lifestyle, much in the way top gear has become less about cars and more about the presenters. At present I am thinking of cancelling my subscription, not made my mind up as yet. Occasionally they produce a brilliant issue, but sometimes I only read the ads!!! The biggest thing is though, I feel the people that write and edit it are now too far up their own bottoms, and this shows especially at the various A1 shows. One thing that strikes me is this, for current models, as steve says it becomes a travel/lifestyle article, for the older models it reads just like a history book... eg. the fiat 1100 feature which was sooo boring, just specs etc, this leads me to think this... do some of the writers actually know anything about the cars apart from what they read about them? not slagging them off, for instance michael ward is a very enthusiastic fiat man!
What we really need is a mag that is a cross between Auto Italia, and Practical Classic
with some practical performance in there too?
I have to say that I'm with the majority here, it is nice to read about the supercar stuff, but not be dominated by it.
As a compositions I subscribe to EVO mag as the writing style is very good, the photography and locations amazing but has a good mix of exotic and lower end stuff plus its knowledge section at the back with performance figs, kerb weights etc is so useful when comparing at a glance cars, could do something similar in AI with the Italian cars only including the older stuff like Stradas, 131's etc where finding that sort of info is a little harder to track down when comparing to modern day machinery, lets the younger readers put into perspective how quick the older hatches were, or in some case how slow older exotica is.
Another idea I think would be good is re-examining older cars with maybe reprinted of the day road tests from other mags/papers etc, don't know legalities on this, but seeing the thriving market on eBay of period road test mags would be nice to reprint these and see if what they said then stands true now with hindsight. this would not only fill more pages but get the owners of older cars more interested in buying it and learning about teh newer cars they may have overlooked before.
I nearly always buy Retro Cars and Practical Performance car every month as they have cars that real people have built mostly themselves and therefore show what some hard graft and thought can do rather than just waving a cheque book.
So it would be nice to still retain the exotica with nice locations etc but have the stuff lower down, even Retro cars has a Fiat 500 bike engined car this month, why can't AI do some of the tasteful modified stuff, or the real feats of engineering stuff.
OK so that opens up the question of whats tasteful as everyone will have there own ideas on this, but in general big body kits that look like the set from Aliens, 10 tailpipes or 30" wheels are not.
I know that it would be a hrad balancing act, as you do not want to loose integrity, an dthere will always be people who like things as they are and see change only for changes sake, but its an ever developing world that we live and we need to be diverse to accomodate.
As a compositions I subscribe to EVO mag as the writing style is very good, the photography and locations amazing but has a good mix of exotic and lower end stuff plus its knowledge section at the back with performance figs, kerb weights etc is so useful when comparing at a glance cars, could do something similar in AI with the Italian cars only including the older stuff like Stradas, 131's etc where finding that sort of info is a little harder to track down when comparing to modern day machinery, lets the younger readers put into perspective how quick the older hatches were, or in some case how slow older exotica is.
Another idea I think would be good is re-examining older cars with maybe reprinted of the day road tests from other mags/papers etc, don't know legalities on this, but seeing the thriving market on eBay of period road test mags would be nice to reprint these and see if what they said then stands true now with hindsight. this would not only fill more pages but get the owners of older cars more interested in buying it and learning about teh newer cars they may have overlooked before.
I nearly always buy Retro Cars and Practical Performance car every month as they have cars that real people have built mostly themselves and therefore show what some hard graft and thought can do rather than just waving a cheque book.
So it would be nice to still retain the exotica with nice locations etc but have the stuff lower down, even Retro cars has a Fiat 500 bike engined car this month, why can't AI do some of the tasteful modified stuff, or the real feats of engineering stuff.
OK so that opens up the question of whats tasteful as everyone will have there own ideas on this, but in general big body kits that look like the set from Aliens, 10 tailpipes or 30" wheels are not.
I know that it would be a hrad balancing act, as you do not want to loose integrity, an dthere will always be people who like things as they are and see change only for changes sake, but its an ever developing world that we live and we need to be diverse to accomodate.
I haven't read the mag but the impression I get from other people's post is that it is a more up market magazine. I think the type mag that would be good is like someone said, a cross between AI and practical classics with all the DIY stuff, but I think the lifestyle part goes with the higher end market, which I would say is part of their brand and if they start messing alot with that they might lose some loyal customers (but probably also need new customers). I think they should do a sister magazine, like a practical Fiat to market for us lot more Or... I think FF should make their own magazine!
Or... I think FF should make their own magazine! 
4RL said:... I think FF should make their own magazine!
a forum is very cheap and easy to set up and host (which is why there are so many of them flurishing on the net). a paper mag costs a fortune and takes a lot more time and effort. an online mag is the happy medium between the two.
these days mags are suffering, an online mag could work, especially as part of the forum. but who's going to write articles? who's going to create the website? who's going to maintain it? Where will the revenue come from to pay these people? On a forum this busy they could generate good revenue with advertising. A team of forum moderators and members could produce the online mag, but its not easy finding people able and willing. Its definately not a bad itea though.
Modern marketing kids will try to tell you that an online and paper based mag can exist happily side by side, but thats a bit short sighted, in reality the days are numbered for many paper mags. the drop in sales figures and increases in costs will see many of the smaller mags struggle to survive. and rightly so, why pay for a paper mag you'll only half read once, and then maybe flick though when you take a dump. you can go online and read what you want about anything you want whenever you want at no cost. the internet has changed everything, its time to put a lot of old fashioned business models to sleep, or at least accept they will shrink a lot in the coming years.
jus picked up an issue today
Well i have just stopped buying it now!sammiboo said:
The reason!
They wanted to do photo shoot on my Fiat car.But when they heard
i live up Newcastle they couldnt be bothered to travel up here to far away they said.
So i cannot be botherd to buy there mag now.
`Petty` call it what you want
Plus its always the same cars we have seen before year after year in not much on fiats in there mag.They dont pay much atention at the fiats cars at there Auto Italia shows but they forrget we all make the numbers up!
Stick ya mag
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ELTSBABY said:
what car do you have?
MK1 Uno Turbo iedave said:
ELTSBABY said:
that should have been worth the drive
Did we meet at the Auto italia at Stanford hall i had the black Uno turbo?dave said:that should have been worth the drive
You we restoring a mk1 uno turbo your self?
or was this another Dave????
