FIAT's many professional faces - Mission to Turin

*By Yiannis Yiannakakis, CEO, Tornos News

It is very enjoyable to do things for the first time in your life, even at 57!

Such a great opportunity was offered to me when I was invited by Corinna Pateli, EMEA PR-Digital-CRM Manager at FIAT PROFESSIONAL, for the presentation of its new professional models at the Group's headquarters, inside the FIAT factory at spectacular Turin.

I have not taken part in a presentation of new car model presentation, professional or otherwise. So, allow me to share my opinion as a simple traveler-consumer-visitor and not attempt to dwell on the technicalities that would attract a professional's eye.

Now "simple" is just a word! How simple can someone who has traveled several thousand kilometers in his life on all kinds of professional and non-professional cars (let alone on foot, by bike, motorcycle etc. etc.) be?

If I add here my worship of Italian engineering achievements (for many years as a lover and user of PIAGGIO, LAVERDA, and ending in love - married with a DUCATI DARMAH 900 SD from 1982 until today, a FIAT PUNTO for a few years, a FIAT 500 as my father's first car etc.), I can safely say that I went rather positively biased to get to know up closely the legend of FIAT.

The first impression: Turin and FIAT

A city with its airport so close, that I had the opportunity during a sun-drenched afternoon landing, to admire the golden banks of river Po criscrossing it like a snake, its impressive architecture and clear blending of large industrial plants in its fabric.

And when, later that day, we entered the FIAT construction unit surrounded by a wall that reminded me of black and white Italian neorealism films, I realized that I had definitely arrived at the heart of the legendary Italian brand.

The official presentation of FIAT PROFESSIONAL's new models was scheduled for 19:00 that evening. So, I had some time to walk for an hour throughout this beautiful city of the Italian north. With most buildings in the city center in baroque style, preserved beautifully, you feel that you have arrived at some time during the 19th century. I walked by many beautiful small shops with art, antiques, focaccia (Focaccia), wine bars, pizzeria, restaurants with character and style, many small shops in vintage style that gave me the feeling of a very sophisticated daily life. Indeed, from 1860 to 1864 Turin was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. For this reason, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the country, havingdue to the attention paid to its architecture, its layout, its decoration with statues, busts etc.

The presentation

A brief presentation, artfully directed, stylish, dynamic, on a rotating platform

The human element prevails with presenters in Italian style and elegance, impeccable, direct and charismatic

Around 19:00, near dusk we pass through one of the many entrances of the factory and head for a space large industrial and simple with dark walls, like a theater, so that the colors of the video walls, the lighting on the presenters and the volume and colors of the professional cars to attract our attention. And they succeeded! A simple presentation, artfully directed despite its many technical data, stylish, dynamic, and... rotating (See video at the end) 

The audience, journalists and executives from Germany, France and Greece - a total of 40 or so people in total including the senior management staff of the company - sat on a rotating platform which every now and then turned around in a circle, so we could see all the models around us without having to make any effort ourselves. Loud music accompanied their appearance and definitely this "rotating" innovation impressed.

The human element prevailed with the presenters, all high ranking executives of the company, in Italian style and elegance, impeccable, direct and charismatic in presenting their firm's achievements, the new models in every detail and the challenges met and won by FIAT in an international environment.

In a nutshell: the presentation was modern and dynamic and convinced me that the FIAT takes its future in professional vehicles very seriously taking fully into account the extremely competitive global scene.

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"

Dinner

The evening ended with an excellent local Italian dinner, which was very smartly and simply served on the very same venue of the presentation. The chairs were made more comfortable, very good Italian wine, white and red from local vineyards was served. Tables were prepared on the spot (!) from pallets of the neighboring plant with the sole addition of a glass which was thick enough to support the very nice setting of the cutlery.

Fresh cherries in baskets from the service ladies and ice cream from a local industry operating in Pepino city since 1884, complemented exquisitely the night. Indeed, a high tech presentation needs a similar culinary supplement. Without gastronomy, nothing can be completed and, therefore, I applaud the excellent dinner that followed, an ode to the Italian traditional cuisine.

Great parenthesis: An exhortation to all of us Greeks to honor in every way our local super-rich gastronomic tradition, because it is a literal treasure in our hands which alone can perform "miracles" for the tourist economy. A great parenthesis indeed, but I think it is worth to repeat a thousand times until we believe it ourselves. To experience it daily ourselves and not only "sell" it to "tourists." As we know well, "tourists" do not like to be treated as such "tourist", but seek authenticity.

I do not know how authentic this dinner was, but I, for one, was definitely impressed.

An evening stroll after dinner in the city center and the river Po with the stone bridge in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, along with outstanding professional automotive journalists Pavlos Mavromitis (WHEELS & TIR) and Panos Emmanuel (Auto Triti), was the perfect ending to a busy day.

FIAT PROFESSIONAL in numbers

• In 2015 the company sold more than 1 million professional vehicles

• During the same year, FIAT PROFESSIONAL increased its sales in Europe by 10% winning 11.3% of the professional vehicle market up to 4 tons.

• Its factories in Atessa and Bursa achieve the highest quality construction criteria worldwide.

• The SEVEL plant in Atessa is the largest commercial vehicle factory in the world.

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"

DAY 2

Late at morning wake-up!

Those who know me understand... Skipping breakfast of course due to lack of time, I managed to catch up the second bus (fortunately waiting for late smokers) which drove us again to the FIAT factory (Mirafiori Officine 81, via Plava 92) in order to execute the day's test drive.  Our routes were free - but preset via GPS with which all models were equipped - to nearby Buriasco in the wonderful Domaine La Cascinetta, where we were given the opportunity to change cars and models for as many cyclical routes as we wanted around the nearby villages.

The Doblo route 

 Doblo which comes in a 7-seat version as well

Korina Pateli, EMEA PR-Digital-CRM Manager of FIAT, next to the Doblò with which we drove up to Buriasco

 The ultra-chic Doblò with its very fine lines

I chose the Doblò for the Turin - Buriasco route, a professional city car, very popular, with rounded lines, also coming in version for transporting seven people and with enough space for luggage. It gave me a sense of passenger car, with the enhanced visibility and spacious driver cabin of a professional vehicle, and safely and quickly transported us to our destination. The route was enjoyable, and even more beautiful when we left the main road and went into a smaller local roads network which took us through farmhouses in the area. The comfortable ride, the spacious cab, the ideal vision, brought to my mind that I would like to have such a vehicle for our family holidays, years ago, when we were kids and practically moved with bicycles, play toys, mattresses, tennis rackets and other "indispensable" items. I find this car perfect for family trips, especially for large families or small groups and of course a valuable professional "tool" for transporting small items.

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"

The first stop

The impressive entrance to La Cascinetta

La Cascinetta restaurant with its Michelin stars lined up. At noon the Japanese chef offered us a tantalizing tempura, accompanied by sophisticated local raw meat variations

Very soon we arrived at our first stop where all cars were in a full lineup so we could choose the second car we would try. My choice was obviously the new TALENTO model, since I feel that it can be the ideal choice for a hotel that wants its clients' transfer to be practical, economic and reliable. 

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"

The Talento route

TALENTO can accommodate up to 9 people and offers plenty of luggage space in the rear. The space beneath the seats is open on both sides for long objects.

Large spaces, compact size, ease of use, large sliding doors, clean and dynamic lines are onle a few of the advantages of TALENTO

The TALENTO is definitely talented!

The first contact with the raised cab gives you the feeling that you have entered a serious and very well designed commercial vehicle. The front seats are comfortable for three people, with all the necessary amenities for the driver, legible instruments, driving position with very good visual of the road, very good and user friendly navigator. At first, of course you need a little practice to get accustomed to responding immediately to the clear and detailed instructions of the announcer, because if you let yourself be immersed in the pleasure of the journey, as I did by admiring the beautiful villages, some intersections are certain to be bypassed! In the end, of course, the directions accurately returned me to our final destination, La Cascinetta.

The new model of Fiat Professional is equipped with reliable, robust and cost-effective Euro6 engines, the 1.6 MultiJet Turbo that delivers 120 HP and 300 Nm and 1.6 EcoJet S & S TwinTurbo that delivers 125 HP and 320 Nm. These engines are based on Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, a system that leads to a decline in emissions of nitrogen oxides (harmful to human health), by injecting an AdBlue® solution in the exhaust.

I chose for my test car the 1.6 MultiJet Turbo engine. The compact dimensions of my vehicle gave me the feeling of driving a simple car. Adaptation to riding a "big" vehicle was impressively ease and throughout the route I never had to concentrate "to make it", since I was responsibile for my fellow passengers Corina and the very friendly and cheery Maurice Siakki from Agrenda, with whom we shared the test drive.

This easy driving gave the opportunity and disposition to admire the landscape, see the churches, watch the crops of the area (vineyards, cereals). I was impressed by a wine grower who had planted a great number of rose trees, in front of his vineyard exactly where it met the street, for his personal viewing pleasure and the opportunity to friendly greet to passing travelers. I also appreciated the very impressive and simple decoration of each house of a village in the region geared up for a weekly local festival .

Overall, I think the TALENTO should be the first choice of someone who wants a commercial vehicle, small enough to be flexible and affordable, large enough to cover nine people transportation needs along with their luggage or medium-sized objects (volume and weight), with the most modern engines in the market.

In the afternoon, for our return from La Cascinetta in Turin to the headquarters of FIAT PROFESSIONAL, again we chose the TALENTO, since it touched us with its driving comfort, but tried the 1.6 EcoJet S & S TwinTurbo engine that delivers 125 HP. The difference in torque and throttle was noted and desired.

This concludes the presentation of the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models in Turin, a very nice experience which left me with an urge "to come back" something that happens to me with every experience and destination that enchants me.

Turin and FIAT won me over!

Never say someone's happy before the end (as wise old Solon used to say...)

Shortly after, an afternoon-evening-midnight return 'Odyssey' strarted, aka Alitalia, which deserves a special presentation and analysis in a forthcoming article that I promise to you soon. (I just want to be calm enough so I can be fair!).

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"

Photo Gallery

Waiting in the morning at the FIAT factory to choose among the dozens of cars for test drive

Our accompanying map, which fortunately we did not need to use at all, thanks to very good navigation systems that all FIAT PROFESSIONAL models are equipped with

Crossing through beautiful Italian villages completed our driving experience of the classic Italian brand 

The impressive Fullback at the garden of La Cascinetta

Korina Pateli proved to be a very light counterweight for Fullback 

Early morning start of the second day in FIAT PROFESSIONAL. A wise choice of the presenter for the announcement of the test drive program

Our TALENTO awaits us in its impressive style

For more information on the new FIAT PROFESSIONAL models and their basic technical specifications see the article "The new professional models of FIAT"