Battista “Pinin” Farina was honoured at the Automotive Hall of Fame on the occasion of a ceremony which took place Tuesday, October 5, 2004 at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan. Sergio Pininfarina accepted the induction on behalf of his Father. Induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame is the greatest single honour the Hall of Fame bestows on individuals who have dedicated their careers to the automotive industry. “The Italian automobile design genius, Battista “Pinin” Farina - quotes an official note released by the Hall of Fame - founded “Carrozzeria Pinin Farina” in 1930 with the intention to build special car bodies. His work influenced countless Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Ferraris, Lancias, Peugeots and even some classic Nash Healey. The name Pininfarina is synonymous with many of the world’s most significant automobiles. He started friendly relations with Ford and GM”.

This month Pier Luigi Zanframundo becomes Fleet Management Director of Fiat Auto, reporting to CEO Herbert Demel in the company’s new organisation structure. Additionally, Zanframundo has been assigned, in close collaboration with Network Development and Coordination Director, Johann Wohlfarter, the project to implement Network Development in the Italian market. Born on February 24, 1947 in Bari, Zanframundo graduated in mechanical engineering at Turin Polytechnic and began working with the Fiat Group in 1972. Until 1977, he worked in the Planning and Control division of Fiat S.p.A. Central Management, and, in the two subsequent years, was a part of the Fiat Group New Initiatives management division. In 1979, Zanframundo joined Iveco, where he was assigned positions of increasing responsibility in Industrial Initiatives, After Sales, Iveco Portugal, and the sales division of the Light Commercial Business Unit. In 1998, he was appointed director of the Iveco Light Commercial Operations Business Unit. In August 2002, Zanframundo became Light Commercial Vehicles division manager for Fiat Auto.

Lorenzo Sistino has just been appointed Brand and Commercial LCV Manager of Fiat Auto, reporting to CEO Herbert Demel in the company’s new organisation structure. Sistino, born on May 12, 1962 in Turin, began working for Fiat Auto in 1987, and was given positions of increasing responsibility in Marketing and Sales, and in particular in the Lancia Brand and Light Commercial Vehicles divisions. In 2002, he was appointed Commercial Operations Manager for the Fiat Auto Light Commercial Vehicles Business Unit.

RusPromAvto's subsidary OAO GAZ has terminated the exploration of joint venture projects with Fiat through a recently formed holding company. The Russian industrial giant GAZ announced this week that it has sold its 26.86 percent stake in the shell company, ZAO Nizhegorod Motors. Nizhegorod was recently established to manage a proposed joint series of car manufacturing ventures between Fiat and GAZ. RusPromAvto's PR boss Vladimir Torin commented that the Nizhegorod Moors stake had been transferred to another company in order to help make GAZ's assets more transparent to strategic investors, but that co-operative ventures with Fiat were still likely to go-ahead.

The Greece-based 29th Elpa Rally took place from the 24th to 26th September around the districts of Achaia and Etoloakarnania. Fifty-one competitors from seven countries participated in the event, which was also the eighth of nine European Rally Championship rounds. Thirty-four Greek competitors also participated, as the rally also counted for the Greek Rally Championship and Cups. Iaveris Jr and K. Stefanis driving a Fiat Punto S1600  took the 2nd place amongst the Greeks, gaining a strong advantage in the overall leadership of F3 category, for cars up to 1600cc.

While the Krohn-Barbour Lamborghini Murcielagos were grabbing Italian attention in the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at the weekend, there were two Ferraris competing in the GT-class. Regular series entrants, Risi Competizione, who have already claimed an ALMS GT-class victory this season with their Ferrari 360 Modena had usual drivers, Ralf Kelleners and Anthony Lazzaro, joined for the occasion by Italian FIA GT Maserati MC12 pilot Fabrizio De Simone. After qualifying sixth in class, the trio turned in an excellent performance for finish fourth, and after turning in 355 laps, they were just five off the factory-backed winning Posche 911 GT3-RSR. Also running was the Cirtek Ferrari 360 GTC which has been driven by Frank Mountain and Rob Wilson in this year's LMES. The English pair were joined for the 1000km endurance race by former F1 driver Andrea Montermini. Having qualified a strong fifth in GT, their race turned out to be less successful, the car retiring after an accident just 64 laps into the race.

The International Court of Appeal met in Paris on Tuesday to examine the appeal introduced on behalf of the GPC Squadra Corse nr 62 Ferari 360 GTC, concerning its exclusion from the FIA GT Championshiop round at Imola. Having heard the explanations of both parties and having examined the various documents and other evidence, the Court upheld the decision of the Panel of Stewards.

The JMB Racing USA Ferrari 360GT raced to the final place on the GT podium in the Miami 250, the 10th round of the Grand American Sportscar Series, yesterday. The Racers Group scored a 1-2 finish in the GT class with their Porsche GT3-RS cars, having completed 101 laps of the Miami-Homestead track, with the JMB Ferrari, driven by Matt Plumb and Maurizio Mediani finishing one lap adrift after running strongly in the top three for virtually the entire race. Nine laps behind the Ferrari, the Scuderia Ferrari of Washington-entered Maserati Trofeo Light, driven by Emil Assentato and Stephen Earle, came home 5th in class. The Maserati had been running well until lap 81, when the car had started to smoke heavily, enforcing a trip to its pit garage that lost it half a dozen laps.

28-year old Brazilian Tarso Marques has joined JMB Racing for the last three races of the 2004 FIA GT Championship. With plenty of single-seater experience at the highest level, including Formula One and CART, he joins Karl Wendlinger and Jaime Melo on board the nr 17 Ferrari 575 GTC from Oschersleben this weekend onwards.

The 33rd Edition of Fiat Rally took place in Turkey last weekend (10th-12th  September) on the tarmac roads around İzmir. The Fiat sponsored Rally, with 300km of special stages, valid both for the European both for the Turkish Championship, the 6th round, saw Hamdi Ünal in a Fiat Palio, and Volkan Isik, in a Fiat Punto Abarth, finishing in 4th and 6th place in the Overall Classification. Ünal was also the first of the Turkish drivers and thanks to this result is now leading the Super 1600  Turkish Rally Classification in front of Isik’s Punto. Next event will be in Kocaeli, on 2nd  and 3rd  October.

As of November 1st, Harald Wester will take over the responsibility of Fiat Auto’s Engineering & Design, reporting to the CEO, Herbert Demel. Wester will replace Walter Mortara, who will be in charge of Advanced Development. Wester, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Austria’s Magna Steyr, was born in Linz/Rhein, Germany in 1958 and he studied Mechanical Engineering and Vehicle Engineering at the University of Braunschweig. Wester has been General Manager, Vehicle Research and New Concepts and Assistant to the Senior Vice President, R&D and Purchasing Strategy of Volkswagen in Wolfsgburg; Program Manager, Special Vehicles of Audi. Previously, Wester has been Director of Product Development of Ferrari.

With less than a week to go before Wales Rally GB returns to Cardiff, Paul Tod Rallying has joined Cardiff Council, Fiat Auto UK and St David’s Shopping Centre to give shoppers a close up view of the Fiat Stilo Abarth rally car which makes its World Rally Championship (WRC) debut on this event. The PT Rallying Stilo will occupy its prime position in the heart of the prestigious Shopping Centre from Monday 6th until Sunday 12th September before moving on to the Cardiff Super Special arena where it will be the main attraction at the Fiat Auto stand during the event.

Series leader of the GTS category, French endurance expert, Larbre Competition, is looking for maximum points at this weekend’s fourth and final round of the inaugural Le Mans Endurance Series to truly set its mark of success on the series. Having won all three previous rounds, but disappointed with the post-Silverstone decision to award only half points to the GTS class, Christophe Bouchut, Pedro Lamy and Steve Zacchia are determined to end their LMES season as they started, with a maximum ten points.

The Aftersales division presents a complete range of services for the Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia brands. At this year’s ‘Automechanika’, the Fiat Auto Aftersales division is presenting a complete range of solutions for the parts, accessories and assistance sector. The implementation of these new solutions should lead to an increase in profit-ability for the company, enhanced organisational efficiency as regards internal processes and an increase in customer satisfaction, and consequently, brand loyalty.

Nevio Di Giusto has been appointed to take on the post of Chief Executive Officer of Elasis S.c.p.A., a Fiat Group company headquartered in Pomigliano d’Arco (Naples) that carries out automotive engineering research and development activities. Di Giusto replaces Antonio Bene, who will now take on responsibility for Fiat Auto’s Manufacturing.

Sergio Marchionne, Fiat Group CEO announced last week in Turin, Italy, Fiat Auto’s new organizational structure effective immediately. The new structure will ensure effective management through fast and lean processes centering on teamwork. The new management will consist of: Chief Executive Officer: Herbert Demel, Brand & Commercial Fiat: Herbert Demel (ad interim), Brand & Commercial Alfa Romeo: Daniele Bandiera, Brand & Commercial Lancia: Luca De Meo, Brand & Commercial LCV: Pier Luigi Zanframundo, After Sales: Benito De Filippis, Product Initiatives Segm A: Mauro Pierallini, Product Initiatives Segm B/L0: Stefano Monaco, Product Initiatives Segm C/L1: Fabio Mingrino.

Fiat have announced that they have come to an agreement with Venezuelan company Comercializadora Todeschini to begin assembly of the Uno locally. The Uno, which is also still built in Brazil, was recently given a makeover by Giugiaro which included a fresh new front end, continues to be a popular and cost effective choice in the South American markets.

"Obviously, it can’t get any better for us than the weekend we have coming up: the Italian Grand Prix. It is our home race and we have already won both world titles," Michael Schumacher commented today. "What we would like is a huge Ferrari party. We want to celebrate with our fans; the ideal thing would be to do it with a good race and a good result. In any case, it will be an exciting weekend. It will be tight because our competitors have improved. McLaren-Mercedes and Renault have done well in testing but I think that we too can challenge for the win. In fact, as always, that is our objective."

A strong drive was rewarded when the JIM Team Gainer Ferrari 360 Modena of Tetsuya Tanaka and Atsushi Yogo made it onto the bottom step of the GT300 class podium at the end of round five of the Japanese GT Championship, held over 63 laps of the 4.8km Twin Ring Motegi circuit yesterday. Hideshi Matsuda and Ichijo Suga, at the wheel of the team's other 360 retired after 41 laps of the 302km race. In the larger GT500 class the Prodrive-built Hitotsoyama Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello piloted by Hidetoshi Mitsusada and Tadao Uematsu, eventually finished a distant fourteenth in class, 6 laps adrift of the race-winning Epson Honda NSX. Elsewhere the team JLOC Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT of Koji Yamanishi and Wada-Q, failed to start the race, while the other JGTC regular R-GT, the Malaysian Amprex example, was missing from this round due to repairs required after the recent MME race at Sepang.

It was five poles in a row for the Italian duo Ravasio/Alessi at Imola today in the Trofeo Maserati Vodafone Europa. Diego Alessi and Francesco Ravasio set a time of 2:05.319, in front of former F1 driver Ivan Capelli and British top model Jodie Kidd, who are sharing the Pirelli Vip Car (2:05.623). Now it's time for Alessi and Ravasio to try to claim their first victory of the season. Third, and on the second row, is the current leader of the series Andrea Palma (2:06.123), consistent as usual. He has got a good advantage over Alberto Cerrai, who lies second overall, but is only in eighth place after the qualifying session.

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