This weekend has seen the inauguration of the new FIAT S-NOW!PARK - a facility dedicated to the 'freestyle' winter sports it sponsors -  set in the heart of Milan. Located near to the Velodromo Vigorelli, this new 'winter sports' village was officially opened last Friday and will remain open each day until the 8th January 2006. The FIAT S-NOW!PARK is just one of many initiatives being undertaken by Fiat Auto as it builds up to the inauguration of the XX Winter Olympics, which are being held early next year in their home city, Turin.

The new FIAT S-NOW!PARK will be a true meeting point for those who are already passionate about the main branches of winter sports, as well as those who want to find out what the disciplines are all about at first hand. With much excitement gripping Italians as the prestigious Olympic Games move ever closer, Fiat is expecting huge interest to be generated by the new facility. It ties in neatly with the Turin carmaker's sponsorship of a number of exciting winter sports, which they believe epitomise the 'lifestyle' aspect and sense of freedom that is generated by owning and driving a Fiat car.

As well as Fiat, Alfa Romeo are sponsoring the Alfa Romeo Ski Team, which comprises of the cream of Italian alpine skiers, Lancia are active in the discipline of figure skating, while just last week Fiat Veicoli Commerciali announced that they would be the new sponsors of the Italian Men's and Women's National Ice Hockey teams.

The multi-faceted activities at the new FIAT S-NOW!PARK will include features such as fully dedicated ski and snowboard tracks, a dramatic "snowtube" and an arena for ice-skating.
 

Away from the snow and ice there is a tall wall for 'free climbing' and an area for roller skating, either for children or adults. Putting innovation as a priority the Snowboard track will be made of an exclusively patented plastic material. The backdrops will feature huge scale images of the 'Fiat Freestyle Team' in action, while the overriding theme of the FIAT S-NOW!PARK will be to encourage visitors to find out about - and then try out while in attendance - the many freestyle winter sporting disciplines, aided by the qualified instructors who will be on hand to offer advice and help.

A recent Italian winter sports event - which drew a crowd of 130,000 - saw the visitors able test out the Fiat Panda 4x4 'Climbing' on a specially built obstacle course. To build on the somewhat unexpected success of this event - which saw 4,900 test drives being undertaken - the Fiat range, including the new Grande Punto and Croma, will be on hand for inspection and available for public test drives on the roads that circle around the Velodromo Vigorelli. The Fiat Freestyle Team will be in action at the Bologna Motor Show at the beginning of next month, while Fiat is also and 'Institutional Sponsor' of the 'Travel of the Olympic Flame', the tour that will leave from Rome on 8th Decembers 2005 and will arrive in Turin on the day of the inauguration of XX Winter Olympic Games, having covered over 11,300 kilometers, in little more than two months, and having visited numerous Italian cities'.