Two exciting new Fiat Group models, the road production Alfa MiTo and the race-bred 500 Abarth Assetto Corse, have captured much attention as the dynamic action in the Arena at the 33rd Bologna Motor Show gets underway.

The Alfa MiTo is the latest arrival at Andrea de Adamich's Centro Internazionale Guida Sicura advanced driving school in Varano De’Melegari. The school, founded in 1991 offers all manner of driving courses, from road to sport, using Italy's top driving instructors. The MiTo has joined a fleet of Alfa Romeos at the school including the 147, 159, GT Coupé, Brera and 8C Competizione, and in Bologna it is in the school's familiar red and white colours.

In the 'Arena' at the Bologna Motor Show the race-bred 500 Abarth Assetto Corse has made a potent sight. This new, tiny racer will form the basis of one make race series which is set to spring up across Europe next year

The Alfa MiTo and 500 Abarth Assetto Corse are just two of the cars that will be in action during the show's duration. This year the Bologna Motor Show is, as usual, playing host to numerous world champions, with drivers, teams and cars all on the track taking part in the various sports events. From the five time world world rally champion Sébastien Loeb to the "world" Ford Focus amongst the WRC constructor champions in 2006 and 2007, then Stefan Everts (10 world titles so far), Marco Simoncelli, 250 Class World Champion in the World Motorbike Championships and the Seat Leon which triumphed in the FIA World Touring Car Championship this year, and the Audi R10 TDI, which won the LMS and ALMS championships  – with around fifteen championship winning drivers, teams and cars at the 2008 Motor Show.

The course has been drastically overhauled and improved in terms of safety with a new area for the pits. The speed track is now 926 meters long and 10 meters wide – the maximum width in line with rally race tracks, which is 1,020 meters long – a third of which is dirt track. For the acrobats in the Supermotard events, a track of 603.5 meters (245 meters dirt track) has been prepared, with a maximum width between 7.5 and 10 meters, and for the spectacular freestyle evolutions two special ramps have been designed.

Today (Sunday 7th December) will see an exhibition by the Audi R10 TDI, the winner the last two years in the Le Mans 24 Hours which will be driven by Dindo Capello and Emanuele Pirro, the Historic Rally Show on Friday (12th December) will see the queens of historic rallying in action and next Saturday evening the Bettega Memorial Night Sprint will see leading drivers in the Arena from a sports discipline that has always fascinated the public crowded into the stands in the Bologna Motor Show.

A car from the Nascar Sprint Cup will make its dynamic debut in Italy during the Motor Show, from the most famous American championship. During the Red Bull Nascar Show the Toyota Camry of the Red Bull Racing Team will be on the track in the MotorSport Stadium. This 504 cm long saloon, with the minimum regulation weight of 1,725 kg is driven by a V8 6 litre engine with 850 HP (which is controlled by push rods) and a torque of 76 Kgm at 7500 rpm. With its 4 gears, the bulky Toyota V8 engine can carry the Camry to speeds of up to 320 km per hour.