FCA Heritage stars at the “Vernasca Silver Flag 2017”

• From June 16 to 18, the 22nd edition of the Castell'Arquato-Vernasca hillclimb re-enactment reserved to vehicles made from the early 1900s to 1972.
• Four priceless cars will be attending - an #alfaromeo 33.2 Daytona, a #fiat 525 SS, an #abarth SE010 2000 Sport and a Lancia D25 - and showcased in the #fcaheritage stand where restoration services and certificates of authenticity will be presented.
• Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and #abarth 124 spider will be accompanying the vintage models and opening the parade.
• FCA #heritage is responsible for bolstering and promoting the history of the company and organising activities are targeted to collectors and simple enthusiasts of the cars and history of the #alfaromeo, #fiat, Lancia and #abarth brands. The department will be attending the event with its own stand for the first time.

 
"Vernasca Silver Flag 2017", the re-enactment of the Castell'Arquato-Vernasca hillclimb that was held from 1953 to 1972, will be staged from June 16 to 18. No longer a timed race, the event today has morphed into a "dynamic conservation and restoration competition" for race cars made from the early 1900s to the early seventies in which the cars parade on roads closed to regular traffic at limited speed.
 
Organised by Club Piacentino Automotoveicoli d'Epoca, this is the 22nd edition of the "Vernasca Silver Flag". #fcaheritage will be attending the event for the first time with its own stand and taking part with a selection of priceless vintage #alfaromeo, #fiat, Lancia and #abarth models. This is yet further confirmation of the special enthusiasm of FCA for the #classic car world and events that highlight the racing tradition of its Italian brands. More specifically, the cars are an #alfaromeo 33.2, a #fiat 525 SS, an #abarth SE010 2000 Sport and a Lancia D25. By their side, #alfaromeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and the new #abarth 124 spider will be opening the parade.
 
The www.fcaheritage.com website is now online. It is the showcase of the #fcaheritage department and the meeting point for everyone who wants to know more on the history, the events and the activities dedicated to the vintage models of the Italian brands of FCA. In this space, vintage #fiat, #abarth, Lancia and #alfaromeo enthusiasts and owners can discover new services, sign up for a special newsletter and submit online requests for a certificate of origin. Lancia and #abarth owners can also access the restoration and certificate of authenticity issuing services provided by #fcaheritage.
 
Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Daytona (1968)
After the experience of the Giulia TZ and TZ2, #alfaromeo was excited to return to racing in the two-litre Sport car category that in the sixties was becoming very popular and had been chosen as playing field by many major manufacturers.
The design of a new vehicle was started in 1964 by #alfaromeo Design under Orazio Satta Puliga's guidance and was developed in particular by Giuseppe Busso. The chassis consisted of three large aluminium alloy pipes arranged to form an asymmetrical "H". A tubular chassis made of a single magnesium casing was fixed to the front end, while two "arms", also made of magnesium, was connected to rear. Rubber fuel tanks were accommodated inside the chassis tubes. The structure weighed just 55 kilograms, for a kerb weight in full running order of 580 kilograms. The two-litre, aluminium alloy V8 had four overhead camshafts, injection fuel feed with mechanical pump and twin ignition. The definitive version delivered 270 HP. The top speed of the car varied from 260 to 300 km/h according to the aerodynamic configuration.
However, in January 1966, before the engine designed and built in #alfaromeo was even started for the first time off-vehicle, the design of the 33 (with the type code 105.33) was given by Giuseppe Luraghi to Autodelta, much to the discontent of #alfaromeo engineers. Meanwhile, tests on a finished car fitting a provisional engine (the 1600 twin cam engine of the TZ2) started in Balocco in the winter of 1965.
The creation of the 33 was long and complicated, particularly because of its innovative chassis and 1967, the year of its debut, ended by winning the Fléron hillclimb in Belgium. The following year the 33, now with a new closed body, took fifteen overall victories and six category victories, amongst which were the Daytona and Le Mans 24 Hour races, where the car finished in the first two and three places, respectively. The version was named "Daytona" precisely following the success in the American endurance race. The car on display is the one prepared for the Museum by Autodelta themselves. At the end of the season, the Tipo 33/2 had won the World Sports Prototype Championship in the two-litre category. It was replaced the following years by the three-litre engine version.
 
Fiat 525 SS (1929)
The #fiat 525SS, a fast and luxurious cabriolet built between 1929 and 1931, was designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont and made by the skilful Carrozzerie Speciali #fiat panel beaters. The model was derived from #fiat 525, particularly for its mechanics with rigid axle suspension and hydraulic shock absorbers. Some changes were made to the braking system, as a consequence of the more powerful engine, to the rear wheels and to the transmission.
The body makes reference to that of the #fiat 525S, instead. Totally new was the engine, which was beefed up to a displacement of 3739 cm³. It delivered a peak power of nearly 90 HP which propelled the car to reach a speed of 120 km/h. The code "SS" was the abbreviation of "Supercompressed", with reference to the engine. The model was built in the Lingotto factory from 1929 to 1931 and although #fiat had shut down the racing team and given up competitions in 1927 some #fiat 525SS driven by private crews made a name for themselves in various races, such as the "Coppa delle Alpi" and the "Mille Miglia".
 
Lancia D 25 (1954)
The model came in the wake of the success of the D 24 in the Carrera Panamericana in November 1953, which reinforced Gianni Lancia and Vittorio Jano's persuasion to continue with racing. In actual fact, the D 24 was designed in parallel to the D 50. In particular, for the D 25 the focus was on creating a more powerful, high-performance engine, which was also durable. After studies and tests, the choice fell on a V6 with a displacement of 3750 cm³ and a peak power of 305 HP. The engine was fed by three Weber 46 carburettors. The car was some 40 kilograms lighter than the D 24. Although derived from the D 24, some changes were made to the chassis, in particular to the suspensions. A De Dion layout was used on the rear with side longitudinal connecting rod and double leaf springs to increase trim stability. Its first appearance in a race was in June 1954 when a D 25 engine mounted on a D 24 car debuted in the Portuguese Grand Prix, driven by Ascari. Three D 25 cars entered the Tourist Trophy in September 1954.
 
Visitors to the "Vernasca Silver Flag 2017" can touch these extraordinary vehicles on display in a paddock open to all and see them in action on the nine-kilometre circuit that winds uphill from Castell'Arquato to Vernasca. This is the secret of the event that year after year brings together admiring and enthusiastic crowds as further proof that these cars still excite today.
 
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
The rarities from the #alfaromeo and Lancia official collections will be joined by the new #alfaromeo Giulia Quadrifoglio #abarth 124 spider, which will have the honour of opening the parade: what better way to appreciate the indissoluble special connection which links the models of the past and those of today. The new Giulia is the most authentic expression of the brand, in addition to being a symbol of Italian technological and style excellence. Visitors to the "Vernasca Silver Flag 2017" will see its flexuous, all Italian-made lines which are introducing a new dimension of #automotive design, where functional and dynamic beauty meets the very best performance, as a result of perfect weight distribution, an extraordinary weight-to-power ratio, unique technical solutions and rear-wheel drive. The top-of-the-range model of Giulia sports the legendary four-leaf clover emblem - hence the name "Quadrifoglio" - fits a powerful 510 HP six-cylinder 2.9-litre turbo petrol engine, entirely made of aluminium and inspired by Ferrari technology and expertise for extraordinary performance: top speed of 307 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds and peak torque of 600 Nm. Furthermore, despite its exceptional power and torque, the six-cylinder 2.9-litre BiTurbo petrol engine is also best-in-class in terms of emission levels (198 g/km of CO2 with six-speed manual transmission) and is surprisingly fuel-efficient with its electronically-controlled cylinder deactivation system.
 
Abarth 124 spider
The focus will also be on the new #abarth 124 spider. Developed with Squadra Corse #abarth it guarantees all the thrills and driving joy of a true roadster. Furthermore, the #abarth perfectly embodies the leading values of the brand: performance, craftsmanship and technical excellence. In particular, for outstanding dynamic performance, the #abarth 124 spider fits a mechanical self-locking differential as standard feature. This device is typically found in top-of-the-range sports cars and emphasises the personality of #abarth 124 spider. Furthermore, the suspension features high double wishbone suspension on the front and a five-arm multi-link on the rear with new shock absorbers specifically calibrated by the Racing Team. The weight is concentrated between the axles and the engine is installed behind the front axle to guarantee optimal agility and superior driving feel. Sophisticated mechanics and the use of special materials contain the weight to just 1,060 kilograms, which results in a weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 kg/HP, the best in its category. Excellent weight distribution secures excellent feedback and agility. Under the bonnet, a powerful four cylinder Multi Air 1.4 litre turbo engine delivers 170 HP (that is about 124 HP per litre) and 250 Nm of torque: it has a top speed of 232 km/h and goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds paired with a six-speed manual transmission. The new #abarth 124 spider is available with automatic Sports Sequential Esseesse transmission.