FIAT CLUB AMERICA – DFW CHAPTER: JULY 2025 NEWSLETTER
Jennifer, Abi, and I will be heading north soon for the Fiat Freakout 2025 in the Wisconsin Dells. We will find out where next year’s Freakout will be at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.
NEXT CLUB ACTIVITY:
26TH: Cruise to Bebo and Kathy’s Diner
We are making this an early start to avoid summer heat.
9:30AM Meet up at the Buc-ees in on IH-35 in Denton.
10:00AM: Depart for Bebo’s.
~11:00AM Eat lunch at Bebos.
Route: (~28 miles, 40 minutes)
Buc-ees to Loop 288
Loop 288 to Locust St/ FM 2164
Locust St/ FM 2164 to FM 455
FM 455 to US 377
US 377 to Buc-ees
Bebos is an automobile/dragster/Elvis-themed diner that you kind of have to see to believe.
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THE WINNER’S CIRCLE:
June 29th: Bubbas 33 Car Show, Mesquite, TX
2nd Place, Daily Driver: Abi Menz, 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Classica
2nd Place, Convertible: Jennifer Brenner, 2017 Abarth 124 Spider
1st Place, Import, Tazilon Brenner, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider Classica
If you place in a car show, autocross, track event, etc, (or get put on a calendar!) email me at dfwfiatclubfca@gmail.com and let me know so we can include you in The Winner’s Circle!
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STELLANTIS NEWS:
1. 2nd quarter US sales numbers are out and, at first glance, Stellantis didn’t have a good quarter. Sales are down 10% over last year. However, 2nd quarter sales last year were down 24% over the previous year, so there is hope couched in between the bad numbers. The winning brands were Jeep and RAM, up 1% and 5% respectively. FIAT saw 25% growth, however, their US sales numbers are so low, it doesn’t impact Stellantis much overall.
2. Stellantis CEO Filosi has said Stellantis will focus on US sales and he is backing up his talk. Tim Kuniskis was just selected to lead North American brands as well as head up NA marketing. Kuniskis came out of retirement late last year to take over RAM. In a relatively short time at RAM, he has announced a return of the HEMI V-8 to RAM pickups, a return to racing in the NASCAR truck series and NHRA, longer power train warranties, and slightly reduced price points. He also is bringing back the SRT performance builds.
Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM dealers love him. According to Randy Dye, a dealer in Florida and a member of Stellantis’ national dealership council:
“If you take Tim Kuniskis, anything he touches, it turns to gold. He’s aggressive and goes and gets it. He’s doing great things at Ram. Combine that with Antonio Filosa, who’s a very uniquely qualified CEO, we have a lot more to be excited about than worried about.”
If FIAT is to survive in North America, we will need a strong CDJR network, so let’s hope Tim and Antonio can work together to turn the overall brand around in the US.
3. Stellantis’ 2025 Extraordinary Meeting of Shareholders will take place on July 18, 2025 in Amsterdam. The meeting will focus on approving by shareholder vote the Board of Director’s selection of Antonio Filosi as the new Stellantis CEO.
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BRAND NEWS:
Alfa Romeo:
Alfa Romeo celebrated its 115th anniversary on June 22, 2025. Over 300 Alfa Romeo Owners Clubs worldwide helped Alfa with its celebration.
Fiat:
Fiat is making waves in the car-sharing fleet industry in Spain. They have equipped 100 500es in their Free2Move fleet with exchangeable batteries. In as little as 5 minutes these 500e can swap out their batteries and be under way fully charged. Partnered with San Francisco-based Ample for this endeavor, Fiat says the swappable batteries probably won’t catch on with tradition 500e users, but provides a great upside to car-sharing fleets, where downtime is the enemy of profit.
The batteries come in modules. The 500es use up to 4 modules for long drives, but can use as little as a single module for short drives. Because the modules simply slot into existing EV platforms, long term, this is a huge bonus. Ample can simply upgrade the battery modules to match technological improvements, instead of having to remake entire cars.
Fiat and Ample fielded a fleet of 40 cars last year with great success. If the expansion to 100 cars goes well this year, they will seek to expand their fleet of Ample supplied 500es to broader markets.
Lancia:
Lancia has excited its fan base by announcing the return of the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, perhaps optimistically slated for 2026.
Maserati:
Despite continued denials by Stellantis, Reuters is reporting inside sources saying Maserati may be sold off. The sources say top level executives are split nearly 50-50 whether to keep the struggling brand or not. The biggest thing in Maserati’s favor is it is the sole luxury brand in the Stellantis line up. A lot will depend on what input new CEO Antonio Filosi adds to the discussion.
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NATIONAL FIAT CLUB AMERICA NEWS:
Freakout is here! It will run July 8-13. If you are not going, you can catch pictures and videos on the Fiat Club America GROUP on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/970154431120477
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CLUB NEWS:
I recently had a polo shirt embroidered with our club logo on it. Pics are included. I can get more copies made in whatever size you want for $30/shirt
After we return from Freakout, we will place more details on the Facebook Group and send out an email asking for orders.
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July always brings lots of sun and lots of fun, especially if you find reasons to drive your Italian cars! (As if you need to have a reason to drive them.) It is also a time to celebrate 250 years of independence. Freedom is a precious thing. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate freedom than to experience it firsthand when you roll down your windows and/or put down your tops and let the wind flow through your hair when you
GET OUT AND DRIVE!
Michael “Tazilon” Brenner, President
Fiat Club America – DFW Chapter
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SPONSORS:
Park Cities Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat – We are still getting a 15% discount on parts, labor, and service. Unlike before (where you had to ask for a specific service advisor), you can now let any service advisor know you are in the club to receive the discount.
Drop Top Tees - An online Spreadshirt shop with T-shirts, and V-necks for 124 Spiders, Abarth 124s, Classic 124s, Fiat 500s, X1/9s, Giulias, and some especially for the DFW Fiat Club! https://droptoptees.myspreadshop.com/
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----2025 CALENDAR----
JULY
9TH-13TH: Fiat Freakout 2025
The Dells, Wisconsin.
https://fs4.formsite.com/Ei4wF4/fhy7wiszcd/index
The Freakout is our largest gathering for the national club every year and also serves as our annual membership meeting.
26TH: Cruise to Bebo and Kathy’s Diner
We are making this an early start to avoid summer heat.
9:30AM Meet up at the Buc-ees in on IH-35 in Denton.
10:00AM: Depart for Bebo’s.
Route: (~28 miles, 40 minutes)
Buc-ees to Loop 288
Loop 288 to Locust St/ FM 2164
Locust St/ FM 2164 to FM 455
FM 455 to US 377
US 377 to Buc-ees
~11:00AM Eat lunch at Bebos.
Bebos is an automobile/dragster/Elvis-themed diner that you kind of have to see to believe.
AUGUST
Due to the heat, we are looking at creating a breakfast/bunch meet up in August. We will shoot for Aug 16th as our date.
SEPTEMBER
6TH: Italian CarFest
Stay abreast of this event here: https://www.italiancarfest.org/
OCTOBER
Brays Raceway and Museum
NOVEMBER
15TH: Fort Richardson Living History Day
A drive, lunch, and civil war era cannon fire.
We will meet up at Yesterday's 50 Diner in Bridgeport, TX then caravan to Ft. Richardson State Park for the Living History Day and civil war cannons. Park officials have said the cannons will be fired either every half hour or every hour.
Ft. Richardson is also looking at doing 1 or 2 battle re-enactments that day. Hopefully, we will get to see them fire their cannon plus do a battle re-enactment!
Yesterday's is a 50s-60s car-themed diner.
DECEMBER
13TH?: Annual Toy Run With Ferrari Club America – DFW Chapter
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Tazilon Brenner
DFW Chapter Leader
FCA Board of Directors
