Photography courtesy of FCA Heritage
The shade cast by the umbrella of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is an encompassing one, covering everything from Dodge’s Demon to the quintessentially cute Cinquecento, and it isn’t limited to the contemporary model lineups. The future is lush with opportunities to add to the provenance of brands like Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Abarth, and Fiat, but every legacy requires maintenance. It’s not enough just to invoke the past while working on what’s next, the way we treat history needs to evolve through time. Car’s don’t attain the status of classic overnight. The past can be preserved or renewed, but it isn’t static.
FCA Heritage understands the ways in which the past must necessarily keep up with the future. There’s no changing recorded history of course—what’s been written in the annals of race results isn’t about to be altered—but we need to treat the times before ours with the aid of hindsight. Cars that were once brushed aside as “last year’s model” can, with time, turn into objects that many will argue are timeless, and when the lower values of such things made backyard paint jobs an acceptable means of “restoration” once upon a time, that Fulvia Fanalone, 124 Spider, or 8v Integrale deserves much more care today than it did when it was a few years old. It’s time to treat these things differently.
Perhaps the old 500 Abarth in your family garage was the recipient of some questionable repairs back in its day; maybe your second series Appia is missing some documentation; or it could be the case that you’re seeking a certifiably perfect entry point into the world of vintage Italian driving and don’t want to buy a car from a stranger on the internet. FCA Heritage covers the range of services needed to enjoy these cars however you choose to, whatever your specific need may be.
Want to send them your shell and get a fully restored car in return, factory-spec from the same company that put it together the first time around, decades ago? No problem. Happen to own a special Abarth model that you’d like to know the history of? Just ask. That FCA Heritage offers Certificates of Authenticity should be no surprise, and given how much scope they have to cover between the four classic brands, the rest of available services shouldn’t be either. They will carry out restorations on your Lancias and Abarths, supply Certificates of Origin on your Alfas and Fiats, and if you’re in the market for something special, FCA Heritage also offers completely restored cars for sale.
The team isn’t limited to an obscure office either, and earlier this year a group of specialists and historians flew out to the United States to visit a number of owners requesting certifications. Cars move around over time, their fates are determined by their owners. The factory only gets a very brief say in the matter: they build machines and give them life, but those lives can vary wildly depending on the circumstances. In a similar sense, there are many different ways to treat them today—garage queen, weekend track toy, whatever it is—but no matter where they’ve been or where they’re going, FCA Heritage is happy to tell the story with you.
