The fact that one of the oldest clubs in Campania contacted us before the summer in the person of Sabatino De Rosa with a quick phone call "Ernè we have to do something very important and we need your 500s" absolutely confirms that for some years now we have been moving well and in Naples we are speaking the "cinquecentese" again. That the very important thing is Cars and Motorcycles Naples Expo, the largest motor show in the South, makes us happy because then… at the end of the day… It's the numbers that speak for themselves, or rather the number: 38.980 spectators paying visitors from everywhere during the long weekend from September 12th to 14th 2025!
An event that has grown significantly in recent years thanks to various passions: cars, motorcycles, supercars, law enforcement, racing divisions... What do we do in all this? We make history! Yes, because we are the ones who made Italy motorized, and so we brought history to life in flesh and blood, sorry, in... sheet metal and chassis. The story of the "new" 500 from its birth, that distant July 4, 1957, with all its initial difficulties, to the final blue butterfly R that marked the end of an era but the beginning of a legend. In addition to having it written on the posters (with the kind collaboration of the Club Secretariat in the persons of Stefania, Roberto and Francesca), we have exhibited the History in sheet metal and chassis by bringing to our lawn area the 5 models of the immense production of the 500: from the fantastic 57 N of our member Francesco Gherardi (gold plate from the Museum) to the latest R born of member Enrico Piscopo (not the Sicilian blue butterfly, but a splendid coral example) passing through the red D 115 of the Naples trustee Antonello Martina, the F white gold plate 233 of Vittorio Arena and my L turquoise blue gold plate 419. Behind them a splendid '69 Francis Lombardi, the La Giardiniera van of Giovanni “the Chinese” directly from Vico Equense and, intruder but not too much given its “cousin” ancestry, the panoramic Bianchina of Manlio Leone.
Worthy of mention are the members who "abandoned" their little ones on the lawn for three days, something that had never happened to any of them before (obviously under the watchful eye of impeccable security). But this was just the area outside the exhibition pavilions, on the lawn, along with the other clubs. And what was going on inside?
From the entrance to the first pavilion, you could immediately admire the highlights of the museum area where we were the protagonists, thanks in part to the presence of the large inflatable portal branded Fiat 500 Club Italia. Speaking of which, we were able to have this portal at the fair thanks to the collaboration between the Naples representative, Antonello Martina, and the L'Aquila representative, Alessandro Marinangeli. To overcome shipping issues, Alessandro agreed to travel to the meeting point at the Celano exit, along the Rome-L'Aquila-Pescara highway, where he met with Antonello to deliver the important object. Once installed at the fair, it further highlighted the Club's presence.
At the entrance, visitors were greeted by a splendid 1914 Peugeot: passing through the portal, like the magic door in Alice in Wonderland, they were "catapulted" onto our museum pieces, six gems that were extremely difficult to put together. A 6 C (Topolino) Furgonata, the "grandmother" of our little ones; a 500 "furgoncino," the cutest pickup truck ever; a 500 "Scoiattolo," now increasingly rare to see (all from the collection of Michele Piccolo, our loyal sponsor and a great benefactor of our social initiatives); a splendid and extremely rare 500 Abarth record Monza replica on an N base; the Vignale "Gamine" number 1958, an extremely rare model owned by Peppe Trombetta (the "Bulldog" owner, attentive to even the slightest touch of the bodywork); and a delightful two-tone garden vase. This corner was the destination and resting place for enthusiastic children and families who bombarded us with questions, requests, selfies, and information. The only flaw was the tiring work of ensuring that these jewels emerged “unharmed” from three days of assault.
To conclude, as if that weren't enough, the rally was held on Sunday: we were given space for 15 cars, which later increased to 30, and our lawn became a colorful and varied display. Our assessment? Tired but happy, with many contacts, two new members, many enthusiasts and various requests, a body shop, insurance, a good mechanic... three days of hard work, but we managed to convey that the Club is a service we can offer to those new to our world. Numerous members and collaborators took turns working on the lawn and in the museum area. On Friday, the Campania representative Domenico Filippella and his guests, the Piedmontese members, welcomed a visit.
We thank “Peppe 'o fotografo” for the beautiful photos and footage with the drone.
