Fiat will be one of the major event sponsors when the XX Olympic Winter Games kicks off in their 'home' city of Turin, in 409 days time.

The Fiat Group is one of more than forty corporate sponsors that will support these latest Games, which will go under the title of 'Torino 2006'.

The roll-call of sponsors to this highly prestigious event includes household names such as Coca-Cola, General Electric, Kodak, McDonald's, Panasonic, Samsung, Swatch and Visa. As well as injecting funding, Fiat will also provide a wide range of services, and vehicles for use by officials and competitors.

In particular, a large bus fleet will be provided by their Iveco commercial division, while the car fleet for both individual and group transfers within the Olympic area will be supplied by Fiat.

Fiat Auto's two specialist brands, Alfa Romeo and Lancia, will also be counted on as 'official' sponsors to Torino 2006, with the former providing cars, in the shape of the new Crosswagon Q4, and funding, to both the men and women's Alpine Ski teams.

Alfa Romeo have also drawn up a marketing strategy based around 'Torino 2006' for their new Kamal 'Sports Utility Vehicle'. With the model's development programme now completed, the Kamal is ready to be 'signed off' to enter production.

Whether to give the green light to the marque's first ever SUV or not, will be one of Karl-Heinz Kalbfell's first major decisions when he officially takes up the reigns at Alfa Romeo on 1st January 2005.

If it does go ahead, the synergies between a car that promises to break new ground as a sporty and stylish SUV, and an event with the prestige and huge audience of the Winter Olympics, that also takes place on the firm's doorstep, is one that will be deemed as an unmissable opportunity to Alfa Romeo's marketing strategists.

Another prestigious Italian automotive sector company, this time the historical design house Pininfarina, will also be an official sponsor of the XX Olympic Winter Games.
 

Pininfarina, responsible for the styling of most recent Ferrari sports cars, have designed both the new 'Olympic Torch' and the traditional 'Countdown Clock', which takes centre stage in the City of Turin.

Fiat's involvement will begin in earnest on 8th December 2005 when the Olympic Torch sets out from Rome, to criss-cross Italy for two months, passing through every Region and Province during this period. Fiat will provide all the official cars that will accompany this tour, which will see more than 10,000 torch-bearers, ambassadors of the Olympic Spirit, tracing an 11,000-kilometre trail.

On 10 February 2005, the torch will eventually arrive in Turin, also the historical home of the Fiat Group, and the XX Olympiad will get underway.

The opening and closing ceremonies will take place in Turin's Stadio Comunale, a famous venue that will be completely refurbished over the course of the next year. Another name, steeped in Fiat's rich history is Lingotto, a venue where the 'Speed Skating' competitions will be held.

The Alpine Skiing facilities are to be located at Sestriere in the Province of Turin, with the competitions will take place at altitudes ranging between 2,020 and 2,800 metres.

by Edd Ellison