Passion for life

I love brands that are passionate about what they do, it's why the two (relatively affordable) cars I'd like most right now (I.e.: When I pass my test..!!) are the Fiat 500 Abarth and the Alfa Romeo Brera.

So I was happy when Abarth's PR people contacted me and showed me The Scorpion Tales, a series about the story of Karl Abarth and his love of racing.

Sure the subtitles are small and the translation a bit off, but it reminds me just why it is I love their cars. The dedication, passion and unwillingness to accept second best.

There is a reason (besides his Ferrari/Fiat sponsorship!) that he owns a Fiat 500 Abarth. There is a reason why a love of Alfa's is about the only thing I agree with Jeremy Clarkson on. That reason is passion. Not just branded passion, but the stuff that truthfully goes through the whole business; the stuff that every brand should be aiming for.

Romeo Romeo...Slow Down!

In that odd 'planner' style of thinking, finally getting to see my favourite car of the moment in real life (even if it was in Sainsbury's car park) made me think a lot about the way I see things.

The Alfa Romeo Brera... its bloody gorgeous. £32k of Italian style. Even in black it was distractingly wonderful.

Yet they (Alfa) are known for being unreliable, for having build issues...yet if you wrote me a cheque for £32k I wouldnt even look at any of its competitors. There is something in that passion that so clearly wraps itself around the car that makes it far more than the sum of its parts.

Which oddly is very much how I think. I can accept failure, and learn from it. I can accept flaws, even compromise. But the one thing I cannot and will not accept is a lack of passion. Maybe thats why I love Nintendo not Playstation, why I love Innocent and not PJ, why I love Ben and Jerry's more than Haagen Daaz.

When I pass my test I plan to get a Volkwagon Polo (ideal first car you see), and in a sense I admire the passion of VW in perfecting the quality and reliability of their cars in the same way Alfa perfect the looks and style. You wont see me driving anything without passion in its craft, and I sincerely hope you will never see me involved in anything else without passion running right the way through it.

Picture from www.alfaworkshop.co.uk