Well, it didn't turn out as bad as it could have. The weather was kind and it only rained sporadically on 6 May 2012, which certainly suited the organizers of the two car meetings "American Live" and "Italiauto". And was not too detrimental to the flow of visitors.
Two nations, two meetings
America and Italy - two countries around 7,000 km apart, but on the first Sunday in May you only had to travel 11 km to get from one culture to the other. While the US cars met in Oensingen, automotive beauties from Italy gathered in Wangen an der Aare.
"Huge" and "Great" versus "Piccola" and "Esclusivo"
Despite the geographical proximity, the differences between the two meetings could hardly be greater. While around 2,000 large and huge American automobiles (and around 25,000 visitors) gathered in the industrial area of Oensingen, surrounded by simple functional buildings barely more than 10 or 20 years old, in Wangen, in a picturesque old town full of tradition and history, an almost three-digit number of Italian gems came together.
While the US cars flaunted their size and cubic capacity in line with the saying "nothing is better than cubic inches", the Italian vehicles shone with compact to tiny dimensions and mechanical works of art as engines.
The specifications of carmakers on both sides of the Atlantic differed fundamentally decades ago. At the same time as a Cadillac Eldorado or even a staid family saloon from Oldsmobile took on dimensions of five meters or more, the Turin-based company produced compact vehicles with space for four people in a length of less than three meters. And Carlo Abarth did his bit to get sports car-like performance out of the small engines, which would have suited many a powerful eight-cylinder V-engine from the Americans.
Tuners and purists
One major difference between the two assembled cultures is probably their approach to history and tradition. While the US car community is generally quite flexible when it comes to the originality of its vehicles - hotrods, custom cars and modern, shiny chrome rims are just a few examples - fans of Italian classics are almost unaffected by the historically correct condition of their vehicles. Although there are exceptions here too, as demonstrated by a huge subwoofer in the trunk of a small Fiat, which would have impressed many an American fan. Performance enhancement, refinement and modifications are part of the US vehicle culture, so this aspect once again played a major role at the meeting in Oensingen.
Plenty for the eye
Both the Americans and the Italians can be credited with building at least as much for the eye as for reason. Chrome was an important design element in both the old and the new world, and bodywork details such as rear fins or artfully designed radiator grilles are still pleasing to the eye today.
In Oensingen and Wangen, spectators got to see real rarities, be it a Hudson Commodore, a pack of Dodge Chargers, including the movie car from "Fast and the Furious", or two special bodies on the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, designed by Pinin Farina and Herrmann Graber. Or when was the last time you saw an NSU Fiat Weinsberg Coupé from 1960?
The Ford Torino, which broke down just before entering Oensingen, and the Maserati Sebring, which didn't even make it to Wangen due to ignition problems, showed that neither American nor Italian cars are free of fads.
American and Italian catering
The two meetings were not only a feast for the eyes, but also for the stomach. While the "Americans" were able to fill up on a steak, the "Italians" were served penne and cheese.
Shared love
As different as the people and the vehicles at the two meetings may have been, at the end of the day, the two fan groups were united by their love of the vehicle and of cultivated "cruising" (or sporty driving).
Although there was hardly any mixing, many an owner of an American classic is also likely to enjoy Italian jewels and the De Tomaso Pantera with a large-volume US Ford engine presented in Wangen proves that the Italians were already fond of borrowing from the Americans in the past. People from New York, California and Boston have long since integrated "Italianita" into their culture anyway, why else would they talk about "American food like pizza"?
Here's to something new
American Live took place for the thirtieth time, while Italiauto can look back on an eight-year tradition. Both are sure to continue, which pleases fans from both camps.
A detailed photo gallery with a total of almost 150 pictures is available on Zwischengas for each of the two meetings:
