3ma-2009

Thursday 28th May to Sunday 31st May 2009

3ma-2009 is a pilgrimage of 131s to Turin in Italy to celebrate 35 years since the launch of the Fiat 131. There will be participants from the UK, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Spain and of course Italy.

The highlight of the four days of celebration will be our visit to the Mirafiori Factory and guided tour of the production lines as well as a couple of laps of the test track in our own cars. Our Mirafioris will be returned to their birthplace!

Thursday 28th May: Driving activities in the beautiful Piedmont region with a drive to Lake Maggiore for a waterfront lunch.

Friday 29th May: This day will see us having a tour of the Mirafiori factory and also drive the test track. We will arrive at 9:15am through the old historic gates of the factory and will be divided into two groups. Group 1 will visit the Fiat Idea and Lancia Musa assembly lines while group 2 takes to the Mirafiori test track.  The two groups will swap places after about an hour so the total tour should be about 2 hours.

After the factory visit we will have lunch at the Mirafiori village and after lunch we have the opportunity to spend some money in the Mirafiori village; preferably on the smaller items for sale and not buy a new car! Private group parking will be arranged for us and we just hope it's under the "mirafiori" sign as that will make a great photo opportunity.
 

Saturday 30th May: This will be our static display day and we will be driving to The Basilica of Superga square. A visit to The Basilica of Superga is a must for tourists. At 670 metre altitude, the hill of Superga is Turin's second tallest after that of the 715 metres high Faro della Maddalena and the views of Turin from the hill are simply breathtaking.

The Basilica's crypts contain a great mausoleum with the tombs of the Savoy rulers from Vittorio Emanuele II to Carlo Alberto (except for Carlo Felice who is buried at the Abbey of Altacomba) and of other 50 princes and princesses, that is all the House of Savoy members who died after 1732.

Sunday 31st May: Another driving day, this time in Montferrat, the historic region of Piedmont, south of the Po River, now mostly in Alessandria province. It is largely hilly so ideal for some 131 style driving! Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy and the region also produces fruit, and cereals. The territory is cut in two by the river Tanaro. The northern part (the Basso Monferrato), which lies between that river and the Po, is an area of rolling hills and plains. The southern part (the Alto Monferrato) rises from the banks of the Tanaro into the mountains of the Apennines and the water divide between Piedmont and Liguria.

Sunday lunch has been arranged at Farigliano where we are promised that we will be amazed by the beautiful landscape!
 

The 3ma Team

Previous News Items:

3ma 2008 - Another astounding success

3ma 2008 Driving Routes

07 November 2007 - 3ma 2008

25 May 2007 - 3ma 2007

03 May 2007 - Just two weeks to go

26 February 2007 - Gentlemen, book your rooms

25 January 2007 - 3ma Reconnaissance mission