The passion for classic cars is truly international, inspiring enthusiasts and collectors all over the world. FCA Heritage has decided to tell their stories. Marino Parolin was born in the town of Volpago del Montello, the same birthplace as engineer Ugo Gobbato, a former Fiat executive who was subsequently appointed by public holding company IRI as the managing director of Alfa Romeo. Brought up on the myth of his illustrious fellow townsman, Marino nurtured a childhood dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.
For people who are born and live in small towns, it is hard not to be fascinated by fellow locals who have moved on and made a name for themselves in some other place. If that place happens to be Fiat, Italy’s biggest economic driver in the first half of the 20th century, the feeling of admiration is naturally even stronger.
Marino Parolin knows that feeling well, having been a long-time admirer of engineer Ugo Gobbato, who was head of the Turin-based car maker for years and managing director of Alfa Romeo from 1933 to 1945: "Inspired by such an important man, throughout my whole childhood I dreamed of becoming a mechanical engineer. I had a precise goal: to work hard, study and qualify for the scholarship that had been established in his name," he reveals.
But at secondary school, Marino’s maths teacher advised him against undertaking such a difficult path, being convinced that the youngster was not mathematically minded enough. Marino took the advice on board and chose to become a vet instead. In studying veterinary medicine, he ditched maths in favour of subjects such as physics, chemistry and biochemistry, passing all his exams with top marks.
"Nevertheless, I never stopped nurturing my fascination with engineer Gobbato and the whole value system that he came to embody. The same values that were championed by the great Fiat family during those years.
I tried to describe this 'world' in a biography about my illustrious fellow townsman."
But while writing his book, Marino suffered from writer's block. He overcame this creative slump thanks to an encounter with Ugo's son Pierugo Gobbato, which proved essential for his story. Marino had been on the verge of quitting his writing project, when one day he came across a two-page spread in the La Repubblica newspaper focusing on the younger Gobbato, who had followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming general manager first at Ferrari and then at Lancia.
"I tried to get in touch with Pierugo several times, but nothing came of it," he tells us excitedly. "Until one day, he contacted me in person. It was incredible! We met up and from then on, we kept in touch and often exchanged views. Besides being a great manager, he was also a great man. I consider myself lucky to have known him."
The project that Pierugo is most closely associated with as head of Lancia is the Stratos, which was produced by the Fiat subsidiary from 1973 to 1975 and designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone. The car became a symbol of those years, thanks to the incredible number of race victories that it managed to amass.
"Pierugo Gobbato’s best period was definitely the time he spent at Lancia. I was always struck by the philosophy behind every business choice that the brand made. Technology, elegance, sportsmanship: these were his guiding principles and the characteristics that were appreciated throughout the world," says Marino with conviction.
Recalling these values provided the extra impetus needed to continue telling the story of the Gobbato family, a tradition that has so much significance, and not just for the Fiat Group: "I’ve always believed that passing on stories of successful men and companies is essential for educating people.
This is the ideal underlying the Amici della storica Lancia club (‘Friends of the historic Lancia' club), which I founded in honour of Pierugo Gobbato and which involves me and a bunch of other historic car enthusiasts.
At the last meeting, we welcomed over 120 Lancia Fulvias from all over Italy. It was spectacular!"
Marino Parolin’s passion is not merely an academic interest limited to books, studies and shared experiences during events. He is keen to prove the point: "I own two classic Alfa Romeos: a Spider 'Aerodinamica' and an Alfa 90 V6. Even my two sons, Matteo and Gabriele, love these models and never pass up the opportunity to get behind the wheel."
Perhaps they have inherited their father’s genes? "Possibly," he muses, "but I’m sure that the stories I shared with them since they were very young have also borne fruit. Because they enshrine a romantic universe of values in which car enthusiasts—specifically those of Lancia and Alfa Romeo cars in this case—identify with and feel part of one big family."
It is this very feeling of attachment that has driven Marino, since his early youth, to nurture a lifetime’s passion day by day. Starting with the memories of a man he upholds as a model, and not just because of their similar origins.
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