FCA to Buy, Restore, and Sell Classic Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Lancias, and Abarths

fiat chrysler automobiles (fca) may want your classic italian car. the automaker has just launched a new initiative, reloaded by creators, that aims to buy, restore, and sell some of the most significant vehicles from the company’s history. focusing on italian brands (the company has shown no interest in your slant-six plymouth valiant), the project aims to bring alfa romeos, fiats, lancias, and abarths back to life while building the company’s own collection of historic cars.

numerous auto manufacturers have recently announced programs for either reproducing or restoring older vehicles. the mercedes-benz classic workforce at the company’s museum restores and sells what it calls all-time stars, pagani rinascimento is restoring and maintaining zondas, lamborghini’s polo storico is perfecting its classics, jaguar is remaking d-types, and land rover reborn is revamping series 1 models. mazda will even inject fresh juice into first-generation (na) miatas, and now fca equally sees opportunity in this space.

officially announced at the 2018 rétromobile classic-car show in paris, the reloaded by creators program is a compilation of services offered by the fca heritage division. customers could previously request certificates of origin and factory restoration for certain vehicles, but this is the first time the company will scout, acquire, and sell certified classic restorations.

claiming to have been “inspired by the modus operandi of art museums,” fca has opened the program with five classics, which are already available for purchase: a 1991 alfa romeo spider, a 1973 lancia fulvia coupe montecarlo, a 1981 pininfarina spidereuropa (née fiat 124 spider), a 1989 alfa romeo sz, and a 1959 lancia appia coupe. according to fca, the alfa spider, the montecarlo, and the pininfarina are “ultimate classics,” which means they are the last types of their series that were built and are restored to the fullest extent both mechanically and cosmetically. fca chose the sz and appia as “unusual” and interesting custom cars. each ride comes with a certificate of authenticity, the first time that alfa romeo and fiat have offered such documentation, according to fca.

fca is not selling these vehicles just for the fun of it. it hopes the cash acquired from the classic-car sales will fund more exhaustive and thorough searches for other classic cars. specific historically important vehicles that are discovered in the process will be added to the company’s own heritage collection. fiat chrysler has more information on the available vehicles here.