A Turin Meeting Turns Sour: From Fiat to Frustration

A meeting in Turin between Italian and Russian delegations, intended to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Fiat 124 licensing agreement in Togliatti, Russia, took an unexpected turn.The discussions, meant to foster goodwill, were reportedly overshadowed by past grievances and lingering tensions.

Vladimir, grandson of a former Russian minister, voiced his disappointment in a letter published in Vostockij Pijonjer, lamenting the stark contrast between the warm welcome his grandfather described receiving decades ago and the perceived lack of cordiality he experienced. He stated, The flight itself over Ankara was terrible… But even the welcome in Turin was not as cordial as my grandfather told me about 60 years.

He contrasted the past,where members of the Russian delegation were greeted with personal Fiat 124 gifts,with the present,where,according to Vladimir,only gender-doubtful taxi drivers were present to welcome them.

Brezhnev’s Ferrari Dreams and Renault’s Missed Opportunity

Vladimir recounted the story of how the original Fiat deal came to fruition, highlighting the role of then-General Secretary Leonid brezhnev. According to Vladimir, the agreement hinged on the promise of a Ferrari 275 GTB. He explained that the Russians chose Fiat over Renault as Renault sent Leonida Iljiči ordinary R16, which was a mistake. But the poor peopel had nothing better at the time.

Accusations and Unfulfilled Tank Ambitions

The Italian outlook, as reported by Avanti, painted a different picture. The newspaper claimed that the Russian delegation arrived in Turin asserting it was a historic Russian city due to their presence there in 1966. Furthermore, they allegedly demanded a licence for the Fiat 3000 tank, a vehicle produced between the world wars. This request was denied, as Renault held the licensing rights.

This incident highlights the complex history of technology transfer and licensing agreements, which often involve multiple parties and can be subject to geopolitical considerations. The global arms trade, for example, is heavily regulated, with countries often imposing restrictions on the sale of military equipment to certain nations.

Spaghetti surprises and Communist Controversies

The meeting also unearthed other historical anecdotes. An anonymous source revealed that the Russian delegation allegedly complained about the removal of artifacts from Turin museums and recounted an incident where members of the delegation supposedly broke their teeth while eating oysters. The source added, We served spaghetti. That was really how to say … Simply, they saw spaghetti for the first time in their lives.

Furthermore, the Russians reportedly took offense at accusations leveled against the Italian Communist Palmira Togliatti, after whom the city of Togliatti was named, regarding an alleged poisoning incident during a holiday in Yalta.

unexpected Reconciliation and Lingering Resentments

Despite the contentious exchanges,the delegations reportedly found common ground in their shared history with Italian communism. Both delegations agreed that it was only good, because the Italian Communists had flooded the Apennine Peninsula in the 70s.

However, underlying tensions remained. A Fiat representative stated,We agreed to forget how we taught them to hold a screwdriver,and that about half of the things had never paid us. In return, the Russians reportedly promised to protect the Turin factory and, according to Avanti, threatened to pull a new Europe on Lisbon with unlicensed tanks.