Through the innovative Virtual Reality Configurator, a few days ago, over 200 cruise ship passengers experienced an immersive discovery of the new spider from the Scorpion. The Abarth and Costa Crociere brands are the symbols of Italian excellence in performance, innovation and creativity

From 3 to 10 September, guests of the Costa Diadema, flagship of the Costa Crociere brand, travelling across some of the best destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, were able to experience an exciting immersive journey thanks to the innovative 'Abarth Virtual Reality Configurator'.
Placed in the Elidoro Hall of the ship's Deck 3, the special configurator was freely tested by 200 passengers, who were thus able to discover the Abarth 124 spider, heir to the 60's roadster by the same name and, just like its ancestor, destined to become an icon of driving pleasure as it hits the European dealerships in the next few days.
Awarded the prestigious 'Smau 2016 Innovation Prize', the Abarth VR Configurator features dedicated equipment and a 3D helmet that enables the user to move around the car, open its doors, sit inside and press the accelerator to hear the sound of the engine and exhaust, all in virtual reality. The objective is to develop new ways to get potential buyers involved: the Abarth 124 spider can be fully customised and the configuration can then be received via email, contacting the nearest dealer.
The Abarth VR Configurator is a tool integrated into the CRM processes that can adequately replace the physical car when it is not available, and provide a truly important support for the potential buyer's Consumer Decision Journey. Among other things, the digital tool is already being used during international events to present the car and display its equipment.
Built in just four weeks by an in-house team made up of the Digital Business & CRM and ICT organisations of the FCA group, the Abarth VR Configurator has been delivered to the five markets involved in the pilot project: Italy, Germany, France, England and Switzerland. This was also made possible by FCA ICT's past VR applications experience in different corporate areas, such as Manufacturing, Quality and Engineering. And today, with the innovative Abarth VR Configurator, FCA has made one more leap forward toward making 'virtual reality' not only a widely used sales tool, but also a helpful support for communications between the company, the markets, the dealers and the customers.

Abarth 124 spider

Designed to meet the taste of the most demanding pilots, the new model, which will be available at the European dealers in the next few days, perfectly represents the values of the brand: performance, excellence in the details and state of the art technology. Under the bonnet, a four-cylinder Multi Air 1.4 litre turbo engine delivers 170 HP (that is about 124 HP per litre) and 250 Nm of torque: it has a top speed of 232 km/h and goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. The engine can be combined with 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic Sequenziale Sportivo Essesse gearbox with steering-wheel paddle shifters.
For outstanding dynamic performance, the new Abarth 124 spider fits a mechanical self-locking differential as standard equipment. The weight is concentrated between the axles and the engine is installed behind the front axle to guarantee optimal agility and superior driving feel. Sophisticated mechanics and special materials have been used to contain the weight to just 1060 kilograms, which results in a weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 kg/HP, the best in its category. Furthermore, the optimal weight distribution guarantees excellent feedback and agility.
The suspension features high double wishbone suspension on the front and a five-arm multi-link on the rear. The set-up is calibrated specifically to increase stability on corners and for compression braking. Steering feedback is optimised by adopting a specific sports calibration of the power steering system.

Costa Diadema

With 132,500 gross tonnage and 1,862 passenger cabins, Costa Diadema is the flagship of Costa Crociere and the offers the best of Italy: in cuisine, hospitality, design and entertainment. On board, one can find the products of Italy's brands of excellence, experience the menus of Italy's regions, a special menu designed by Chef Bruno Barbieri, real Italian pizza made with mother yeast in collaboration with the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, enjoy the true Italian aperitivo and ice cream. Furthermore, Costa Diadema features a 6,200 sq m wellness centre, a 3-storey theatre, 4D cinema, Grand Prix auto simulator, a 500 m panoramic terrace, 3 swimming pools, casino, shopping centre, nightclub and free kids' club with dedicated indoor and outdoor areas.
In the Summer 2016, Costa Diadema offered an itinerary each week, departing from Savona every Saturday to discover the best destinations around the Mediterranean Sea, including Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca - with a long stopover, well into the night, to enjoy the island's beach and lifestyle - Civitavecchia/Rome.

Turin, 16 September 2016

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV published this content on 16 September 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 16 September 2016 16:23:09 UTC.

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