It seems hard to believe that, in just a couple of months, Abarthisti will be four years old.
What started as an experiment has grown way beyond what I ever expected. Abarthisti's success has been down to you guys, our members - both past and present - and it's probably fair to say that some of Abarth's success in the UK can be attributed to you, the Abarthisti, too. There aren't many automotive marques that can boast an online community with such a high percentage of owner representation, or with so many members that go on to buy second, third or even fourth Abarths, while citing the active community as one of the key reasons for their passion in the brand.
However, that success can come at a cost, and for me, it's been a personal one.
As Abarthisti has grown, so have its demands on my time, and some of you will know that I've already had to take a back seat so as to concentrate on that pesky activity known as a 'day job'.
While I've tried to carry on organising and attending events, providing editorial content and answering emails, the truth is that there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that I'd like to.
It's therefore with a certain amount of regret that I've agreed to stand down and transfer ownership of the site to a new owner. Abarthisti is now part of the AutoGuide family of online communities, and they will be along shortly to introduce themselves.
What does this mean for you?
There will be a few changes behind the scenes, but Abarthisti will carry on just as it has been. The forum will look and operate just as it does now, our Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Policy remain unchanged, and the moderators and administrators will stay just as they are. I know you'll continue to support them as they pick up the reins and drive Abarthisti forwards.
And with that, all that's left for me to say is thank-you for coming along for the ride, for giving me such an enjoyable way to spend too much time not working, and to hope that we'll see each other at an event some time in the future.
Alex
