In the Apennines near Parma, in the heart of Italian Motor Valley you can find one of the strongest and most passionate workshops of the off-road scene: Acerni Custom Engineering aka ACE. Here Pier Acerni, the owner, and his team restore, modify and tune extraordinary off road 4x4 prototypes.

In the workshop lingers the sense of heritage and victories but the atmosphere is pretty informal and friendly. The bond among team members is what really makes them unique. They’re a family, not just a business, and that makes ACE equal to none.

Well, in the daily work I'm almost a computer, I'm very careful, meticulous and picky. But I also have a problem solving inborn instinct. Sometimes I test myself technically, to discover that my first thought was correct. Instinct led me to do many things. Well, when you put the helmet on for a race - for instance - it's full instinct mode since offroad races are full of unexpected twists and turns. You give it all, without knowing what's behind that curve, whether it's a leap or a rock.

Our target is to go back to the King of the Hammers in California with a truly competitive prototype fitted for that kind of soil, which is different from the European one. It's an incredible desert of sand and rocks, like you were on Mars. You need something specifically made to face it.

Offroad competitions are pure adrenaline to me! When you put the peak down and you get the green light every obstacle, every difficulty or every opponent you overcome gives you unique sensations. It's something that you treasure inside. And it sticks with you forever.

We started testing the engine oils because we heard about their quality and that was the most important aspect for us. We found a real partner which grew closer to us to face the difficult challenges of the racing world. With their laboratory of analysis they helped us to find the right solution.

Offroad is an art for us. It's synchronism, it's folly, it's bravery. A state of mind.

In life I understood that nothing is truly impossible. What I thought was impossible before is now behind me, among all the challenges I gathered and passed. I'm here to look ahead, to new challenges. My motto is to believe. Always believe in yourself! This is being a Pakelo Hero to me.

For more info about ACE custom 4x4 parts and ACE 4x4 prototypes visit: Acerni Custom Engineering Website.