- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr Ar He
Abarth. Italian Scorpio
Abarth is an Italian car brand that has its own facilities for the production of sports cars in the city of Turin. Today, the company is 100% owned by Fiat Group Automobiles, which, in turn, is part of a larger alliance Stellantis (in 2021, the alliance brought together the largest companies PSA and FCA, and currently owns 14 car brands). Founded in 1949 by a famous racing driver and sports car designer, the brand specializes in creating sports cars based on Fiat models. Abarth cars repeatedly won many races, surpassing the technical characteristics of competitors, were in great demand among beginners and professional racers, competed on many tracks around the world and were known to all motorsport fans.
Motorcycle racing, Porsche and Cisitalia
The future founder of the company, Carlo Abarth, has been manufacturing high quality exhaust systems since the 1920s. In his youth, he was more attracted to motorcycles, so after graduating from university the young Abarth found a job as a test engineer at Thun Motor, where his skill as a motorcycle racer flourished. In the 1930s, Carlo became a five-time European champion, once even on a car of his own design. Alas, in 1938, his sports career was interrupted by a serious accident, after which Carlo ended up in the hospital for a year. And only after the war was he able to return to his beloved work, but in a new role.
Thanks to his acquaintance with the legendary German car designer Ferdinand Porsche, better known as Ferri Porsche, he was involved in the manufacture of Cisitalia brand sports cars, the creation of Piero Dusio. Dusio was going to create a team to participate in the Grand Prix and allocated significant funds for the creation of a unique car model ‘360’. The prototype created by Porsche had a horizontal 12-cylinder 300 horsepower engine located in the middle and front-wheel drive. But the car was not finished, because Dusio had run out of money. The car has never taken part in the races. When, due to financial problems, the company ceased to exist, Abarth acquired its racing department, headed by a wealthy racer Carlo Scagliarini. On its basis, Carlo founded his own company, a plant for the production of automotive mufflers and exhaust systems. It was called Abarth & C.
The company was engaged in forcing small engines, including Fiat engines. Therefore, the first Abarth car, presented in 1950 at the Turin Motor Show, was equipped with a 1.0-liter 4-cylinder Fiat engine. The unit had an initial capacity of 35 horsepower, but its forced version was able to accelerate the car to 177 km/h. The company became especially popular after tuning the Fiat 500 and 600 models in 1955. The improved cars became a real gift for those who wanted to join motorsport. The upgraded Fiat 500s and Fiat 600s with boosted rear-mounted engines featured half-open bonnets to improve cooling. The bodies were ordered from the most famous Italian design studios, including Bertone, Zagato, Ghia and, of course, Pininfarina. For publicity purposes, Abarth attracted motoring journalists for demonstration trips, which increased attention and contributed to brand awareness.
‘Marriage’ with Fiat
Fiat has therefore become the main partner of the Abarth brand. However, for a short time Abarth ‘cheated’ its partner with the models of the French company SIMCA, having built in the 1950-1960s a number of cars based on them with forced 4-cylinder engines (1.3 and 1.5 liters). The connection with Alfa Romeo turned out to be quite short, as Fiat ‘got jealous’ and forced it to refuse to cooperate. Over time, the relationship with Fiat grew stronger, and in 20 years Abarth could be proud of more than six thousand race victories won by its cars based on Fiat models. Carlo’s cars were very successful. For example, the 1956 Fiat 600, with an upgraded 750 cc engine, was in such demand that Abarth decided to supply customers with do-it-yourself kits. The small car set many records, including 2 world records.
In 1961, cooperation between Fiat and Abarth reached a new level: the companies signed an agreement under which Fiat provided Abarth with separate mechanisms, which Abarth had the right to improve at its discretion. The list included brake systems, cooling systems, carburetors and an exhaust system. As a result, the Abarth 850TC was built on the chassis of the Fiat 600, the power of which in the ‘civilian’ version reached 57 hp, and the maximum speed was 135 km/h. There was also a racing version with an engine producing 93 hp, developing a top speed of 190 km/h. In 1967, Carlo Abarth took part in the sports car prototype constructors' championship. To do this, he built a new 12-cylinder engine with a volume of 6 liters and a capacity of 600 hp. But the limitation of the engine displacement to 3 liters, introduced by the International Automobile Federation at the wrong time, put an end to this project.
In 1971 Fiat acquired Abarth, which became its sports division. At that time, Abarth released the last car created under the leadership of Carlo Abarth, a rally modification of the Autobianchi A112 called A112 Abarth. After working in his own company as a salaried director for some time, Carlo Abarth quit his job. Abarth’s last racing car was the 325 hp Lancia 037 Abarth. In the future, the Italian company assigned the name “Abarth” to its fastest road cars, such as, for example, the expressive Abarth Strada. The scorpion on the shield has since only adorned the modified Fiats.
Under the sign of Scorpio
Carlo Abarth returned to his native country, to Vienna. He left because of his advanced age, and possibly also because Fiat closed almost all projects except the rally program that was especially interesting in a marketing sense. But even there he received financial support and the Lancia brand became popular, while the Abarth name officially disappeared from the tracks. Also, under the sign of Scorpio, more powerful production Fiat versions were produced: Ritmo (1984), Tipo (1988), Punto (1993) and Stilo (2002). After a pause, in 2007, Fiat decided to relaunch the Abarth brand as a separate brand, launching the new Abarth Grande Punto model. In 2008, the Abarth 500 was released as a tribute to the brand’s founder. The car was created on the basis of the Fiat 500, which made Abarth famous half a century ago. It is symbolic that the loop is complete, as in the life of the great Carlo: Abarth was born on November 15, 1908 in Vienna, and died on October 24, 1979 in the same city where he was born. Even under the same sign of Scorpio.
Model range
Abarth 124 Spider
The Abarth 124 Spider is a small roadster produced by Mazda for the Stellantis company under the Abarth brand since 2016. It is not a completely independent model, but a sports version of the Fiat 124 Spider, which, in turn, is a redesigned sports roadster well known to the world, the Mazda MX-5, with the name Miata. Both Spider models are built in Japan at Mazda’s Hiroshima plant, but final assembly of the Abarth takes place at the Officine Abarth plant in Turin, Italy, where Abarth-branded parts are installed.
Abarth 500
The Abarth 500 is a small passenger car in mini format, produced since 2007 in the bodies of a hatchback or a 3-door convertible, bearing the famous Scorpio emblem. Using a regular 2007 Fiat 500 as the base, Abarth made its model more aggressive, fitted it with a 1,4-liter Fire Turbojet engine with 135-160 hp and modified suspension. Small, nimble and affordable, the Abarth 500 proved to be a true entry ticket into the world of amateur motorsport. Even years later, the model retained its recognizable design, while becoming even more powerful and faster.
Abarth 595
The Abarth 595 is a small sporty 3-door hatchback or convertible with a retractable soft top, a modern version of the Abarth 500 model. It has been produced by the Abarth brand, the sports division of Fiat, since 2012. The car has outstanding performance, the cutest design, rich finishing and a special spirit. It has a huge number of varieties, special versions and modifications.
Abarth 695
The Abarth 695 is a sporty 3-door hatchback based on the Fiat 500 model, which, in turn, is based on the 1957 car model. Therefore, the 695 has a charming and recognizable retro style. The company’s 695 index denotes the most powerful versions of the original Fiat 500. The Abarth 695 is therefore not an independent model, but a “series” that constantly releases new “episodes”.
Abarth Pulse
It is the only SUV of the Abarth brand. The Pulse debuted in Brazil in March 2022 and will be available later in the year. It is known that the SUV from Abarth differs from the Fiat Pulse model in the design of the front end, the rear bumper with diffuser imitations, an original dual exhaust system, as well as wheels and decor. The vehicle is equipped with a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine with a return of 185 horsepower and 275 Nm (the Jeep Renegade has the same engine). The SUV is front-wheel drive and has a 6-speed automatic transmission.
