Abarth

Motorpedia Abarth

Abarth & C. S.p.A.

Type	Società per Azioni
Industry	Automotive
Founded	Bologna, Italy (31 March 1949 (1949-03-31))
Founder	Carlo Abarth
Headquarters	Turin, Italy
Area served	EMEA
Key people	Alfredo Altavilla, COO
Owner	Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Parent	FCA Italy
Website	www.abarth.it

Abarth & C. S.p.A. is a racing car and road car maker founded by Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth in 1949.

Its logo is a shield with a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow background. Abarth & C. S.p.A. is a fully owned subsidiary of FCA Italy S.p.A. (formerly Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.), the subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (formerly of Fiat S.p.A.) controlling its European automotive production activities.

History

1949: Abarth & C.

A 1950 205A, one of the first Abarth cars

Carlo Abarth was sporting director of the Cisitalia factory racing team starting in 1947. 1948 saw the financial downfall of Cisitalia, spurred by the investments needed to put the 202 coupé into production. The following year the manufacturer folded, and founder Piero Dusio flew to Argentina. Carlo Abarth, funded by Armando Scagliarini, took over Cisitalia's assets and on 31 March 1949 Abarth & C. was founded in Bologna. Carlo's astrological sign, Scorpio, was chosen as the company logo. From the Cisitalia liquidation Abarth obtained five 204 sports cars (two complete Spiders and three unfinished), a D46 single seater and various spares. The 204s were immediately rechristened Abarth 204 A. Abarth built and raced sports cars developed from the last Cisitalia cars. In addition to Guido Scagliarini, the «Squadra Abarth» racing team lined up celebrated drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari, Franco Cortese and Piero Taruffi. Notably Tazio Nuvolari made his last appearance in racing at the wheel of an Abarth 204 A, winning its class in the Palermo–Monte Pellegrino hillclimb on 10 April 1950. Alongside racing, the company's main activity was producing and selling accessories and performance parts for Fiat, Lancia, Cisitalia and Simca cars, like inlet manifolds and silencers.

On 9 April 1951 the company's headquarters were moved to Turin; Abarth began his well-known association with Fiat in 1952, when it built the Abarth 1500 Biposto on Fiat mechanicals.

In the 1960s, Abarth was successful in hillclimbing and sports car racing, mainly in classes from 850cc to 2000cc, competing with Porsche 904 and Ferrari Dino. Hans Herrmann was a factory driver from 1962 until 1965, winning the 500 km Nürburgring in 1963 with Teddy Pilette.

Abarth promised Johann Abt that he could race a factory car for free if he won all the races he entered.^[when?] Abt almost succeeded: of the 30 races he entered, Abt won 29 and finished second once.^[when?] Abt later founded Abt Sportsline.

Abarth 595, derived from the Fiat 500

Abarth produced high-performance exhaust pipes, diversifying into tuning kits for road vehicles, mainly for Fiat. A racing exhaust was produced for the 1950s Lambretta models "D" and "LD". Original Abarth LD exhausts are now valuable collectors items. Reproductions are available which carry the Abarth name, how Fiat feels about this is not known. Lambretta even held several 125cc Motorcycle land speed records during the 1950s thanks partly to the exhaust that Abarth developed for them.

Abarth also helped build sports or racing cars with Porsche and Simca.

1971: Fiat takeover

Carlo sold Abarth to Fiat on 31 July 1971. The acquisition was only made public by Fiat with a press release on 15 October. As Fiat was not interested in the Reparto Corse racing operations, these were taken over by Enzo Osella. Osella obtained cars, spares, technicians and drivers (amongst them Arturo Merzario), and continued the racing activity founding the Osella racing team. Thus ended for Abarth the days of sport prototype and hill climb racing.

Under Fiat ownership, Abarth became the Fiat Group's racing department, managed by engine designer Aurelio Lampredi. Abarth prepared Fiat's rally cars, including the Fiat 124 Abarth Rally and 131 Abarth. In December 1977, in advance of the 1978 racing season, the beforehand competing Abarth and Squadra Corse Lancia factory racing operations were merged by Fiat into a single entity named EASA (Ente per l'Attività Sportiva Automobilistica, Organization for Car Sports Racing Activities).Cesare Fiorio (previously in charge of the Lancia rally team) was appointed director, while Daniele Audetto was sporting director; the EASA headquarters were set up in Abarth's Corso Marche (Turin) offices. The combined racing department developed the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo Group 5 racing car (1980 and 1981 World Sportscar Championship winner) and the Lancia Rally 037 Group B rally car (which won for Lancia the 1983 World Manufacturers' Championship).

On 1 October 1981, Abarth & C. ceased to exist and was replaced by Fiat Auto Gestione Sportiva, a division of the parent company specialized in the management of racing programmes that would remain in operation through to the end of 1999, when it changed to Fiat Auto Corse S.p.A.

Some commercial models built by Fiat or its subsidiaries Lancia and Autobianchi were co-branded Abarth, including the Autobianchi A112 Abarth, a popular "boy racer" because it was lightweight and inexpensive.

In the 1980s Abarth name was mainly used to mark performance cars, such as the Fiat Ritmo Abarth 125/130 TC.

In 2000s, Fiat used the Abarth brand to designate a trim/model level, as in the Fiat Stilo Abarth.

2007: rebirth of Abarth & C. S.p.a.

On 1 February 2007 Abarth was re-established as an independent unit with the launch of the current company, Abarth & C. S.p.a., controlled 100% by Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., the subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A. dealing with the production and selling of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The first model launched was the Abarth Grande Punto and the Abarth Grande Punto S2000. The brand is based in the Officine 83, part of the old Mirafiori engineering plant. The CEO is Harald Wester.

In 2015 Abarth's parent company was renamed FCA Italy S.p.A., reflecting the incorporation of Fiat S.p.A. into Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that took place in the previous months.

Yamaha XSR900 Abarth

Abarths collaboration with Yamaha to produce for 2017 a limited-edition "Sport Heritage café racer special", the XSR900 Abarth based on Yamahas XSR900 847 cc inline-triple neo-retro standard.

Production

Current models

Abarth 500	Abarth 500C	Abarth 124 Spider
City car 3-door hatchback	City car Cabriolet	Sports car Roadster

Fiat Abarth 750

Abarth 209A Boano Coupe

Abarth race cars

Fiat Abarth 1000

1961 Abarth Monomille, rebodied Fiat 600 chassis

Cars produced by Abarth

Fiat 131 Abarth driven by Markku Alén at the 1978 1000 Lakes Rally

Fiat-Abarth 500
Fiat-Abarth 750
Fiat-Abarth 1000 TC (Fiat 600 based)
Fiat-Abarth 850 TC
Abarth 1100 Scorpione Spider (Boano)
Abarth 1500 Biposto
Abarth Simca 2000 – coupé
Abarth 204A Berlinetta
Abarth 205A Berlinetta
Alfa Romeo Abarth 2000 Coupe
Abarth 207A Spyder
Abarth 209A Boano Coupe
Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth
Abarth Simca 1300 GT
Fiat-Abarth OT1000
Fiat-Abarth OT1600
Fiat-Abarth OT 2000 Competition Coupé
Fiat-Abarth Zagato 750
Fiat-Abarth 2200
Fiat-Abarth Allemano 750 Spider
Fiat-Abarth 2400
Fiat Abarth 1000 TCR Berlina
Autobianchi A112 Abarth
Fiat-Abarth 595 SS
Fiat-Abarth 695 SS
Abarth OT 1300
Abarth Monomille
Abarth Grand Prix/Scorpione
Abarth 3000 Prototipo
Fiat Ritmo 125/130 TC Abarth
Fiat Abarth 124 Rally
Fiat 131 Abarth Rally
Lancia 037
Lancia Abarth Kappa Coupe Turbo

Cars not produced by Abarth but with Abarth badges

Fiat Uno Turbo Mk2 (Abarth)
Fiat Bravo GT/HGT (Abarth)
Fiat Bravo Type 198 (Abarth)
Fiat Stilo (Abarth)
Fiat Punto (Abarth)
Fiat Cinquecento Sporting (Abarth)
Fiat Seicento Sporting (Abarth)

Cars produced under Abarth & C. S.p.A. (2007–)

Abarth 500
Abarth 500 SS
Assetto Corsa Rally
695 Tributo Ferrari
695C Edizione Maserati (499 Units)
Abarth Grande Punto (2007)
Abarth Grande Punto SS (2007)
Abarth Punto Evo
Abarth Punto Supersport (2012–2013)
Abarth 500C

Cars produced by other manufacturers with involvement from Abarth

Lancia Delta S4 for Group B – Helped to engineer the engine which utilised a supercharger and turbocharger.

Cars produced under Fiat Corse – N Technology named Abarth

Fiat Punto Abarth (rally version only)
Fiat Cinquecento 900 Trofeo kitcar (teams had to build up their own rallycar from Fiat N Technology derived Abarth racingparts)
Fiat Cinquecento Sporting 1.1 Rally car
Fiat Seicento Sporting 1.1 Rally car

Motorsport

Rally

Year	Car	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	DC	Points	MC	Points
2007	Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000	Andrea Navarra	KEN 1	TUR 2	BEL 3	RUS 4	POR Ret	CZE 7	ITA 10	SWI Ret	CHI				3rd	32	2nd	90
		Umberto Scandola	KEN Ret	TUR	BEL 5	RUS	POR	CZE	ITA 4	SWI 3	CHI				6th	15
		Anton Alén	KEN	TUR 4	BEL	RUS 1	POR	CZE Ret	ITA	SWI	CHI				7th	15
		Giandomenico Basso	KEN	TUR	BEL	RUS	POR 1	CZE	ITA 2	SWI	CHI				5th	18
2008	Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000	Giandomenico Basso	TUR Ret	POR 4	BEL 6	RUS 3	POR 2	CZE Ret	ESP 1	ITA 1	SWI 5	CHI			3rd	32	2nd	74
		Anton Alén	TUR 3	POR Ret	BEL 11	RUS 2	POR	CZE Ret	ESP 6	ITA 8	SWI 6	CHI			5th	21
		Umberto Scandola	TUR	POR	BEL	RUS	POR 7	CZE	ESP	ITA Ret	SWI Ret	CHI			28th	2
		Renato Travaglia	TUR	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA 4	SWI	CHI			6th*	19*
		Alessio Pissi	TUR	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA 13	SWI	CHI			-	0
		Andrea Navarra	TUR	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA Ret	SWI	CHI			-	0
2009	Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000	Giandomenico Basso	MON 5	BRA 3	KEN	POR Ret	BEL 8	RUS 3	POR 1	CZE Ret	ESP 8	ITA	SCO		5th	28	4th	43
		Anton Alén	MON Ret	BRA Ret	KEN	POR 14	BEL	RUS 7	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA	SCO		34th	3
		Luca Rossetti	MON Ret	BRA	KEN	POR	BEL	RUS	POR Ret	CZE 10	ESP	ITA 2	SCO		10th	8
		Bernd Casier	MON	BRA	KEN	POR	BEL 14	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA	SCO		-	0
		Miguel Fuster	MON	BRA	KEN	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP Ret	ITA	SCO		-	0
		Umberto Scandola	MON	BRA	KEN	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA 11	SCO		-	0
		François Duval	MON	BRA	KEN	POR	BEL	RUS	POR	CZE	ESP	ITA Ret	SCO		-	0
2010	Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000	Luca Rossetti	MON	BRA	ARG	CAN	ITA	BEL	AZO	MAD	CZE	ITA 5	SCO	CYP	22nd	4	6th	6
2010	Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000	Giandomenico Basso	MON	BRA	ARG	CAN	ITA	BEL	AZO	MAD	CZE	ITA 7	SCO	CYP	36th	2	6th	6