Abarth Simca 2000 1963-1965
The Abarth Simca 2000 was an Italian high-performance automobile produced in the 1960s as a collaborative project of the Simca and Abarth companies in Turin, Italy.
| Abarth Simca 2000 | |
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Abarth and Simca |
| Production | 1963 |
| Assembly | Turin, Italy |
| Layout | RR layout |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 3.609 m (11.84 ft) |
| Width | 1.48 m (4.9 ft) |
| Height | 1.199 m (3.93 ft) |
| Engine | |
| Configuration | Abarth Tipo 236 Straight 4 |
| Location | Rear, longitudinally mounted |
| Construction | cast-iron block, aluminium head |
| Displacement | 1,981 cc / 120.9 cu in |
| Bore / Stroke | 88.8 mm (3.5 in) / 80.0 mm (3.1 in) |
| Compression | 9.8:1 |
| Valvetrain | 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC |
| Fuel feed | 2 Weber 58 DCOA/3 Carburettors |
| Ignition | Twin Spark |
| Lubrication | Dry sump |
| Aspiration | Naturally Aspirated |
| Power | 204 bhp / 152 KW @ 7,200 rpm |
| BHP/Liter | 103 bhp / liter |
| Drivetrain | |
| Body | aluminium and fibreglass panels |
| Chassis | steel monocoque |
| Front suspension | trailing arms, transverse lower semi-elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic dampers |
| Rear suspension | trailing arms, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers |
| Steering | worm-and-roller |
| Brakes (fr/r) | Girling hydraulic discs |
| Gearbox | 6 speed Manual |
| Final drive | 4.9:1 |
| Clutch | Dry, single plate |
| Drive | Rear wheel drive |
| Dimensions | |
| Weight | 665 kilo / 1,466 lbs |
| Length / Width / Height | 3,610 mm (142.1 in) / 1,480 mm (58.3 in) / 1,210 mm (47.6 in) |
| Wheelbase / Track (fr/r) | 2,090 mm (82.3 in) / 1,260 mm (49.6 in) / 1,272 mm (50.1 in) |
| Fuel tank | 85 Litre (22.5 Gallon US / 18.7 Gallon Imperial) |
| Wheels (fr/r) | 5 x 13 / 5.5 x 13 |
| Performance figures | |
| Power to weight | 0.31 bhp / kg |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
Carlo Abarth is best known for his Fiat-based road and racing cars but also had a hugely successful collaboration with French manufacturer Simca during the first half of the 1960s. One of the first products of this partnership was the Abarth Simca 1300 GT of 1962, which was based on the recently introduced Simca 1000. Fitted with a slippery, lightweight body and an enlarged engine, the small machine was immediately successful in its class.
At the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, Abarth provided a first glimpse of what was to come with the introduction of the Abarth Simca 1600 GT and 2000 GT. While these, larger-engined cars used the same Simca-derived underpinnings as the 1300 GT, they featured a newly developed engine. Of these two, the smaller-engined 1600 GT was not developed further as it would be forced to run in the same 1,301 - 2,000 cc class as its bigger brother.
Compared to the Simca derived engine, the new Tipo 236 straight four was slightly longer and importantly used five instead of three bearings to support the crankshaft instead of the three featured in the production engine. Equipped with dry-sump lubrication, a pair of 45 mm Webers and twin-spark ignition, the new two-litre unit produced 177 bhp in road-going trim. The racing engines were fitted with 58DCOE/3 carburettors, which were the largest Webers ever made, and were good for over 200 bhp.
The new engine was mated to a modified Simca gearbox, which was uprated from four to six speeds by Abarth. The steel platform was derived from the Simca 1000 as was the trailing arm suspension. The 2000 GT or 'Due Mila' was fitted with the latest evolution of the signature Abarth body, which featured a new raised 'duck-tail' to clear the longer engine. It also improved engine cooling and increased downforce. Clothed in aluminium, the road going Abarth Simca 2000 GT tipped the scales at just 740 kg.
Product description
The A-S 2000 was a coupé powered by a four-cylinder Abarth engine of 1946.27 cc, rated at 202 PS (149 kW). Its maximum speed was listed as 168 mph (270 km/h). Its overall length was 11.84 ft (3.609 m), overall width was 4.85 ft (1.48 m), height was 3.93 ft (1.199 m), its wheelbase was 6.86 ft (2.090 m), its front track was 4.167 ft (1.27 m), and its rear track was 4.27 ft (1.300 m). Its fuel tank held 6.6 imperial gallons, although optional tanks of 12.1, 18.7 and 24.2 imperial gallons were also available. Its empty weight was 1518 lb (689 kg).
The car's radiator-cooling inlet was a low-set oval in a forward-thrusting nose; there was no obvious forward bumper. The two headlights were set under transparent fairings. The bonnet was long and markedly sloped. Its windshield was more highly sloped than most contemporary vehicles. An upturned air deflector was mounted atop the rear trunk.
The gasoline tank was filled through a lid-covered cap located at the upper-right hand corner of the nearly-flat rear window.