Abarth

Abarth & C. S.p.A.
Società per Azioni
Industry Automotive
Founded Bologna, Italy (31 March 1949 (1949-03-31))
Founder Carlo Abarth
Headquarters Turin[1]:304, Italy
Area served
 EMEA[1]:44
Key people
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.[3] Its logo is a shield with a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow background.[4] 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.[5] 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,[lower-alpha 1] took over Cisitalia's assets and on 31 March 1949 Abarth & C. was founded in Bologna.[6][7] 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.[5] The 204s were immediately rechristened Abarth 204 A.[5] 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.[8] 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.[9]

On 9 April 1951 the company's headquarters were moved to Turin;[7] Abarth began his well-known association with Fiat in 1952, when it built the Abarth 1500 Biposto on Fiat mechanicals.[10]

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.[11]

Abarth promised Johann Abt that he could race a factory car for free if he won all the races he entered. Abt almost succeeded: of the 30 races he entered, Abt won 29 and finished second once.[11] 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.[12][13]

Abarth also helped build sports or racing cars with Porsche[14] and Simca.

1971: Fiat takeover

Carlo sold Abarth to Fiat on 31 July 1971.[11] The acquisition was only made public by Fiat with a press release on 15 October.[15] As Fiat was not interested in the Reparto Corse racing operations, these were taken over by Enzo Osella.[11] Osella obtained cars, spares, technicians and drivers (amongst them Arturo Merzario), and continued the racing activity founding the Osella racing team.[16] 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.[11] Abarth prepared Fiat's rally cars, including the Fiat 124 Abarth Rally and 131 Abarth.[11] 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).[17] 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.[17] 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.,[18] 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.[19] The CEO is Harald Wester.[20]

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.[21]

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[22]

Cars produced by Abarth

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

Cars not produced by Abarth but with Abarth badges

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

Cars produced by other manufacturers with involvement from Abarth

Cars produced under Fiat Corse – N Technology named Abarth

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

Notes

  1. ↑ Father of Cisitalia racing driver Guido Scagliarini

References

  1. 1 2 2014 Annual Report (PDF), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, retrieved 13 March 2015
  2. ↑ http://www.fcagroup.com/en-US/governance/management/Pages/alfredo_altavilla.aspx
  3. ↑ "Abarth wants 100 dealers in Europe". autonews.com. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  4. ↑ "Abarth Logo: Design and History". Famouslogos.net. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  5. 1 2 3 Boscarelli, Lorenzo. Abarth: le corse (PDF). Abarth: l'uomo e le sue auto; Fiorenzuola d'Arda, 9 May 2010. Monografie AISA (in Italian). 90. Associazione Italiana per la Storia dell'Automobile. pp. 3–25.
  6. ↑ Avidano, Renzo. Carlo Abarth - Il compendio di una vita per le auto e le corse (PDF). Abarth: l'uomo e le sue auto; Fiorenzuola d'Arda, 9 May 2010. Monografie AISA (in Italian). 90. Associazione Italiana per la Storia dell'Automobile. pp. 29–32.
  7. 1 2 "Karl Abarth, the man and his history". bernimotori.com. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Quando venne a Torino per la sua ultima gara". Stampa Sera. 13 August 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Le attrattive del Salone". Stampa Sera. 12 April 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupé". rickcarey.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The history of Abarth". abarthcarsuk.com. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  12. ↑ "125 Model D Racer". racinglambrettas.com. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Lambretta World Land Speed Record Scooter". lambrettista.net. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth". porschearchive.com. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "L'Abarth entra nel gruppo Fiat". La Stampa. 16 October 1971. p. 17. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Avidano, Renzo. I rapporti con la Fiat (PDF). Abarth: l'uomo e le sue auto; Fiorenzuola d'Arda, 9 May 2010. Monografie AISA (in Italian). 90. Associazione Italiana per la Storia dell'Automobile. pp. 33–35.
  17. 1 2 Fenu, Michele (6 December 1977). "Rally, Fiat e Lancia si uniscono in un nuovo "super-squadrone"". La Stampa. p. 17. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  18. ↑ Borgomeo, Vincenzo (23 January 2007). "Svolta Fiat: torna l'Abarth e diventa marchio indipendente". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  19. ↑ Abarth's new premises in Turin from duemotori.it (18 Feb 2008)
  20. ↑ "Nominato il nuovo CEO di Abarth" (in Italian).
  21. ↑ "XSR900 Abarth". Yamaha. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  22. ↑ "The Abarth Monomille". scuderialafortuna.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
  23. ↑ Authentic USA-Spec Abarth: 1958 Fiat 750 Retrieved on 2 April 2011
  24. ↑ Abarth 209A Boano Coupe, www.ultimatecarpage.com Retrieved on 15 July 2014
  25. ↑ The Observer's Book of Automobiles, Thirteenth Edition, 1967, page 27
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