The entire technical evolution and the competition history of a rally car as glorious as it was “unexpected” enclosed in a single volume.
The Fiat 131, born as a tranquil family car, proved capable of transforming into a formidable rally competitor. This monograph draws on the testimony of the engineers who contributed to its creation and the numerous drivers and navigators who rallied it. Ingegner Sergio Limone was part of the team of engineers asked to define the 131 Abarth Rally project while the likes of Maurizio Verini, Michèle Mouton, Gigi Pirollo, Fabrizio Tognana, Dario Cerrato and Lucky Battistolli all, in various ways, contributed to making the Fiat 131 Abarth one of the most successful rally cars of all time with three World Championship titles to its name won in 1977, 1978 and 1980.
- The complete history of Abarth race cars
- Previously unseen pictures and documents
A spectacular collection of 48 Abarth race cars, covering the whole production period, with lavish pictures by top photographers, makes for a very exciting book. The author has access to huge archives, one from a former race mechanic, with lots of letters, documents and historic photos.
The pictures are the main focus here, interspersed by anecdotes from the golden times of motor racing.
Text in English and German.
in 1966, Fiat introduced the 124 Spider and, in the space of 50 years, in 2016 proposed the same model revised with current stylistic and technical standards.
In 1966, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider burst strongly into the sports car market with a very elegant line and the world’s first twin-cam engine driven by a toothed belt. Private drivers immediately appreciate the great road qualities and employ it both in speed racing and in rallies. In 1970 the private Alcide Paganelli and Ninni Russo won the Italian Rally Championship; in 1972 the private Lele Pinto and Gino Macaluso, assisted by the House, conquered the Central European Championship (Mitropa Cup). In the same year the Abarth prepares the absolute weapon for the Squadra Corse, which becomes official. In three years of rallying at the highest level the Fiat Abarth 124 Rally enters the legend catching numerous statements and winning the European Championship in 1975 and the Italian Rally Championship in 1974 and 1975. In 2016 the model long regretted by fans returns in a guise all new, very modern and technological, which in any case draws from the great tradition of the past. The book tells the evolution of the 124 Sport Spider in the various displacements and the 124 Abarth Rally and summarizes in seven chapters their competitive events. Finally, it follows the genesis of the new Abarth 124 from design to competitive debut. The texts are supported by over 300 current and current images, many of which are unpublished, detailed technical data sheets, lists of “racing” plates and other documents important for the knowledge and correct conservation of the models.
The authors Elvio Deganello and Roberto Valentini have divided the competences: Deganello – besides being a respected journalist, a competent ASI technical commissioner – has oversaw the historical part; Valentini, who had the opportunity to follow step by step the development of the 2016 model, tells about this exciting new adventure in the world of rallies. The photographs of the Actualfoto archive are essential, allowing to relive the competitions of the past.
Important is the role of Ruben Wainberg, designer of today’s Abarth 124, who has worked on this book with passion, devoting himself to his graphic design, in collaboration with Patrizia Bisa, art director of La Manovella magazine. To follow the chapter of the stylistic transition between the old and the new Fiat 124 model, which is due to the clever pen and inventiveness of Roberto Giolito, already author of a cult model like the new 500. Today Giolito is responsible for the Heritage sector of FCA and therefore represents the relationship between the great history of the brands that are part of the group and its present.
Text in English and Italian
Superb book covering Abarth cars after Carlo was no longer involved with the company. Includes Fiat 124 Spider, 131 & Volumex, 126, 128 Coupe 3P, 127, Ritmo, Uno Turbo, X1/20 (X1/9 based), Stilo 4×4, Palio, Panda, 147: Lancia 037 Rally, S4, Delta 4WD and integrale, ECV1, ECV20; Alfa Romeo 155 DTM, GTA, Q4; ITC; 146, GT, 156 ITC, 159; Ferrari 550, 575 and many more. Excellent photos throughout, many previously unpublished (except in the previous Italian text-only edition), plus diagrams and much technical information. English & Italian text. Hardback.
Everyone’s favorite Fiats in detail!
Always big on character and charm, Fiat’s little cars played an important international roll in providing affordable and practical private transport for millions who had previously thought their dream impossible.
With particular emphasis on the now classic 600 and Nuova 500 cars, this book tells the full story of these ‘baby’ Fiats. Built, and exported to, many countries outside of the marque’s native Italy, over 6.5 million Topolinos, 600s and Nuova 500s were sold, and an amazing number survive to this today. Also covered are the wonderful models built on these cars’ tiny chassis by Italy’s leading coachbuilders, and the motorsport success achieved by the Abarth versions of the little cars that everybody loves.
In production from 1966 to 1985, the Pininfarina-designed 124 Spider was a huge export success for Fiat with over 170,000 examples being sold in the USA alone, whilst the 124 Coupe, styled by Boano, also enjoyed sales success throughout the world between 1967 and 1975. Both cars used Fiat’s willing and technically advanced twin-cam engine in sizes ranging from 1400 to 2000cc. Towards the end of production the Spider even enjoyed supercharged performance in its Volumex form.
Not to be forgotten is the 124 Spider’s important rule in international rallying during the 1970s, when the cars created and homologated by Abarth were very successful and always newsworthy. Over 1000 examples of the legendary Fiat-Abarth 124 Spider were built and today, deservedly, these traditionally black-bonneted/hooded cars enjoy great status amongst serious collectors.
Here, from an enthusiast author, is the complete history of these important cars, including motorsport. Also within these covers the enthusiast will find expert advice on which model to choose, restoration, clubs, specialists and what it’s like to live with a Fiat 124 Spider or Coupe.
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Limited edition of 1,000 copies. It ‘a kind of third volume that traces the history of sports with the alphabetical list of more than 1,500 drivers who have raced with different models of the Abarth brand.
They are listed in the 640 pages over 6000 victories. Including a rich photographic unpublished. Probably the most comprehensive technical guide to the races of the Abarth.
This book is a ‘dictionary’ of the racing drivers through whom Carlo Abarth wrote some of the most memorable pages of the history of Italian car championships. We find here all those who brought world fame to the Scorpion, listed one by one, with reports detailing the results they achieved – almost incredible for those times.
Abarth Memories is a new book dedicated to the famous Scorpion trademark.
What you will read in the 240 pages of Abarth Memories is the story of a great company told directly by the protagonists. You will find the portrait of Carlo Abarth – of the man, the businessman, the versatile character that he was – painted by those who worked side by side with him. You will find the stories told by his employees, collaborators, and drivers: men and women who lived the Abarth myth personally. In fact, they did even more than that: they contributed in a significant way to the development of what will always be known as the speed factory.
So, the book is a fascinating trip down memory lane, with the stories of personal experiences intertwined with previously unpublished photographs. The protagonists are subdivided according to their roles in the company: the technicians, drivers, test-drivers, mechanics, test-room workers, clerks. There are also people who worked in the exhaust department and the Autoboutique. At the beginning of the book, there are the recollections – defined as “retrospective” – of Lorenzo Avidano (Carlo Abarth’s right-hand man for more than twenty years) and, the Austrian genius’ third wife, Anneliese Abarth.
Carlo Abarth was a performance-tuning maestro. He created and modified the small displacement Italian cars of the times, adding his own tuned exhausts, cylinder heads and other components. The results were championship-winning racers and street cars. The ABARTH BUYER’S GUIDE tells the story of all the Abarth cars, including the earliest Cisitalias, Fiats, Simcas, the Zagato and Bialbero cars, Porsche Abarth Carrera, Lancias, formula cars, record-setters and the sports racers. The book is built on an impressive archive of historical photographs, many of them rare original Abarth factory pictures. The detailed text chronicles the development history of Abarth; including specifications, restoration and authenticity notes, and the Buyer’s Guide star investment ratings. Author Peter Vack is an Abarth enthusiast of long standing, and he writes of the cars with passion and experience. Over a period of 13 years, the ABARTH BUYER’S GUIDE has proven to be a very dependable and useful book for those interested in Abarth cars. Now in its third printing, it remains one of the best and most comprehensive Abarth books ever written and we hope that it will continue to encourage others to do further research and create enthusiasm for the restoration of all Abarths.
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The vivid personality, great intelligence and strong determination of Carlo Abarth are revealed through the pages of his large biography. Described is Abarth’s personal life, his early motorcycling projects and races, and the Cisitalia period and its unfortunate decline. Includes the long and successful new adventure in car-tuning which made Abarth and his cars renown all over the world.
This book also contains technical data for each model produced, supported by company chassis drawings and engine cutaways. Exhaustive and accurate listing of competitions which saw Abarth cars dominating the racing fields year by year. The book is richly illustrated by appealing and never published before photos, many of them belonging to the personal Abarth photo archive.
Fiat Abarth OT 1300 Cutaway
Fiat Abarth 695 Esse Esse
Fiat Abarth 1000 TCR Cutaway 8 1/2 X 11
Fiat 131 Abarth
There are names that alone express concepts, lifestyles and philosophies better than any lengthy explanation. That Abarth is one of these is a conviction by no means restricted to expert writers or specialist journalists. In the case of Abarth, perceived by enthusiasts as a synonym of performance, speed, agility and emotions, confirmation has been provided by the Fiat Group’s extensive research ahead of the major relaunch of the Scorpion marque. Given the current situation, with the new Abarths returning to the road ready to “sting”, it is an ideal time for this book that sets out to reconstruct the story that led to the birth of a legend. Subdivided model by model, the text is based on straightforward, effective descriptions, backed up by contemporary photos in black and white and color. The author has successfully illustrated the motivations that led Carlo Abarth to create something unique in the automotive world, at the cost of sacrifices, failures and disappointments such as the numerous custom models built in the early years. A story of cars capable of sparking great passions.
In the twenty-two years covered by this book Carlo Abarth produced over 200 models of cars bearing his name. Type reported on: 500, 595, 695, 750, 850, 1000, 1300, 1600, 2200, SS, GT, TC, OT, Zagato, Allemano, Bialbero, Scorpion, Simca and the Porsche Carrera. Eighty-four articles include road and comparison tests, driver and technical reports, plus competition and history.
RADIOGRAFIA TECNICA DEL MOTOPROPULSORE
It is a manuscript, with original drawings by Gianfranco Bossù. The text of this volume tells in detail the technical history of a project born from the fervent and uncommon will of a man: Carlo Abarth and of modest but ingenious men, who knew how to develop an already exceptional engine, that of the FIAT 600. This “X-ray “Wants to be the memory of how in the post-war years we worked with few available means but with so much passion, enthusiasm and intelligence.
In these conditions, the idea was born and developed that transformed a standard solid powerplant into a true and refined racing unit, which in eight years of research the Abarth technicians brought from 27 to 112 hp. in the latest version of the polysferical chamber engine, commonly known as the “1000 Radial”.
