The First Anniversary of Abarth Classiche

 

Turin, Italy | 23 November 2016

• The Abarth Classiche workshop for restoring cars sporting the scorpion badge opened one year ago.
• Over seventy cars have been certified, including some particularly rare models that were inspected by the experts.
• The Fiat Abarth 124 Rally and the Fiat Abarth 131 Rally from the FCA Heritage Collection were among the first to be restored.
• The racing activities are equally important: "Coppa Abarth Classiche Selenia" awarded Mario Tacchini and Gina Colotto.

 

One year has already gone by since the opening of Abarth Classiche, the large-scale project that over the past twelve months has been developed and realised with the enthusiasm of the many collectors who turned to the workshop to have their cars certified.

 

Over seventy cars have been meticulously inspected and certified. Among them were some very rare models, like a 1960 Abarth 1000 record Pininfarina, which obtained a prestigious international accolade by winning the Media Award in the conservation and restoration competition at Techno Classica, one of the most important international competitions in the sector that took place in Essen (Germany).

 

Another one-of-a-kind car was the 1958 Alfa Romeo Abarth 1000 designed by Colani. Other rare models included a number of Abarth 750 and 850 with Zagato bodywork, Formula Abarth single-seaters, Sport 1000 SP, 2000 and 2000-Osella.

 

Predictably more numerous were the popular models, like the Fiat-Abarth 595 and 695, in their various street-legal and racing versions, and the more recent Autobianchi A112 Abarth, Fiat Ritmo Abarth 125TC and 130 TC.

 

The market launch of the new Abarth 124 spider revived the collecting of Fiat Abarth 124 Spider, with many owners turning to the Abarth Classiche workshop for certification and originality.

 

The network of experts - nearly all of whom have been employed in various capacities by Abarth over the years - restored the certified cars to their original conditions guaranteeing correctness on both technical and appearance levels.

 

The Abarth Classiche workshop also restored the Fiat Abarth 124 Rally Gruppo 4 and the Fiat Abarth 131 Rally of the FCA Heritage Collection, paving the way for the two to show their stuff in movement at important events, like the one-hundredth edition of Targa Florio, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Classic in France, the "Classic Days" in Germany, the Italian Vintage Weekend in Frankfurt and the Rally Legend in San Marino.

 

The large-scale Abarth Classiche project also came into its own during the first edition of the Coppa Abarth Classiche Selenia, that awarded the two drivers who excelled in the five hillclimbing events on the calendar: Mario Tacchini, who competed at the wheel of a Fiat Ritmo Abarth 125 TC, and Gina Colotto, with her Formula Abarth single-seater. The presence of Abarth vintage cars was particularly copious at the Cesana-Sestriere competition and the final event that attracted 35 very prestigious models in a parade that was very appreciated by the public on the Vallelunga circuit.

 

Abarth Classiche was also in the spotlight last October 29 on the very successful Abarth Day 2016, an outstanding event that brought together thousands of Scorpion fans on four European circuits: Silverstone in Great Britain, Nurburgring in Germany, Navarra in Spain and Tazio Nuvolari in Italy. At total of 1100 Abarth cars were simultaneously present on the four European circuits with over 3500 participants. The fans of the cars of yesterday and today met for an adrenaline-packed day featuring a dynamic presentation of all new, both racing and standard production, models. The new Abarth 124 Rally was the superstar of the event and was admired by the many members of "The Scorpionship", the first official community of Abarth enthusiasts.