When Fiat entered rallying in 1970, its ultimate aim was to become World Rally Champion – and the 131 Abarth of 1976-1980 provided the machinery to make that possible. It began winning World rallies within months of its launch, and, in 1977, 1978 and 1980, the 'works' team also won the World Championship for Makes, and set every standard by which Rally Giants were to be judged. Was there ever any doubt that successors like the Lancia Rally 037 and the Delta Integrale would come from the same stable?
During the 1950s, Abarth started work on modified components with a number of manufacturers, but it was for its collaboration with Fiat that the company became renowned.
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. Of that we are proud. We hope that it will continue to encourage others to do further research and create enthusiasm for the restoration of all Abarths.
The story of Fiat’s timeless Pinifarina-styled Spider (convertible), the elegand Boano-designed Coupé and Abarth’s hard-charging 124 Spider-based rally car.
From the famous Topolino to the award-winning Cinquecento and the modern Seicento, here’s the definitive story of the baby Fiats, with particular emphasis on the Nuova 500. Read, too, about the motorsport success of Abarth versions. Covers years 1936 to 2010
More than 1,000 photographs in b&w and color illustrate the extraordinary variety of sports cars that have been offered to the public. All the great names are featured, including cars from Israel, Egypt, Spain, Switzerland, Norway and Brazil.
