This super-streamlined Abarth could do 135mph with just a 1-litre engine!
Each of the FCA Fiat Group’s four main mass-production brands (Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia) shared stand space at this year’s Retromobile in Paris, with a truly mouth-watering display of eight exceptional heritage models; two per brand.
For Alfa Romeo, the original prototype of the stylish early 1960’s Zagato-bodied 2600 SZ Turin Salone was on proud display, with its unique truncated rear end, changed for the now much-sought production versions of this model. The 2600 Zagato was accompanied by a ‘regular’ Bertone Sprint coupe.
Fiat was represented by a pair of cheerful Nuova 500s, this legendary model celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, with an early production model joined by a Vignale Gamine roadster.
A breathtakingly elegant Pininfarina-bodied Flaminia Coupe waved the flag for Lancia, paired with the unique, fascinating but rather less convincing Raymond Loewy-styled Lancia (Loewy being rather better known for designing the classic Greyhound Bus, Studebaker Avanti, and the famous Coca Cola bottle).
The real star of Fiat’s combined stand though was the wild Pininfarina-styled Abarth 1000 Bialbero Record, a 104bhp single-seater tubular speed record car, which set an impressive top speed of 135 mph (220 km/h) in late 1960 at Monza, powered by a small 982cc Fiat/Abarth motor. This sub-1-litre international record breaker was teamed-up with a charming 1963 Abarth 1000 Bialbero coupe on the stand.
Photography by Tom Shaxson
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