The Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC we featured last fall is back up for sale with a much lower Buy It Now price, in contrast the the previous ask of $23,500.
1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC on eBay - REVISIT
The below post originally appeared on our site November 28, 2012:
Hot hatches were all the rage in the 1980s and Fiat's answer to the GTI was a series of hot Ritmos (known as the Strada in the US) tuned by Abarth. The final evolution in the Ritmo Abarth saga, the 130TC, packed a 2.0 liter twin cam, dual carb four cylinder engine capable of 128 horsepower. We've featured two 130TCs here at CICFS already, but this is the first one that has appeared on US shores, making it attractive for Abarth fans who want something just a little different than the 500 Abarth currently being offered by the company today.
Year: 1983
Model: Ritmo
Engine: 2.0 liter inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 69,000 mi
Price: Reserve auction
CLICK FOR DETAILS:1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC - REVISIT
Here is for sale my 1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC (2 liters) 5-speed, this car does not need any thing other than TLC. I have a clear Florida title, engine very strong, drives as an Abarth should do, 5 speed manual all original, make no mistake this is not, just a Ritmo 130, it is a factory made Abarth, force to sell due to lack of space and time, too many cars, please text or call at 305-401-7469 mail me at tony1961@msn.com
VIN: ZFA138A0002968221, 1983 model, 69,000 miles
VERY GOOD CONDITION
NO DENTS OR DINGS,
HAD NO ACCIDENTS
RECARO ORIGINAL (OPTIONS) SEATS
PERFECT INTERIOR, ALL ORIGINAL
TWO OWNERS FROM NEW
DRIVE FANTASTIC: TOP SPEED 195 Km/h ( 121 MPH ) - 0-100km/h ( 0-60 MPH ): 7,6
THE CAR HAS FLORIDA TITLE - IMPORTED FROM EUROPE IN 2012
In 1984 Fiat released the final production model of the Ritmo, the 130 TC Abarth. The car is based on the Ritmo 2 body, but contains exciting modifications. Abarth modifications to suspension and engine gave this car ample quantities of both acceleration and handling. The 125TC (130TC predecessor based on Ritmo 1 shell) won the 1982 Italian Group A Championship. The Ritmo 130TC was with Group N rallying in mind, and when released in 1984, was the quickest production hatch available. The Ritmo 130TC was produced between 1984 - 1988, developed 130 bhp at 5900 rpm, and could sprint to 100kmh in just under 8 seconds. This car had a very firm ride that some people would have found uncomfortable. The optional Recaro seats look the business but lack lumbar and under thigh support. They do offer good lateral support while cornering. One cannot help but wonder what the 131 Rally's 16 valve head may have added to this already impressive equation.
An October 1982 facelift saw the Ritmo's styling become more restrained with more conventional re-designed front and rear ends.[9] Base models sold on the continent featured the by-now familiar corporate five-bar grille with single round headlamps set in a conventional grille, whilst all other models featured twin round headlamps (in the UK, all models of this generation featured twin headlamps). The rear gained conventional light clusters either side of the rear numberplate. The 1.05 litre "Brazil" engine was no longer available.
The 105TC was relaunched with revised interior trim, a dashboard mirroring that of the earlier Ritmo Super, and an upper hatchback spoiler in place of the lower one. In the UK, 7-spoke alloy wheels replaced the earlier Speedline ones. The advertising name was revised to Strada II in the UK, although the car remained badged as a Strada. The US version was unchanged but was finally discontinued at the end of the 1982 model year, leaving only sports cars in the US Fiat lineup (the X1/9 and the 124 Spider).
Most significantly, a hot hatch version — the Abarth 130TC — was added. This model was based on the 125TC with a 1,995 cc engine, but with performance increased to 130 PS (96 kW; 128 bhp) by replacing the single Weber carb used in the 125TC with twin Solex/Weber carbs on a side-draught manifold, and improved cam profiles. The 130TC was capable of 195 km/h (121 mph) and accelerated from 0 to100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.8 seconds.[6] It was a raw hot hatch fitted with Recaro bucket seats as standard in the UK (optional in Europe), and significantly it was the only 1980s hot hatch to continue utilise carburettors instead of fuel injection coming with either twin Solex ADDHE or Weber DCOE40 carburetors. Ignition timing was controlled electronically. Although appearing outwardly similar to the restyled 105TC with its lower door & wheelarch trims, the 130TC could be distinguished by its polished four-spoke alloy wheels (continued from the earlier 125TC), aerodynamic perspex front door wind deflectors, and lower hatchback spoiler. The raw powerful twin-cam mated to a close ratio ZF gearbox made it a handful to drive, with the performance to outpace many of its contemporary rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf GTi, Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra GTE and the MG Maestro.
The last 130TC we featured for sale was priced at about $11,000, and that was located in Italy. Is $23,500 the price of unobtanium these days? For this Fiat, I doubt it. While it is certainly in good shape and quite possibly the only example of its kind in the US, that doesn't necessitate such a huge markup. It seems the seller is hoping to recoup the shipping and importation costs while making a tidy profit. With a market for a car this small, this price is just way too out of the ballpark.
-Paul
