We're following up the Fiat 500e from last week with something that announces its internal combustion engine power like no other car on the road: the Fiat 500 Abarth. We've been working from home lately and that has us missing our old winter routine of starting up the Abarth on a cold, dark morning. First it barks to life, and after 10 seconds or so of intense growling, it settles into a more neighborly rumble. As we consider the possibility of replacing ours with a 500e, our mind keeps coming back to that wonderful sound.
The appeal of the 500 Abarth is difficult to explain to those who ask how we like ours. The handling is nothing special compared to something like a Fiesta ST or a GTI. The turbocharged engine is boosted in the old style, where there isn't a well of torque to mine for power at low engine speeds. So it doesn't really stand out on any performance merits. But to us, the sum of all of its attributes makes it one of the most fun cars to drive around town. There is something about moving our 6'2" self down the road in an Italian shark cage that is endlessly entertaining. It just works for us, and doesn't leave us wanting for a different commuter.
"Many a racer felt the sting of being passed and finishing behind a car emblazoned with the Abarth scorpion," is how RM Sothebys describes the results of the 1957 Mille Miglia, where an Abarth Zagato Coupe took first place in the 750cc class. There is something wonderful about surprising people in a tiny car. We haven't run our Abarth in the Mille Miglia, but we do love dropping tailgating SUVs from sight anytime the road gets twisty.
This example has some upgrades over a standard Abarth Zagato coupe. Inside you will find a fire suppression system, racing belts, and a roll bar, while under the hood resides a 903cc engine from an 850. With the lightweight aluminum bodywork, even a modest power increase should make for a noticeable improvement in acceleration.
Ferraris can be tough to pull off. Ferrari tributes? The Fiero conversions are beyond reproach. But, how do we feel when things get closer to home? Last week, we saw an Alfa Romeo Milano Verde with a "Friends of Ferrari" plaque on the dashboard, and it just seemed excessive. Today's Abarth 695 Tribute Ferrari? It's a lot if you own a Ferrari, and it's a lot if you don't.
The Fiat Ritmo Abarth range started out with a relatively tame offering, the Fiat Ritmo Abarth 105TC. It aped the famous VW Golf GTI's performance, producing 104bhp from its 1.6L mill. As time went on, the Ritmo Abarths continued to see more powerful engine options, and by 1984, Fiat had installed a 128bhp 2.0L twin cam 4-cylinder in the Ritmo Abarth 130TC. In contrast to the fuel-injected GTI, the Ritmo Abarth sucked down fuel through twin carbs - more exciting, if not as livable in day-to-day driving. The Fiat also featured a more favorable cylinder head design, with a cross-flow twin cam architecture sure to breath better than VW's single cam reverse-flow design.
Unique trim separated the Abarth models from the standard Ritmos. Inside, optional Recaro seats were available. Exterior improvements included Abarth-specific wheel arch trim, spoilers, bumpers, as well as upgraded alloy wheels.
Our 1984 VW GTI is still unmatched among all of the cars we've owned. A German hot hatch in a sharp Giugiaro suit, ours was a US model built in Pennsylvania. We drove it clear across the country with a 90hp under the hood and a trunk full of tools.
We aim to keep on theme with the whole Italian car thing, so instead of sharing a GTI, let's take a look at this 1980 Autobianchi A112 Abarth. A supermini with more in common with the VW Polo than the Golf GTI, the A112 relies on a 70hp 1050cc four to hurl it down the road.
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Year: 1980 Model: Autobianchi A112 Abarth Engine: 1050cc 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 19,398 Price: $24,999 Location: San Lorenzo, CA
I'm selling my 1983 Autobianchi Abarth with only 19000km (11000 miles)! This car is still like new! These car had great success from 1971-86 in Hill Climbs and Rallies. This example is the last and most desirable series A112 produced. It has a 5-speed manual gearbox. Power was increased from 58hp stock to 70hp stock in the Abarth trim as shown. The car has a special Ferrari ANSA muffler exhaust system and special, rare Campagnolo alloy wheels made famous on Lamborghinis and other super cars of the day. This car runs exceptionally well and is very peppy and quick and a joy to drive. This car has it's original engine and is matching numbers. The black, original paint looks great and there is absolutely zero rust or corrosion anywhere. It has always been stored in an indoor collection that was inland and away from the ocean. The upholstery is all-original and in exceptional condition for being almost 40 years old. There are no rips, tears or stains and it has never been smoked in which is extremely rare for an Italian car! The car was brought in to Long Beach, CA from Italy in 2018 as a Fiat since these car were never offered in the United States. This car is sold with a clean, Montana title and is currently located in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The glass is all-original, the rubber and plastics are in near perfect condition. The tires are new and a recent tune-up was just preformed. It has won "Best In Show" at several local car shows. This car needs nothing but a new owner. A beautiful example to add to your collection. I can assist with shipping worldwide from the Port of Oakland and it is able to re-enter Europe with no problem being that it has already been cleared through customs less than two years ago. It's only $1300 to Rotterdam and about the same on an open carrier to the East Coast. This is your chance to own and extremely rare and collectible car. One that you will probably never see again in the states. There are a lot more pictures available on request of this beautiful Italian machine! Please take a minute to click on the video links and see this car in action! This is an AS-IS sale with NO Warranty expressed or implied. Good luck and thanks for looking!
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US buyers will have their work cut out for them when it comes to servicing, even if they take it upon themselves to keep the vehicle on the road. The lack of Autobianchi parts in the US will hurt to begin with, but the Abarth-specific parts will really prove difficult to source.
We can't get on board with the price, though we haven't driven one, so what do we know? Sound and fury of the Abarth grade aren't readily available in the US, so maybe the seller is onto something. For those deterred by the large ask, nabbing a clean MK1 GTI wouldn't be the largest betrayal of classic Italian enthusiasm.
We're part of the problem, if you agree that the Fiat 500 departing the US market after an eight-year run is problematic to begin with. See, we bought our 2013 Abarth in 2017, once the value had dwindled to 30% of the MSRP. At around $24,000 new, we didn't see the sense in springing for a new model.
Our reservations with purchasing new had little to do with the vehicle itself. Our Abarth been delightfully reliable, requiring only a reseal of the transmission case under warranty (admittedly likely due to porosity in the casting, so we'll be doing that on our own dime next time). And, as a commuter, we love our traffic scalpel, whether slicing through traffic in sport mode or sitting in the right lane on cruise.
Fiat 500 Abarth 1-Yr SiriusXM Radio Service, Abarth Premium Hatchback, ATC Air Conditioning w/Micron Filter, Beats Premium Audio System, Black Trimmed Lights, For More Info, Call 440-319-3743, GPS Navigation, Heated Front Seats, Power Sunroof, Quick Order Package 2HX, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Wheels: 17" x 7.0" Forged Aluminum Hyper Black.
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Were we to option a new Abarth to buy today, it would be identical to this other than the inclusion of bronze wheels. The leather on our car has held up very well, but the cloth seats on this example are much more to our taste. And, the updated information screen and the U Connect are substantial improvements over the serviceable-but-basic units in our Abarth.
With the departure of the 500 from North American shores, we may be past the point of being able to order from the factory in Mexico. But, if our instincts are to be trusted, there should be no shortage of 500s on dealership lots for the next few years. And those examples that continue to languish on the lot should be ripe for some aggressive discounts.
How does a small sedan from 1981 go from a nomination for the most "trouble prone" car in Popular Mechanics during its time on the market to being a rare and somewhat coveted eBay lot with an asking price close to $20,000? We'll follow that up with another question - when was the last time that you saw a Fiat Brava (131) on the road? Fiat made 1.5 million of them, so scarcity has not always been a defining trait of the series - perhaps Popular Mechanics was right. What they failed to mention? The 131 isn't particularly difficult to repair.
We'll be upfront with the fact that this example falls short of the actual Fiat 131 Abarth Rally homologation car. Those cars were yanked off of the Fiat line in Mirafiori as bodyshells, shuttled to Bertone for fitment of the modified bodywork, and sent along to the Fiat Rivalta plant for installation of Abarth running gear and mechanicals. This car? It just has an aftermarket bodykit from Italy. No 138hp double Weber twin cam with a rally gearbox, and no independent rear suspension like on the homologation cars.
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Year: 1981 Model: Fiat 131 Abarth Replica Engine: 2.0L 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: unknown Price: $18,500 Location: La Canada Flintridge, CA
got this 131 fiat with Abarth Body kit its 1981 I bought the body kit from Italy and and had the rims custom made from London. also had the original engine rebuild. brand new paint job car is almost ready to go just needs the final touches more then welcome to come see it anytime
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Not a lot of effort from the seller of this machine, which is unsurprising. The more eccentric listings usually accompany eccentric sellers, and those guys seem to depend on mind reading to sell cars. We can't be too critical, as where are we going to find another? Needless to say, potential buyers will need to iron out some of the details of the car with the seller.
With bidding starting at $5,000, some semblance of sanity is preserved with this listing, though the overall attractiveness of the offering really depends on where the reserve is set. Finding a similar bodykit won't be easy, and the amount of bodywork required to install it on a standard car would be considerable. Does that increase the value of this example? We would say yes, unfortunately. And, if the rust is in control, the deal is even sweeter. With some good communication with the seller and careful bidding, we think that this Abarth replica could make for a very nice addition to someone's garage.
When automotive paradigms shift, we see the production of some very interesting models during the transition years. For example, as Ferrari moved toward its longitudinal midship engine orientation, it saw fit to rotate the engine in the Mondial, resulting in the surprisingly improved Mondial T. Similarly, The Ritmo 130TC straddles the hot hatch era and the epoch surrounding its tried-and-true Lampredi twin cam 4-pot.
By equipping the Ritmo with a 1995cc twin cam four replete with twin sidedraft carbs, the 128bhp Ritmo 130TC Abarth could rip its way to a 121mph top speed. Oddly enough, the carbureted engine had its ignition controlled by a Marelli Digiplex system. We are particularly intrigued by the rear suspension in all Ritmos; a transverse leaf spring meets lower control arms with McPherson struts. It seems like clever packaging and distributes the spring reaction force across a nice area by using a separate rear subframe.
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Year: 1987 Model: Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth Engine: 2.0L 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 31,000 mi Price: Auction Location: West New York, NJ
This 1987 Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth is the final evolution of the model, following the 105TC and 125TC. The car was built to compete with the Mk1 VW GTI and is powered by a carbureted 2.0L twin-cam four paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. In addition to the powertrain, the Ritmo Abarth features include sportier exterior accents, bolstered seats, and an uprated suspension system. This example is believed to have been sold new in France prior to being exported to Japan, and the seller recently imported the car into the US. It now shows 51k kilometers (~31k miles) and has been modified with an aftermarket muffler, OMP strut bars, Sparco pedal covers, a push-button start, Sony cassette player, and a wood-rimmed Abarth steering wheel.
This 130TC is finished in metallic gray with black cladding around the wheel wells and side skirts, the latter featuring red accents. A paint-depth meter has been taken around the body and the results are reportedly consistent, as shown in the attached dropbox gallery. Additional exterior pictures are also provided, including closeups.
Factory alloy wheels wear red Abarth center caps and a set of Michelin Energy tires. Inside, the 130TC was fitted with unique cloth upholstery and bolstered front seats. Interior modifications include a wood-rimmed Abarth steering wheel, Sony cassette player, push-button start, Sparco metal pedal covers, and a few other items. The odometer indicates 50,715 kilometers (~31,500 miles).
Under the hood is a 2.0L DOHC inline-four equipped with dual carburetors. Output was 128 horsepower when new, which is sent to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission. Period testing claimed 0 to 60 mph could be achieved in under eight seconds. A mechanical inspection was completed just prior to this listing, during which time the rear driver’s-side shock was replaced and the engine oil was changed.
This car is being offered with all appropriate import documentation and a clean title. All offers are welcomed and encouraged.
Link to additional Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jjmturnr1w8lrgd/AACGeKMpmMye0xxrDa83geOPa?dl=0
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In terms of styling, this car is oddly weaker than its German rival, the MK1 GTI. There is a reason for this; the VW Golf was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and set the standard for hatchback design. The Ritmo design out of Centro Stile Fiat, while certainly handsome, can't quite compete with the work of Giugiaro.
With VW GTI's of the era taking off in price, we aren't surprised that this car, the auction of which ended before we could post it, did not meet the reserve of $11,900. Play your cards right, and you can import one of these from Europe to the US at a competitive price. But, the market in Europe is becoming evermore aware of the predilections of US buyers, and the prices have risen in step with the demand. As former MK1 GTI owners ourselves, we can totally see the appeal, and could very well end up with one of these in our garage in the near future.
By now, the story of the Lancia 037 is a familiar one: Lancia set out to follow up the FIA Group 5 World Rally Championship success of their Stratos with the 037 in the newly-minted FIA Group B World Rally Championship. Series regulations required the manufacture of 200 road-going examples in order to compete, and thus, the Lancia 037 Stradale was born.
The mid-section of the cars was borrowed from the Lancia Montecarlo/Scorpion, while steel tube structures replaced the front and rear of the donor cars. Kevlar-reinforced fiberglass made up the new front and rear body work, which was designed by Pininfarina. The mid-engine layout was retained, but with the engine and transmission rotating 90 degrees into a longitudinal layout. Abarth breathed on the powertrain, while none other than Dallara provided the necessary suspension design and tuning.
As exciting as the history of these cars is, we wonder if there isn't a way to coax more power from the twin cam Fiat engine. Nothing irreversible, but something more nonetheless. Aside from the relatively - and with a curb weight of 2,579lb, we do mean relatively - low power output of 205hp, we wouldn't change anything about one of these Stradales.
Homologation specials are, it now seems, strictly the domain of wealthy collectors. If that describes you, then this example may be a wise purchase. For the rest of use, well, a nice Montecarlo with a hot 2 liter might come close.
Here is something that we don't featured everyday: a Ram ProMaster van badge-engineered into a Fiat Ducato shop van. Following in the footsteps of Daimler and their Sprinter vans, FCA saw fit to bring the Fiat commercial van lineup to North America to meet the increased demand for the tall, European-style vans. In the North American market these vans were marketed under the Ram brand, but little differentiates the Ram vans from their Fiat cousins found in Europe.
What really solidifies the European credibility of this particular Ram ProMaster is the diesel engine. Branded EcoDiesel in North America, the Iveco unit produces a respectable 155hp and 300lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, this engine was only available in North America for a few short years, as diesels have fallen out of favor with North America, for a number of reasons.
This is 2015 Ram Promaster 2500 EcoDiesel and as many of you already know, it is really Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxter and Citroen Jumper in disguise. This model ( diesel ) more so as the engine and transmission in this configuration are available on Euro market, just as it is.
Also it is very hard to find stateside at this point, not many Diesel's around. I have purchased this van with intention to make it a "shop" van, but plans have changed and van has to go. Van was purchased from insurance company, it has had minimal damage in the rear right corner, and to the rear axle ( dead axle this is FWD van ). We have replaced everything and no expense spared. All brand new stuff, except for rear axle, but that is just a solid piece of metal, so we got a used assembly from recycler. Wheels are new as well. Literally brand new assemblies with new rims and new tpms's. I have also installed brand new trailer hitch and factory wiring ( 4 and 7 plug ) and if needed, brake controller installation would be breeze, all is there.
As you can see in the pictures, van has been re-badged back to Fiat, I also have original grill with Abarth emblem. There is a set of Abarth stickers made for this van, and installed. So, this van was one owner prior to me, sold new in Rhode Island at the end of 2015, to electrical contractor. Original cost was just under $49000. It was sold and maintained by Chrysler dealer. Current oil service is still good, for another 2-3000 miles, but I have full set of filters ( oil, fuel, air, cabin ) and oil to go with it. We purchased the van couple months ago, repaired the damage, had it inspected ( salvage inspection ), 4 wheel alignment was done, stickers removed, van was cleaned in and out. There is a partition behind the seats, I had it removed, but I still have it.
Van is ready to go, and ready to be registered, all paperwork is in order and buyer can count on 20 day temporary tag for the trip, if needed.
I have personally driven this van 4-5000 miles, just to make sure all is good.
We will provide, free, clear and transferable SALVAGE Rhode Island title WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE SALVAGE INSPECTION SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
What you see in the pictures is what you get, nothing more and nothing less. Instead of writing long disclosures, common sense is expected, you win you own, and expected to pay. Swift transaction is essential, certified funds of course within 2-3 days.
AS IS sale. We will assist in any possible way.
Port of NJ / NY is about $400 delivery. We can help with shipping as well. Any questions, Mike 781-941-6969
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Aside from the Fiat Badges, Fiat front grille, and the Abarth decals, not much sets this van apart from the Ram on which it's based. For Italian car owners with the need for a shop van, that should be plenty. We must warn potential buyers that this example has a salvage title, although the seller reports that the minor damage was all repaired with proper attention to detail. Caveat Emptor applies, but we don't think that it's a dealbreaker - if the price reflects the damage, that is.
Italian car owners aren't always the most rational bunch. We ourselves are inexplicably drawn to this van, if only for the Abarth decals and Fiat badges. Is that so wrong? After all, it was surely engineered by Fiat in their Italian tech center. The badges are just a correction to reveal the truth behind the vans origins!
