Abarth's past and present will be on show from 18 to 21 February in London's ExCeL Exhibition Centre: on Stand D21, the Fiat Abarth 1000 Monoposto Record Class G and the new 695 Biposto Record 1.4 T-jet 190 HP will be on show. Abarth launches its Abarth heritage program and the Officine Classiche Abarth.
From 18 to 21 February, Abarth will be taking part in the London Classic Car Show to announce the launch in the UK of the "Abarth Classiche" initiative, celebrating the epic history of great performance, sporting success and records notched up by the Scorpion brand. It will display two cars which will undoubtedly attract a specialist public's attention, composed of collectors, experts and enthusiasts. The Scorpion stand - D21, in the ExCeL Exhibition Centre - will display the Abarth 695 Biposto Record, currently in production, and the classic Fiat Abarth 1000 Monoposto Record Class G from 1965.
The fusion between historic heritage and the hunger for continuous technical progress is part of the Scorpion brand's DNA, as also demonstrated by the cars showcased in London and the ambitious "Abarth Classiche" initiative. This project, first launched last November at the Officine Abarth in Mirafiori in Turin, is organised in various aspects, from restoration to the Abarth Register which coordinates shows, events, rallies and competitions.
The coherence between current models and those which set so many motoring records is one of the secrets of the brand's commercial success, in the UK too. Last year was Abarth's best year so far in the UK market, with a sales total of 2,743 cars, representing a 67% increase when compared with 2014.
The new Abarth 695 Biposto Record pays homage to the extraordinary record set in 1965 by Carlo Abarth. At the age of 57, the brand's founder decided to attempt to break the acceleration record over a quarter of a mile with a G Class car, at the Monza race track. Not having raced for some time and not being able to find the right driver, he decided to lose 30 Kg and slip into the tight cockpit himself. His efforts were rewarded in October 1965, when the Fiat Abarth 1000 Monoposto Record Class G, 105 HP, set new acceleration records over a quarter of a mile and over 500 metres. The single-seater used a 982 cc engine, tuned-up, with two Weber 40 carburettors and twin overhead camshafts. Fully respecting the Abarth philosophy the artisan care of technical aspects had led to amazing performance levels.
The fact that for Abarth "Performance is a state of mind" is embodied in the 695 Biposto Record that can also be seen on the stand. This represents a perfect synthesis between road performance and racing thrills, thanks to the best weight-to-power ratio (5.2 kg/HP) and the best acceleration (from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 sec) in its category. The car features an exclusive "Modena Yellow" body colour, embellished by titanium finishing for the front metal strip, the door-handles, the rear "Tar Cold Grey" handle and the enamelled "695 Record" badge on the side, and by the aluminium bonnet. The interior features a special dashboard set-up, seats with carbon shells and numbered plaque. High performance is guaranteed by the mechanical self-locking differential, combined for the first time with a manual transmission (and not with a dog ring gearbox). A perfect combination of performance, handmade quality and attention to detail. This limited edition series - just 133 vehicles, the same number as the records held by the Scorpion brand - comes with 18" wheels, a boosted Brembo brake system and an Akrapovic exhaust system.
Turin, 16 February 2016
