Year Founded
1949
Founder
Carlo Abarth
Headquarters
Turin, Italy
Parent
Stellantis
Official Site
Abarth is currently owned by Stellantis. Stellantis resulted from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Groupe PSA in 2021.
Abarth has a strong association with Fiat, which started in 1951. Abarth tunes and modifies Fiat vehicles for high-performance racing. In 1952, Abarth built the Abarth 1500 Biposto using Fiat components. Their association is stronger than in the past because Stellantis also own Fiat.
Abarth collaborated with Yamaha as well in the 1970s to build the limited-edition Yamaha XSR900 Abarth motorcycle. This collaboration combined Abarth’s racing heritage with Yamaha’s motorcycle expertise.
Abarth succeeded due to its focus on creating high-performance cars with minimum resources. They focused on weight reduction, and air friction reduction using aerodynamic design, and innovative exhaust systems. So, its team relied on technical skills rather than resources.
Abarth has a rich history of success in motorsports, particularly rallying and circuit racing. It has won numerous championships in the FIA European Rally Championship, Formula 2, and the grueling Mille Miglia.
Modern models of Abarth include the Abarth 595 Competizione, Abarth 695 70th Anniversario, and Abarth 124 GT. These models stand out from other racing brands due to their unique combination of Italian style, high performance, and racing heritage. Some of the most popular commercial models are the Abarth 695 and the Abarth 124 Spider.
Abarth’s major competitors are Porsche, Audi Sport, and BMW M Division.
While Abarth has a distinct logo and performance focus, it's technically not a separate brand. Abarth is a subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), specializing in the tuning and high-performance versions of Fiat vehicles.
Abarth is famous for taking ordinary cars from Fiat and then converting them into high-performance cars for sports.
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