The history of Abarth

Who is Abarth and what is their history?

There's nothing quite like the sound of an Abarth firing up. That distinctive growl that tells everyone within a three-mile radius that you're about to have some serious fun.

High performance, sporty appeal and that unmistakable exhaust note – if you know, you know. And if you've ever driven an Abarth, you definitely know.

We're big fans of the Italian brand here at Carparison, and it's easy to see why they've got such a devoted following.

With their long history and decades of racing pedigree, Abarth are now known for their 595 – a slightly wacky take on the classic Fiat 500 but with a properly sporty feel, more powerful engine, and styling that means business – along with the 695 and the iconic 124 Spider.

But Abarth are more than just a loud, sporty Fiat 500.

The heart and soul of the Italian brand has always been their founder, Carlo Abarth, whose passion for high-performance and boundary-pushing motoring was apparent from a young age.

He had a vision for a company that was built on performance and power, and to this day Abarth still produces cars that are small in stature but mighty in execution.

You can't go wrong with that philosophy.

But let's dive into their history a bit more, shall we?

Where did Abarth begin?

Back in 1947, Carlo Abarth was the sporting director of the Cisitalia factory racing team.

An illustrious racing career was already under his belt – he'd won his first race on a James Cycle motorbike in Salzburg in 1928 when he was only 20, and continued to make headlines throughout his career. Not bad going for a young lad with big dreams.

In 1949, after the unfortunate financial downfall of Cisitalia, Carlo Abarth founded Abarth & C. in Bologna along with his friend and fellow racer Guido Scagliarini.

If there are two words that describe Abarth's cars, it'd be 'small and mean'.

So when Abarth adopted the Scorpion – also the symbol of Carlo's zodiac sign Scorpio – as its badge, it was the perfect fit. Just look at the Abarth 595, 695 and 124 Spider. All small cars that pack a seriously mean punch.

Abarth really exploded onto the racing circuit in the 1950 Palermo-Montepellegrino hill climb, where, in the Cisitalia-Abarth 204a, Tazio Nuvolari competed in and won the last race of his long career.

The enduring legend of the Scorpion had begun, and Abarth became a real player on the racing circuit.

They weren't messing about.

To keep up with the financial demands of funding the racing team, Abarth soon began producing mechanical components for the mass market, allowing people to tune their mass-produced cars to add more personality and power.

Producing components for these cars, including valves and steering-column gear levers, led to Abarth developing a range of car exhaust systems. This included an unusual racing exhaust lined with glass wool that debuted at the 1950 Turin Motor Show.

There were only 50 of these exhausts produced for the Topolino, but the idea became popular with enthusiasts, and so Abarth began to expand their production. Smart move, really.

Runaway success by the 1960s

Not only had the company grown – they'd sold over 4,500 exhaust systems by the end of the 1950s – but the racing division was also creating waves.

One of Carlo's key motives was continually challenging the company in motorsports, and so Abarth set out to conquer new international records. And more than succeeded, we'd say.

Their run of records began in 1956 with the Fiat Abarth 750, when drivers Remo Cattini, Umberto Maglioni, Mario Poltronieri and Alfonso Thiele broke the record for distance travelled in 24 hours after achieving 3,743km with an average speed of 155.985 km/h.

The successes continued throughout the next decade, with Abarth breaking 113 records by 1966.

Not too shabby at all.

The legend of Abarth was hugely popular with its fans – and it's easy to see why.

Not only did people love Abarth for the successes they were seeing on the racing circuit, but Abarth's dedicated approach to their work, trying to better themselves time and time again, as well as their ability to fine-tune mass-produced cars into something more powerful and sporty, really appealed to them.

Abarth had managed to not only corner a market that hadn't even existed a decade prior, but they'd also managed to revolutionise what a sports car could be. Pretty impressive stuff.

Abarth and Fiat: A match made in heaven?

1958 saw the beginnings of Abarth expanding into constructing its own models.

Abarth signed a deal with Fiat which allowed it to take delivery of semi-completed car bodies. The company could then use these to add their own custom components, turning a basic Fiat car into a properly sporty Abarth.

Fiat had, at that point, just released the first variation of the now iconic Fiat 500, leaning into the post-war demand for a basic, inexpensive city car.

Abarth now took the base of the Fiat 500 and turned it into the Abarth 595, 595 SS, and 695 SS – all ancestors of the cars still in Abarth's line-up today. You can see where this is going.

By this point, Abarth had become a stalwart among younger drivers who all wanted to use the Abarth tuning kits to turn their cars into something more powerful. The sixties turned out to be Abarth's golden decade.

The Abarth 595 broke six international records in its first year alone, and by 1965 it had claimed nearly 900 victories. Not bad for a little car with big ambitions.

The Scorpion badge had become an iconic symbol of performance and success across the world, not just in its native Italy. Carlo Abarth had founded a legendary brand that had gained an almost cult-like status.

By 1971 Abarth had grown to a company of 400, but the move to focus on Formula 1 and subsequent change in FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) rules meant that Abarth was facing a growing economic crisis.

Carlo sold Abarth to Fiat, with the handover taking place in October 1971, though he stayed with the business for several years longer as a consultant. End of an era, really.

Fiat had an ambitious vision for Abarth, planning to turn it into Fiat's official racing team, with a focus on cars that would win titles. This ambition paid off.

With its efforts focused on racing, Abarth continued to win titles throughout the 1970s. The car production side of the business began to slow down as a result.

Eventually, with the reduction of the production operation down to just the A112, Abarth was phased out in 1984 after selling over 120,000 cars in almost 15 years. A proper shame, if you ask us.

The return of Abarth

2007 heralded the rebirth of Abarth after top honchos at Fiat realised that the enduring legacy of the Scorpion still held appeal for younger drivers – even though they'd not been alive for the first run of the company.

Smart thinking, that.

Abarth was relaunched as an independent brand and, since then, has seen improved sales and successful expansion into international markets.

Like it had in the 1960s and 1970s, Abarth is still enjoying good results in motorsports. In 2011 the Abarth 500 competed in the 'Trofeo Abarth 500 Italia' and the 'Trofeo Abarth 500 Europa' championships.

The philosophy of the relaunched Abarth has remained the same as the vision Carlo Abarth had held so dear all those years ago. The company is still focused on performance, craftsmanship, and technical upgrading – and we're here for it.

In 2008 the Abarth 500 debuted, and became the key model of the brand, still popular to this day. In 2016 the 124 Spider joined the line-up, instantly becoming a recognisable icon.

And if you're thinking that an Abarth might be the perfect addition to your driveway, you're not wrong. These small but mighty cars offer all the performance and character you could ask for, without the hefty price tag of some of their German rivals.

Whether you're drawn to the pocket rocket appeal of the 595 or the open-top thrills of the 124 Spider, there's an Abarth lease deal that'll put you in the driving seat of something truly special.

Because sometimes, size really doesn't matter – it's all about the attitude.

And when it comes to attitude, few brands can match Abarth's distinctive blend of Italian flair and scorpion-like sting.