Abarth 75th anniversary celebrated with Classiche 1300 OT project

The legend of Abarth – the brand with the Scorpion badge – started in 1949 when Carlo Abarth founded Abarth & C. (with driver Guido Scagliarini). Their first car was the 204 A derived from the Fiat 1100. It commanded attention on April 10, 1950, when Tazio Nuvolari drove it to win his last race, the Palermo-Monte Pellegrino.

Since then, the history of Abarth has been full of racing and industrial records, always in the spirit of the founder to combine maximum performance, craftsmanship and constant technical refinement.

To commemorate the Scorpion’s 75th anniversary, the Heritage team of Stellantis (which Abarth is part of) has organized special tributes. One is a temporary exhibition featuring rarities which belong to private collectors and the company’s permanent collection, and the other is the Abarth Classiche 1300 OT project.

The Classiche 1300 OT is an evolution of the Abarth Classiche 1000 SP created by Heritage in 2021 which came in just 5 units and sold out in record time. A modern reinterpretation of the iconic sporty model from the 1960s, the Classiche 1300 OT is a dream which will soon become a splendid reality in another 5-unit limited-edition run.

This special edition, within Heritage’s ‘Reloaded by Creators’ project, features a lightweight and aerodynamic fibreglass body and a distinctive ‘periscope’ mounted rearwards to cool the cabin like the historic car.

Mechanically based on the Abarth Classiche 1000 SP project, from which the Alfa Romeo 4C was shaped, this new creation retains the essence of an authentic Abarth. The bodywork, now made of carbonfibre, newly introduces the characteristic ‘periscope’, reinterpreted in a contemporary key.

The slotted plexiglass rear window for cooling and the large rear grille for the engine compartment, featuring ‘Abarth’ lettering, emphasize the bond with the historic design. The front end, with its sinuous curves, is reminiscent of Abarth sportscars of the past, with generous openings dedicated to cooling.

As it is based on the 4C, it can be expected to also use the same powertrain. This has an all-aluminium 1742 cc 4-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 240 ps/350 Nm and a 6-speed TCT dual-clutch transmission. Whether Abarth tuners add their touch to it remains to be seen.

Produced and sold by the Heritage Stellantis department, the 5 units can be ordered now but Heritage has not indicated how much each will cost. We won’t be surprised if all are sold out before next week is over.

The most powerful Abarth production model ever