Lot 137: 1968 Abarth 1300/124 Scorpione Coupé

An Abarth model with a most convoluted gestation, what would eventually become the Scorpione started out as a FIAT concept car developed by its Director of Engineering, Dante Giacosa. Giacosa has the idea of utilising the engine/transmission package of the front-wheel drive Autobianchi Primula (a FIAT design) in a rear-engined car that would later provide the basis for the FIAT X1/9. Typed ‘G-31’, this one-off prototype carried a pretty coupé body styled in-house at FIAT by Pio Manzu and was first exhibited at the Turin Auto Show in 1967. After the show the body design was taken over by coachbuilder Francis Lombardi and put into limited production as the ‘Grand Prix’, using FIAT 850 running gear. When Carlo Abarth took over the design, he replaced the 850cc engine with his own FIAT 124-based unit bored out to 1,300cc, and addressed the car’s incipient cooling problems by moving the radiator to the front. Renamed ‘Scorpione’, after the marque’s emblem, Abarth’s new GT was offered in two forms: standard Scorpione, with FIAT 850 running gear, and Scorpione S, with improved front suspension incorporating lower ‘A’ arms in place of the original transverse leaf spring. Aided by its handsome aerodynamic body and propelled by 75 brake horsepower, the Scorpione was capable of a top speed of 115mph, a quite exceptional figure for 1.3-litre car at the time; but then squeezing a quart of performance out of a pint-pot of motor car had long been Abarth’s forte.

This rare and highly collectible example of one of Abarth’s later road cars was acquired by the vendor, its second owner, in 1984. Restored by him in 1986, it comes with a substantial file of pictures and documentation relating to the rebuild, and has covered circa 5,000 kilometres since completion. The car is finished in red with black interior and comes with Dutch registration papers.

Ce rare et très désirable exemplaire de l'une des dernières routières d'Abarth a été acquis par le Vendeur, son second propriétaire, en 1984. Restauré par ses soins en 1986, il est accompagné d'un copieux dossier de photos et de documents relatifs à sa restauration et a couvert environ 5 000 km depuis l'achèvement des travaux. La voiture peinte en rouge avec intérieur noir est accompagnée de ses papiers d'immatriculation néerlandais.