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| Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A |
Nearly 70 years ago to the day, on 10 April, 1950, the great champion Tazio Nuvolari ended his racing career behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A, the first model constructed by Carlo Abarth.
The time trial ran from the Sicilian capital of Palermo up Monte Pellegrino: a steep, evocative climb, featuring multiple hairpin bends on tarmac. The starting grid included the “Squadra Carlo Abarth” team, with Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A, a two-seater racing car with an impressive 1,100cc engine.
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| Maurizio Verini, Rally European Champion, 1975, Fiat Abarth 124 Rally |
The champion took on the course with his characteristic zeal, finishing with a victory in his class and in fifth place overall.
The friendship between Carlo Abarth and the great champion began soon after WW2, when Nuvolari – who already had 55 victories in international Grand Prix and major road races under his belt – drove for Piero Dusio’s Cisitalia, with Carlo Abarth leading the racing team.
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| Abarth 1000 at the 4 Ore del Jolly Club Monza race 1966 |
When Dusio sold his racing cars to Abarth before he emigrated to Argentina, Abarth knew he could count on the support of Nuvolari, who also took on the role of spokesman for his paddle shift tuning kits and mufflers.
Abarth sports tuning kits converted city cars into race winners, enabling many young drivers to compete successfully. “Sunday on the track, Monday in the office” went Carlo Abarth’s slogan. He combined the production of racing components with working on the official team, whose victories were mainly on the track and in hillclimbs, in coupè and sports cars.
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| Fiat Abarth 131 Rally |
Following Nuvolari’s celebrated victory, Abarth won the International Manufacturers Championship six times running between 1962 and 1967, also racking up wins in the 1972 European Championship for Makes with Arturo Merzario at the wheel, plus four triumphs in the European Touring Championships in 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969.
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| Raphael Astier (FR) Abarth 124 Rally #team Milano Racing Tour de Corse (2019) |
Such major victories were complemented by wins in seven European Rally Championships between 1975 and 2011, and by the Abarth 124 rally's 2018 and 2019 triumphs in the FIA R-GT Cup.
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| Enrico Brazzoli (IT) Abarth 124 rally # team Bernini Rally Deutschland Rally (2019) |
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| The Abarth sport and coupè cars, winner in the International Manufacturers Championship |
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