Abarth Cars => Classic Abarth => Topic started by: Taz on January 04, 2015, 01:21:05 pm
Title: Ignorant newbie!
Post by: Taz on January 04, 2015, 01:21:05 pm
I was digging through my photo albums and found these two shots I took at the 2004 Old-timer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. I was there with my Panther Kallista and these Abarths were parked close by us. Can someone please tell me what they actually are? ???
Title: Re: Ignorant newbie!
Post by: colin on January 04, 2015, 03:47:35 pm
They are Autobianchi A112 Abarth models.
The A112 was a small front wheel drive hatch sold from 1969 to 1985 when it was replaced by the car we in the UK knew as the Lancia Y10, but which was sold with Autobianchi badges in Europe. Fiat used the Autobianchi brand to try out some new ideas in the market before committing to volume, so Autobianchi had the first fronr wheel drive car, the Primula, which looked awfully like an Austin/Morris 1100 in 1964, years before Fiat's first FWD car, the 128. And the A112 was a precursor to the far bigger selling Fiat 127.
The A112 was never sold in the UK, but there are a handful here now, and one of our members has (had?) one which he had restored to perfection. He brought it to Stanford Hall and it's been at Ace Cafe. It is fabulous.
Title: Re: Ignorant newbie!
Post by: will-w on January 04, 2015, 03:51:30 pm
Stunning looking little thing! :thumb:
Title: Re: Ignorant newbie!
Post by: Taz on January 05, 2015, 06:15:01 am
Thanks very much for your answer. It's strange to think that I sold the Panther I was in on that day only to replace it with my first Abarth this December :thumb:!