The Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 is the latest car Stellantis Heritage's technical team has made. It will be shown at the "Milano AutoClassica" classic car show from November 18th through November 20th, 2022. The unique piece marks that the Autodromo di Monza is 100 years old. Abarth broke many speed and distance records at the "Temple of Speed" Formula 1 track on the outskirts of Milan. In February 1958, Carlo Abarth and his team of people who worked on Fiat 500s set six new world records in just one week.
Abarth Classiche 500 Track RecordMonza '58 gets its name from this series. It was built by Stellantis Heritage technicians using a 1970 Fiat 500 as a base. They looked and worked as closely as possible to the originals. The "Monza '58" body color reminds me of the green cars that broke speed records in 1958. It is also the same color that the company, whose logo is a scorpion, chose for the 2019 debut of the Abarth 695 70° Anniversario. This alone shows that the connection between the Abarth 500 and the Monza circuit is still essential.
The interior of the Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 is also based on cars from the past, just like the paint job on the outside. The racing seat is made to look like the first Fiat 500s, which came out in 1957. It has the same color and contrasting stitching.
The inside of the Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 cockpit is also based on the past. Behind the wooden steering wheel, the dashboard has round Jaeger instruments that look like they've been there forever. The equipment also includes a unique clock with an eight-day power reserve. This part of the car is a reminder of the Monza Record Week in February 1958, when excellent records were set. Also, the open floor of the vehicle and the tin roof, which replaced the standard fabric roof on the Fiat 500 starting in 1957, show that it was made for racing, as do the two extra headlights.
The Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 is also based on older models regarding how it works. With the current Abarth Classiche 595 tuning kit, the Fiat 500's two-cylinder engine now has a displacement of 595 cubic centimeters. This kit is made with the most up-to-date technology, but each part is the same as the one Abarth made for the original Cinquecento in 1963. The Stellantis Heritage team used the engine in the back of the Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 to test the parts of the current tuning kit.
Several badges, including one that says "Record Monza" and is only on this one-off, finish the tribute to the Autodromo di Monza.
Stellantis Heritage's "Reloaded by Creators" program includes the one-of-a-kind Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58. As part of this, a small number of certified authentic vintage cars are made at the Officine Classiche in Turin. The technicians on the Heritage team have expertly restored these cars.
At the Milan show, Stellantis Heritage is showing both the new Abarth Classiche 500 Record Monza '58 and the Abarth version of the Fiat 500 used during the 1958 record run. The standard Fiat 500 was not a racing car in any way. The small engine with only two cylinders did not have enough power to do well in sports. But Carlo Abarth was sure that the small car was good and had great potential. A car tuner from Austria made the Fiat 500 the fastest car in the world.
After Abarth gave it a power boost, the two-cylinder engine made 26 hp, enough to reach a top speed of 118 km/h. The Fiat 500s that were prepared this way raced on the Monza track for precisely 168 hours in February 1958, setting six world records. This sensation contributed to the sales success of the Fiat 500 and made it one of the most famous automobiles ever produced.
The Fiat 500 on display at Milano AutoClassica is one of the original cars used to try to break the record. It is also the first Fiat 500 that Abarth has ever tuned. So, it's a car with a lot of historical value and a real turning point in the history of both the Abarth brand and vehicles in general. The careful restoration brought the world record holder from 1958 back to its original state.
Stellantis Heritage will be shown off at the Milano AutoClassica, along with a new unique model called the Abarth Classiche 1000 SP. This car is a fresh take on the 1966 Abarth 1000 Sport Prototipo, which was a significant moment in the brand's racing history. The Abarth 1000 SP was one of the company's most popular cars at the time. It had a unique look, was fast, and had won races all over Europe.
In 2009, the Centro Stile Fiat and Abarth designers were inspired by this famous racing car to make a concept car that paid homage to it. In 2021, exactly 55 years after the historic Abarth 1000 SP came out for the first time, Abarth Classiche picked up the project and made a car that brought the style of the 1966 racing car into the present day.
The new Abarth Classiche 1000 SP looks like the original model in terms of its lines and style. The body's smooth shape and curved fenders show a mid-engine spider layout. The forms at the back of the Abarth Classiche 1000 SP show how well the taillights and exhaust system work together. The rear lights are way out to the sides, emphasizing how comprehensive the vehicle is.
The bright red paint makes the distinctive air intakes in the front hood and on the mid-engine cover stand out. The spot-shaped headlights in front and the single round taillight in the back are also inspired by the simple look of the original Abarth 1000 SP. The Abarth Classiche 1000 SP has a 177 kW (240 hp) high-torque turbo engine with a displacement of 1,742 cc and 6,000 rpm.
The Abarth Classiche 1000 SP was only made in a limited run of five units. It was shown for the first time three weeks ago at the "Auto e Moto d'Epoca" fair in Padua, where four units were sold.
