In the summer of 1965, Carlo Abarth put yourself on a diet. The Austrians, otherwise the worldly pleasures are not averse, and always in tailor-made suits on the way, had set the goal to fit in the Cockpit of a constructed by him, formula 2 race car: at 57, he wanted the young spunden again show correctly. Although Abarth had, on 15. In November 1908 when Karl Vienna-born racer, and in the Second world war to Italy, emigrated, not a career in Auto racing (as a wheel-motorcycle), but he always knew everything better. He likes to stand at the racetrack, and conducted his pilots like Karajan with his Philharmonic of the course; once he had interpret in a curve to the Newspapers and told the driver to hit you exactly in the middle.
in fact, he was able to pull in that summer of 1965, a whopping 30 pounds – and in fact, he went in October of 1965, two international records. Two of the total of 113, which was able to win his brand between 1957 and 1971. Came in for the Abarth in almost 15 years of activity Runs about 7000 race wins, eight European and six world Championships. Probably that’s why he was called “the magician”.
everything had Begun with a bankruptcy: Carlo Abarth had worked after the Second world war, Cisitalia. This went on for a long time, the young car brand was in need of money, the owner Piero Dusio moved to Argentina – Abarth took over the estate in bankruptcy. Using the family Scagliarini, he founded at 15. April 1949, his own company, which had its first headquarters in Bologna, but a few weeks later, at Via Trecate 10 in Turin, moved. Even then, there were two divisions, once the Squadra Abarth, which took care of the racing, in addition, the division producing exhaust systems and the intake manifold. This “magic tube” has always constituted the backbone of the activities of Abarth. 1955 92 119 exhaust systems were sold in the 60s to over 400 employees built more than 300 000 copies per year. Already at that time showed that the Abarth is also a marketing genius: He had his also very visually beautiful pots not only of car repair shops sell, but also in fashion boutiques.
Lucrative contract with Fiat
After Abarth can make up to the mid – ‘ 50s, especially with small series and single pieces (including Ferrari and Alfa Romeo) had a name that meant turning the idea of the Fiat 600 at the Geneva Salon in March 1955, the great. This is a small car, another stroke of genius by Fiat engineer Dante Giacosa, it should be for the next more than 15 years, the basis of all racing activities of the Abarth and brought Abarth in 1958, an excellent agreement with Fiat, the rewarded all the victories that could be achieved with Fiat products, with a well-known amount (depending on the importance of the event). It means that, Carlo Abarth had in each case calculated on Monday, how many victories had retracted his cars on the weekend, and then send the bill to Fiat.
A Scorpio is also his company’s logo: Abarth 1960 in Böro. Photo: PD
Carlo Abarth, was out of the was ordinary man. “A crazy guy”, and described him a factory driver Kurt Ahrens later, “it was always “grande casino””. The Journalist Eckhard Schimpf was a little clearer: “as Noble as Carlo Abarth and his accurate middle parting was in the paddock no. In the noisy world of Motorsport from the 60s-the years of the stately Snob effect with her yellow leather gloves, like a peacock in the chicken run.” Racer-mate Dieter Quester: “The man possessed such authority that you could not afford the slightest joke. I always had the feeling not to stand in the Abarth inserts, under performance pressure, but rather under Education.” But Quester also said: “He always had the most beautiful cars.”
Although his cars were the beginning of the 70s continue to be successful, but Fiat wanted to get out – and especially not for the race wins will pay. The negotiations of Carlo Abarth with Fiat for the sale of his brand ran then but not so, as he had expected. Fiat pushed enormously on the price with the justification that you need no Department. The exact amount was not disclosed. This was a disappointment to Carlo Abarth in such a way that he gave away all of the separation material to his racer Vincenzo Osella. As Fiat moved in after the summer holidays of 1971, in Corso Marche, were the former Abarth halls completely empty. Osella won with the Abarth-the Material in 1972, the manufacturers ‘ title in the 2-litre class, as well as the highly respected Italian touring car championship.
Carlo Abarth died on 24. October 1979, in the arms of his third wife, Annelies, in the vicinity of Vienna, to cancer.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 28.02.2019, 11:00 PM
