The 2012 Abarth Trophies rally and track calendar

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The promotional championships will be vied for in rallies and track races in 2012.

With regard to the rallies, the Trofeo Abarth 500 will take on an international flavour also in the upcoming season with a seven-race calendar that will be contended in Italy, France, Switzerland and Belgium: 1000 Miglia Rally (Italy, 19-21 April), Tour de Corse (France, 11-13 May), du Chablais (Switzerland, 8-10 June), Ypres (Belgium, 22-24 June), San Martino di Castrozza (Italy, 14-15 September), Sanremo (Italy, 12-13 October) and du Valais (Switzerland, 25-27 October).

Three championships on the track will be organised: the Europe Abarth Trophy, the Italy Abarth Trophy and the novelty of this year, the Abarth Trophy Benelux - each with six races slated. In detail, the Europe Abarth Trophy calendar includes Dijon (France, 6 May), Mugello (Italy, 10 June), A1 Ring (Austria, 5 August), Imola (Italy, 2 September), Spa (Belgium, 16 September) and Monza (Italy, 21 October).

The Italy Abarth Trophy also has six appointments on its calendar, some of which concurrent with those of the continental championship: Varano (20 May), Mugello (10 June), Franciacorta (24 June), A1 Ring (in Austria, 5 August), Imola (2 September) and Monza (21 October).

Lastly, the new Benelux Abarth Trophy has set the following race schedule: Dijon (France, 6 May), Zandvoort (Netherlands, 3 June), Spa (Belgium, 8 July), Colmar-Berg (France, 22 July), Spa (Belgium, 16 September) and Zolder (Belgium, 7 October).

Abarth at the 2011 Bologna Motor Show

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Abarth is showing up at the Bologna Motor Show with an original, spectacular stand where four world previews are being presented to once again lay emphasis on the brand's uniqueness on the world motoring stage.
At the heart of the presentation is a concept very dear to Karl Abarth: "Sunday on the track, Monday at the office", which the brand conveys by placing road vehicles designed for everyday use side-by-side with racing cars on an imaginary "road to performance". After all, it is precisely from the world of racing that the brand draws technologies and values to then transfer them to the production of road vehicles.
The brand new Abarth 595 is at the starting line. Offered in the two "turismo" and "competizione" versions, it conceptually draws inspiration from the historic 595 model that Karl Abarth presented in 1963 as an offshoot of the Fiat 500. The Abarth 595 symbolises the return to the customisation concept that enhances the performance of a "standard" car offering the power upgrade to 160 HP as standard. The new Abarth 595 expands the Abarth 500 product range, and is offered in two customisations: "turismo" and "competizione". The first is dedicated to those attentive to fashion trends, who love a type of sportiness "without going to an extreme". The latter is designed for true customisation fans, who love to experience the thrill of sporty driving every day.
The two cars on display "race" along a platform coated with a special resin that evokes the atmosphere of a road... the ideal road of those who enjoy facing up to challenges in their everyday lives in a constant search for "everyday performance". Starting from the road cars, the culmination is represented by the most complete expression of the Abarth brand's sportiness. The new 695 "Assetto Corse", the new small super-sports car designed for racing on the track, is being presented to the Bologna public. This year it will debut in the single-make trophies. The new car will pair up with the 500 "Assetto Corse", the highly successful star of the track over the past three years.
The fourth car being presented at the Bologna Motor Show is a new Limited Edition, the Abarth Punto Scorpione, dedicated to everyone who loves to pit themselves against any kind of challenge in a never-ending search for speed and performance both on the track and facing a downhill road. Abarth is in fact presenting the "Abarth Nitro" winter kit to go along with the new Limited Edition. Among other things, the kit contains the "Nitro Powered by Abarth" snowboard.
The four new cars being presented therefore contribute to the already well-known successes the brand has enjoyed. More than 9,000 cars have been sold during 2011. The contribution of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari has also been significant. Between its launch in July 2008 and today approximately 1500 cars have been delivered. These figures contribute to confirming the good results the brand has recorded since its relaunch. Suffice it to say that since 2008 the brand has grown non-stop, as about 38,000 Abarth Punto and Abarth 500 cars sold, plus more than 9,500 performance kits for the two models, demonstrate.
These sales successes have been partly made possible by the extraordinary network of dealers and official tuning shops, an organisation that is unique in its field and has further extended to other international markets such as Finland, Hong Kong and South Africa in 2011.
The brand is looking forward to this kind of success in other fields of business as well, with the launch of its Abarth official merchandising e-commerce website and the introduction of customer services as part of the "Abarth24h mobile" Iphone application.
Focus will also be placed on "Make it your race", the project with which Abarth gave young people aged 18 to 35 the chance to make their lifelong dream come true: race against professional drivers on the track.
The Bologna Motor Show is the perfect stage for presenting the 2012 Abarth sporting programme. The formula adopted in conceiving the trophies this year as well makes the cost of entering the trophy extremely accessible to everyone, a concrete example of "democratizing" races in the true Scorpion spirit.
This practical approach confirms Abarth's racing spirit and applies the same philosophy that has identified Abarth for fifty years: the transfer of racing experience to road cars in order to facilitate access to the world of racing.

Abarth at the 80th International Motor Show in Geneva

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Abarth is presenting a number of important new products at Geneva in response to intense public interest, and to confirm the Fiat Group’s investment in Abarth. In particular, at this year’s Geneva show, the house of the scorpion will be presenting the Abarth Punto Evo and the Abarth 500C, the latest two performance cars based on already popular and acclaimed Fiat models.

The Abarth Punto Evo is the sporty, high-tech version of the Punto Evo that Fiat introduced last September. Abarth is aiming, with this model, to reinforce its standing with young enthusiastic drivers, a process begun with the Grande Punto, which has sold best to customers in the 18 to 30 age group.

A great deal of curiosity has also been built up ahead of the launch of the Abarth 500C, the first convertible to be launched by the renewed Abarth company. This elegant and dynamic car is packed with Abarth racing spirit and the latest performance technology. The Abarth 500C is more than just a developed version of its Fiat counterpart. On the contrary, it represents a strategic choice by Abarth. With it, the company is making clear advances towards those members of the female public who are seeking not only design and elegance but a good dose of sports performance too.

Both new models will go on sale over the next few months through Abarth’s official dealer network in Europe and Japan, closely followed by other markets, and boosting the company’s already excellent results for 2009.

Proof that the direction taken by Abarth is the right one comes from the statistics. These announce quite clearly that the brand is experiencing continuous growth: from 2008 to the present day, Abarth has sold 20,000 cars, including 8,400 Abarth 500s and 2,700 Abarth Grande Puntos, to say nothing of 3,300 performance kits. So it is no wonder that this impressive commercial success has led to an equally rapid growth in the number of dealers and official performance centres associated with the marque.

As well as consolidating its existing markets, Abarth is also extending its network in strategic European towns and cities like Amsterdam and Paris, and expanding into east European markets like Rumania, as well as Mediterranean basin markets like Israel.

The Abarth distribution network is already unique, boasting 141 showrooms, 140 official performance centres and 300 service centres in Europe. These figures do not take account of the recently established “Abarth Racing” performance tuning network, which already boasts 6 centres holding exclusive sales and assistance rights for customers purchasing Abarth’s race-ready models.

The stand at the Geneva show Abarth’s stand at the 2010 edition of the Geneva motor show has been completely redesigned to provide a worthy stage for the international debut of two new models.

The concept behind the new stand is one of simplicity: the stand’s design is not a means of communication in itself, but serves only to drawing attention to the values of the Abarth brand. Wherever its cars are found, Abarth is such a clearly recognised protagonist that it can afford to present itself to the public without frills, in its most essential form. This year’s more essential stand helps focus on the two new Abarths making their world debut in Geneva and destined to enrich the Abarth range.

Abarth’s stage for presenting itself to the world consists of a spacious stand divided into two main illuminated areas, each focusing on one of the new cars.

A huge pane of glass in the centre of the space carries the instantly recognisable Abarth logo, while a large LED display creates a backdrop to the new cars and functions as a central feature in the stand’s design.

The entire stand is based on symmetric, straight lines, right angles and neutral, almost unnoticeable materials. White structural components and an abundance of transparent materials eliminate visual “noise” and focus clearly on content.

Technical drawings of Abarth vehicles are displayed under the glass floor. This intelligent solution makes the drawings easily visible to all visitors, reflecting the era when Abarth cars used to have partly raised engine covers to display their performance parts.

Intangible content like light, sound, and digital media is used not as a mere accessory, but to help identify the stand’s focal points in a more integrated and coordinated manner, and to create a sense of dynamism and movement. The neutral and minimalist space is filled and coloured by scenes representing a sequence of Abarth values: challenge, passion, ingenuity, Italian style, participation, determination, and authenticity.

The stand creates a fascinating and warm welcome to the world of Abarth and provides an ideal context for presenting the two latest expressions of the marque of the scorpion: the Abarth Punto Evo and the Abarth 500C.

Abarth 500 Selenia track trophies for the 2010 season

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The 2010 race season calendar is packed for the Abarth, with three one-make circuit championships scheduled. A British trophy will now be added to the well-established Abarth 500 Selenia Europe Trophy andAbarth 500 Selenia Italia Trophy. All three targeting two of the Abarth philosophy’s fundamental concepts: affordability and fun.

This year’s hottest trophy news is the possibility of having two drivers in one vehicle, one in Race1 and the other in Race2. This definitely helps younger drivers and assists enormously in keeping costs down.

The Abarth 500 Selenia Europe Trophy takes pride of place, with drivers able to try their hand at the most prestigious circuits in this international context. There are five dates, each comprising two races. It will begin on 30 May, at the German circuit of Hockenheim.

The rest of the calendar continues with dates at Imola (also valid for the Italian trophy), Salzburg and Brands Hatch (also valid for the British trophy).

The 2010 edition ends on 24 October at Monza, with the participation of vehicles from both the Italian and British races, for a closing event that promises plenty of thrills.

Each date includes: a session of free trials, two 20-minute qualifiers and two races of 25 minutes plus one lap.

Registration costs for the Abarth 500 Selenia Europe Trophy are 7,500 euros and that covers all races, apparel, Abarth hospitality at racetracks (including catering), as well as shared paddock setup with the other teams. For drivers registered in both the Italian and English trophies there is a discounted fee of 6,500 euros. It is also possible to sign up for individual competitions.

There are tempting prize pools for the competitions and for the final trophy, whose winner will be awarded a road version of the Abarth 500.

The seven appointments scheduled for the UK kick-off on 4 April, at Oulton Park.

The Abarth 500 Selenia Italia Trophy includes six events of two races each, beginning at Misano on 25 April. The races are part of CSAI events and accompany the Formula ACI/CSAI-Abarth and Formula 3 competitions.

The programme for each event is identical to that of the European trophy. The registration fees have been lowered to 9,000 euros compared to last year’s 11,000, and there are special rates for drivers aged under 25, as part of a policy to allow younger drivers to be in the spotlight at reduced expense.

The outright winner of the competition will be awarded a road version of the Abarth 500, while the top-ranking Under-18 will be offered the use of a Formula ACI/CSAI-Abarth for the following season. It is actually possible to race in the competition from 15 years of age for drivers who have taken a course at the CSAI Federal School to obtain a national C licence.

Race classes are: absolute, Under 25, Under 18 and the new Gentleman class for drivers aged over 40.

The Abarth 500 Assetto Corse cars, all fitted out and prepared directly by the Abarth Officine (Workshops), are then delivered to the “Abarth Racing” tuners who take care of racetrack maintenance and support. For sports car customers the brand has created an Italian tuner network – called “Abarth Racing” – that is the privileged gateway to Abarth races.

The exclusive “Abarth Racing” network is highly specialised and currently includes six companies famous for their many years of experience in the car engine and race world: Uboldi Corse with Autoalberta by Uboldi Corse (Lomazzo, Como); Carrozzeria Campana (Modena); Forza Service (Turin); Romeo Ferraris (Opera, Milan); Trico Motor Sport (Alessandria); Zatti Sport (Parma).

Calendar of Abarth 500 Selenia Europe Trophy Events

30 May Hockenheim

04 July Imola

25 July Salzburg

05 September Brands Hatch

24 October Monza

Calendar of Abarth 500 Selenia Italian Trophy Events

25 April Misano

6 June Magione

04 July Imola

29 August Varano

10 October Mugello

24 October Monza

Calendar of Abarth 500 Selenia British Trophy Events

4 April Oulton Park

18 April Silverstone

23 May Oulton Park

27 June Snetterton

25 July Silverstone

5 September Brands Hatch

24 October Monza

HARALD WESTER NEW CEO OF ALFA ROMEO AUTOMOBILES

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Harald J. Wester has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Alfa Romeo Automobiles, replacing Sergio Cravero, who will assume responsibility for Product Portfolio Planning & Product Concept of Fiat Group Automobiles.

Mr. Wester will maintain his current positions as Chief Technical Officer for Fiat Group and Fiat Group Automobiles and Chief Executive Officer of Maserati and Abarth.

The Fiat Group Chief Executive, Sergio Marchionne, stated: "The purpose of bringing the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands under the same leadership is to emphasize and leverage the value of the shared qualities of the three brands in terms of their sporting characteristics and performance. Harald Wester, who has demonstrated his enormous commitment on several fronts and achieved optimum results, will bring strong leadership capabilities and solid technical experience and know-how to this project. In his new role, Sergio Cravero will be well positioned to fully leverage his technical and commercial abilities."

Abarth 500 for rallies launched in Sanremo

Abarth introduced its latest racing gem at the 51^st Sanremo Rally. The new Abarth 500 R3T will lend its name to a promotional rally trophy in 2010, due to join the two track events (European and Italian) planned for the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse.

For Abarth, this marks a return to promotional trophy events, a niche it has made its own for more than thirty years. Since 1977, to be precise, when the first ever Autobianchi A112 Abarth Championship was held, followed by trophies for the Fiat Uno, Uno Turbo, Cinquecento, Seicento, Punto Kit and Super 1600, Stilo, Panda Kit.

The Abarth 500 rally version will be type approved for Group R3T, the category for turbocharged cars up to 1600 cm³ in capacity. This class will be the future of the specialism because it represents a good compromise between car cost and performance. Ideal for private drivers and young people who want to show their worth in a true racing car, capable of outstanding performance by any standard.

The Abarth 500 power unit is 1368 cm³ with a Garret GT 1446 fixed geometry turbocharger capable of delivering a power of 180 hp (132 kw) at 5500 rpm.

The gearbox is sequential, front meshing with 6 speeds and includes a multiplate self-locking differential, twin plate clutch and special half-axles.

Great care has been taken to ensure the suspension can be adjusted to obtain a ride suited to each driver's individual driving style. The racing shock-absorbers are adjustable, with coaxial spring and wheel to alter the ground clearance plus special shims to adjust the caster and camber angles.

The 7” x 17” OZ asphalt rims are designed for 19/62-17 tyres.

The Brembo brakes are all disc, ventilated at the front with 4 callipers, solid disc at the rear with brake distributor and governor. The handbrake is hydraulic.

The Abarth 500 is equipped with a special welded roll-bar integral with the body, the required safety devices and FIA type-approved seats with 6 seat belt anchorage points.

The weight is the lowest set by the regulations for this category: 1080 kg unladen.

Great care has also been taken over the details, beginning with a livery that is most decidedly in keeping with tradition, complemented by a lovingly crafted interior and instruments.

The Abarth promotional trophy regulation and timetable will be circulated in the coming weeks.

Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport”

Powered by a 180 HP 1.4, 16v engine that develops 270 Nm of torque at only 3,000 rpm, the Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport” reaches a top speed of 215 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds. This superb performance confirms the car’s true racing spirit.
Further contributions to performance come from the modified suspension (one of the features of the “SS” kit), which includes new, more rigid and lower springs, 215/40 R18 tyres and specially designed 7.5 J X 18 alloy wheels. Thanks to this new kit the car has gained a far sportier setup and a roll centre some 20 mm lower. On top of this, the braking system has been equipped with perforated discs front and rear and performance brake pads at the front.
Inside, the Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport” boasts “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” leather seats (homologated and lightened in keeping with the car’s racing spirit) and an Abarth Blue&MeTM MAP satellite navigation unit with a telemetric function developed in conjunction with Magneti Marelli. In all there are four functions that make this innovative device stand out. The first function, called “monitoring”, displays the main acquired in-car parameters (engine rpm, vehicle speed, gear engaged) that are transferred from the Blue&MeTM to the PND (Portable Navigation Device) via Bluetooth. The second function, “Track”, accessible if the driver is on one of the circuits present in the device’s SD memory, displays a set of additional information such as the car’s position on the track (ascertained by GPS) and lap time. The third function, “configuration”, makes it possible to store telemetric data for a track and associate it with a personalised session (identified by the driver’s name, circuit, date). The information recorded may be retrieved easily and also analysed at a later stage using the fourth “analysis” function.
In addition to the characteristic Abarth colours, the Grande Punto “SuperSport” comes in the historical Airfield Grey (typical of Abarth racing models) and a livery inspired by motor sport.
The new model will go on sale starting from the weekend of the 12th and 13th September, when an open house event will be organised for Abarth’s entire network.

The Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”

The Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari” makes its world debut at Frankfurt. This new performance version of the Abarth 500 confirms the link between Abarth and Ferrari based on shared values that include a passion for performance, a racing soul, attention to detail and Italian style.
Abarth and Ferrari are two great names that have contributed, with conviction and dedication, to the legend of Italian racing that is known around the world. The legendary men behind both marques followed very similar careers: first drivers, then tuners and finally heads of companies that command genuine respect in the world of motor racing. These extraordinary men were associated in the past: in 1953, for example, a unique Ferrari-Abarth was born, the Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth. The car raced in various international trophies including the legendary Mille Miglia. The tie between the two companies has been reinforced above all by the exhaust systems designed by Abarth specifically for the cars built at Maranello: numerous exhaust systems have been made for various Ferrari models, some of which have won World Championship titles.
The two brands have recently renewed their collaboration. The first result of this was the supply of a limited and numbered series of Abarth 500’s to Ferrari’s European dealers in recent months for use as “courtesy cars”.
Now, attention turns to the new Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”, an exclusive vehicle that not only enables Abarth to extend its range by entering into the luxury sports car market, but also offers Ferrari customers a small but exciting small car for all their mobility needs, including practical urban mobility.
The new Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari” is distinguished by a number of stylistic changes, but more importantly by substantial modifications developed by Abarth and Ferrari engineers. The engine, for a start, is a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v, tuned to develop over 180 HP. This is combined with an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) electromechanical gearbox with race-inspired paddle gearshift that makes full use of the engine’s performance by reducing gearshift times.
To improve acceleration, the car is fitted with performance tyres on 17’’ alloy wheels featuring a design inspired by Ferrari wheels. The suspension and braking systems have also been strengthened to cope with the extra power: 284 mm multi-section discs with fixed four-piston calipers, both by Brembo, and special shock absorbers let you enjoy performance in total safety.
And of course there is a “Record Monza” variable back-pressure “dual mode” exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring sound over 3,000 rpm.
On the outside, the car is finished in Scuderia Red, with carbon fibre door mirrors and with details like the wheels and rear air intakes in Racing Grey. This new Abarth is equipped with Xenon headlights with dipped and main beam functions for improved light emission and excellent efficiency under all weather conditions. Made by Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting, these elements deliver three times the light intensity and duration of standard halogen lamp headlights.
The interiors are also personalised and demonstrate the attention to detail and the sporting style that are common to both brands. “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” seats are fitted and finished in black leather with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre. These seats offer a perfect blend of racing characteristics – light weight (10 kg less than the standard seat) and the ability hold the body steady against lateral and longitudinal forces, thanks to body support elements filled with crush-resistant foam – with the ergonomics and comfort of road seats.
The black leather steering wheel is characterised by red leather inserts and a tricolour hub on which the MTA gearshift paddles are mounted, while the instrument panel is specially made by Jaeger, and inspired by typical Ferrari instrumentation. Attention to detail has gone into the floor too: the foot wells are covered entirely in non-slip aluminium and the racing pedals are personalised with the Scorpion logo. The interior is embellished with other details too, like special kick plates and a plate bearing the vehicle series number.

Abarth at the 63rd International Motor Show in Frankfurt

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Inspired by the world of racing, Abarth’s original stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show will be displaying all the winning products – standard cars, performance kits and race ready cars – that have helped Abarth achieve commercial success in Italy and abroad. One of the stand’s protagonists will be the brand-new Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”, a special, limited and numbered series celebrating the Italian racing tradition, passion for performance, attention to detail and technical innovation that both brands express. Abarth and Ferrari are two great names that have contributed, with conviction and dedication, to the legend of Italian racing that is known around the world.
The car on display “races” on a platform coated with a special resin that evokes the atmosphere of the racetrack, the natural habitat of Abarth cars. After all, it is from the world of motor racing that Abarth takes the technology and values that it transfers to the production of its road-going cars and performance kits.
The same philosophy has led to the development of the other two cars on display at Frankfurt: the new Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport” and the Abarth 500 “Assetto Corse”, the small supersport designed for racetrack competitions, built directly by Abarth, and sold "race ready" to drivers via the “Abarth Racing” network that also provides technical assistance and transport services. The technical characteristics of the Abarth 500 “Assetto Corse” and the race formula itself have been carefully selected to facilitate participation in competitive racing at an extremely low cost. This is yet another practical application of Abarth’s mission to “democratise” motor racing.
This practical approach confirms Abarth’s racing spirit and applies the same philosophy that has identified Abarth for fifty years: the transfer of racing experience to the market in order to facilitate access to the world of racing. In less than two years, this strategy has led to the introduction of two cars – the Abarth Grande Punto and the Abarth 500 – as well as two performance kits. The same spirit has gone into the creation of an exclusive sales network, staffed by experts capable of providing ideal solutions to an informed and demanding public. In keeping with this philosophy, Abarth has increased its involvement in motor sport competitions and entered into agreements with partners of excellence.
Proof that the direction taken by Abarth is the right one comes from the statistics. These announce quite clearly that the brand is experiencing continuous growth. From 2008 to the present day, Abarth has sold over 15,000 cars, with 6,300 Abarth 500’s and 2,100 Grande Punto’s sold in 2009 alone, to say nothing of 2,500 performance kits, proving that one Abarth 500 in three is fitted with an SS kit. On top of these extraordinary sales figures, the number of dealers and official performance centres is also growing rapidly, improving distribution on existing markets and continuing expansion into strategic markets like Germany, France, the UK and Japan. The Abarth distribution network is already unique, boasting 120 showrooms, 132 official performance centres and 220 service centres in Europe. On top of this, a new level called “Abarth Racing” has been introduced into the Abarth performance network. Abarth Racing centres offer customers exclusive assistance via the “Racing Service” that provides a privileged entry to the world of Abarth motor sport.
Visitors to the Frankfurt show will also be able to see the latest additions to the “Abarth Car Accessories” catalogue, developed in conjunction with prestige partners. New accessories include the “Record Monza” exhaust systems developed with Magneti Marelli and “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” seats. In the area of collaboration with other companies, two unique and exclusive products will mark Abarth’s entry into two areas that share the same racing spirit: boat racing, with the development of the first Powershore Abarth SP (Sport Prototype), and motorcycle racing, with the Yamaha FZ1 Abarth Assetto Corse concept bike.

Barum Rally: Rossetti finishes 10th - Basso grabs European Championship points

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During the second leg of Czech Republic's Barum Rally, round eight of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Luca Rossetti and Matteo Chiarcossi were delayed by a puncture three stages from the finish and hence the Abarth works crew dropped to 10th overall.

Despite not scoring points, Giandomenico Basso, alongside co-driver Mitia Dotta, remains third in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge standings. After yesterday's retirement, Basso was back in the event for the second day to try and collect European Rally Championship points, which are allocated to legs winner. Mission accomplished! This allows him to target the continental title.

The next round of the IRC will be the Rally Príncipe de Asturias in Spain, which is scheduled for 10-11 September. The event also counts towards the European Rally Championship.

Barum Rally Classification: 1. Kopecký-Stary (Skoda Fabia S2000) in 2hr 24min21.1s; 2. Meeke-Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 1min00.4s; 3. Hänninen-Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000) + 2min00.8s; 4. Kresta-Gross (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2min10.8s; 5. Prokop-Tománek (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2min39.6s; 10. Rossetti-Chiarcossi (Abarth Grande Punto S2000).

Intercontinental Rally Challenge standings after 8 rounds: 1. Kris Meeke (GB), Peugeot, 42 points; 2. Jan Kopecký (CZ), Skoda, 39; 3. Giandomenico Basso (I), Abarth, and Freddy Loix (B), Peugeot, 27; 5. Juho Hänninen (FIN), Skoda, 20.

Basso and Rossetti at Madeira Rally, Alén and Räikkönen at Rally Finland

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Two works Grande Punto Abarth S2000s will participate in Madeira Rally, the seventh round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge which will take place from Thursday 30 July to Saturday 1 August on the Portuguese Island in the Atlantic. The cars will be entrusted to the crews composed of Giandomenico Basso/Mitia Dotta and Luca Rossetti/Matteo Chiarcossi.

Simultaneously, young Finn Anton Alén and co-driver Timo Alanne will enter Rally Finland, a round of the World Rally Championship scheduled at the same dates, in a Grande Punto Abarth S2000. Ferrari pilot Kimi Räikkönen will drive a similar car. Being a big fan of rally, the Finn couldn't resist the attraction of the most important competition in his native country. His co-driver will be Kaj Lindström.

Abarth 500 Selenia – European Trophy

Emanuele Moncini, from Brescia, won both the two races of the third round of the Abarth 500 Selenia–European Trophy on the Portuguese circuit of Oporto. The Italian driver won Race1 ahead of Portuguese Pedro Marreiros and Race2 ahead of Jorge Rodrigues, another national of Portugal. Thanks to his third place in Race1 and to his seventh place in Race2, Italiano Manuel Villa remains in command in the Abarth 500 Selenia-European Trophy standings with a 33 points lead over Frenchman Benoît Perret.

The street circuit of Oporto proved very spectacular for the high flyer Abarth 500 Assetto Corse.

In the first race, Moncini has built his victory right since the start, overtaking brilliantly the pole-setter, Portuguese Patrick Cunha. Moncini then kept a commanding lead over his rivals, a lead he gradually increased up to five seconds. Hot on his heels, a group of pursuers immediately formed. Patrick Cunha and Pedro Marreiros fought a fiercely contested battle for second place, threatened by Manuel Villa towards the end of the race. In the fifth lap, Cunha was overtaken by Marreiros and Villa, before he was forced into retirement. The last laps were marked by the fruitless attempt from Villa to overtake Marreiros.

In Race2, Moncini made again a good start from the second row of the grid to jump in the lead immediately, with Rodrigues second and Marreiros third, those two fighting together ahead of their fellow countryman Leite.
Meanwhile, further back down the field, Patrick Cunha and Manuel Martins were fighting for fifth position, giving rise to the most action-packed duel in this second race. In lap seven, Martins managed to overtake his opponent. His satisfaction was short-lived as he braked too late for a corner in the very last lap, dropping his position.

Also to be pointed out is the steady and valuable learning curve of Simone and Erika Monforte, the very young brothers from Pordenone. Thanks to a string of good placings, Simone is lying fourth in the standings of the Abarth 500 Selenia–European Trophy, of which the next round is scheduled on 18 and 19 July at the English circuit of Brands Hatch.

Race1 classification: 1. Emanuele Moncini (I), 10 laps in 24min33.906s; 2. Pedro Marreiros (P), + 3.356s; 3. Manuel Villa (I), + 5.767s; 4. Joao Ramos (P), +12.472s; 5. Jorge Rodrigues (P), + 19.615s; 6. Manuel Martins (P), + 34.255s; 7. Simone Monforte (I), + 1min05.502s; 8. Erika Monforte (I), + 1min41.312s.
Fastest lap by Jorge Rodrigues in 2min25.790s - average speed 117.78 kph.

Race 2 classification: 1. Emanuele Moncini (I), 10 laps in 24min31.180s; 2. Jorge Rodrigues (P), + 4.232s; 3. Pedro Marreiros (P), + 5.987s; 4. Pedro Leite (P), + 25.574s; 5. Patrick Cunha (P), + 41.452s; 6. Manuel Martins (P), + 1min01.125s; 7. Manuel Villa (I), 2min29.604s; 8. Benoît Perret (F), + 2 laps.
Fastest lap by Emanuele Moncini in 2min26.017s - average speed 117.60 kph.

Abarth 500 Selenia - European Trophy provisional standings: 1. Manuel Villa (I), 85 points; 2. Benoît Perret (F), 52; 3. Jorge Rodrigues (P), 51; 4. Simone Monforte (I), 44; 5. Lucas Guerrero (E) and Emanuele Moncini (I), 43; 7. Peter Fulin (CZ), 38; 8. Enrico Fulgenzi (I), 37; 9. Pedro Marreiros (P), 34; 10. Michael Vorba (CZ), 30.

Abarth 500 Trophy: Tavano and Baldan win at Magione

Salvatore Tavano and Nicola Baldan have scored one victory each in the two races held on the circuit of Magione, in the Italian region of Umbria, where the fourth round of the Abarth 500 Trophy was taking place. Baldan achieved the highest points score by finishing second in race one, while Tavano finished third in race two, on the heels of Denis Babuin.

Tavano still leads the championship with five wins to his credit in eight races, while his closest rival, Baldan, has recorded two victories. In the Under-23 category, Campani won race one to keep leading the standings of the Trophy, ahead of Tobias Tauber.

In race one, Tavano made a good start from pole position, moving towards the inside of the track to maintain first position into the first corner, ahead of Baldan. Further back the field, Parretta was trying to overtake Iorio and Campani but he slid wide in the second turn, losing ten positions or so. While Tavano and Baldan made it to outdistance Iorio, Campani and Babuin were fighting for fourth position. Their duel ended in favour of Campani, who finished first in the Under-23 category. Parretta climbed up to seventh. Baldan set the fastest lap time which earned him to start race two from pole position.

Baldan made the most of it and took the lead in race two, followed by Tavano, while Parretta successfully attacked Iorio and started a duel with Babuin. The two collided in the "S" corner before turn three and provoked chaos in the group of pursuers. The most unlucky were Iorio and Campani who were both forced into retirement. In the 12th lap, Tavano slowed down and Babuin took advantage of that to snatch the second spot.

The next round of the Abarth 500 Trophy will take place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September at Mugello. Meanwhile, there will be five rounds of the Abarth 500 European Trophy, the first of them being held on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June at Brno in the Czech Republic.

Classification of race 1: 1. Salvatore Tavano, 20 laps in 27min57.702s (average speed: 107.59 kph); 2. Nicola Baldan +0.768s; 3. Francesco Iorio +10.916s; 4. Alex Campani +18.429s; 5. Denis Babuin +19.028s; 6. Franco Cimarelli +22.514s; 7. Michele Parretta +24.209s; 8. Enrico Fulgenzi +36.052s; 9. Manuel Lasagni +36.456s; 10. Gabriele Larini +39.593s; 11. Giovanni Mancini +43.333s; 12. Andrea Carboni +1min07.004s; 13. Paolo Scudieri +1min08.154s; 14. Giuseppe Casillo +1min27.186s; 15. Simone Monforte + 1 lap; 16. Giovanni Ciraso + 1 lap; 17. Tobias Tauber + 4 laps; 18. Andrea Rizzoli + 5 laps.

Fastest lap: Baldan, 1min23.146s (average speed: 108.546 kph).

Classification of race 2: 1. Nicola Baldan 20 laps in 28min08.938s (average speed: 106.87 kph); 2. Denis Babuin + 2.282s; 3. Salvatore Tavano +9.303s; 4. Michele Parretta + 9.674s; 5. Manuel Lasagni + 15.960s; 6. Franco Cimarelli +24.823s; 7. Enrico Fulgenzi +33.775s; 8. Tobias Tauber + 34.892s: 9. Gabriele Larini +35.350s; 10. Alessandro Frigerio + 36.080s; 11. Andrea Carboni + 37.408s; 12. Giovanni Mancini + 38.589s; 13. Patrick Gobbo + 44.848s; 14. Andrea Maneo + 45.471s; 15. Giovanni Ciraso + 57.966s; 16. Paolo Scudieri +59.389s; 17. Giuseppe Casillo +1min08.115s; 18. Andrea Rizzoli + 1 lap.

Fastest lap: Tavano, 1min23.411s (average speed: 108.202 kph).

Abarth 500 Trophy provisional standings: 1. Salvatore Tavano 157 points; 2. Nicola Baldan 134; 3. Manuel Villa 79; 4. Denis Babuin 69; 5. Andrea Rizzoli 68; 6. Raffaele Giammaria 56; 7. Francesco Iorio 54; 8. Alex Campani 42.

Under-23 category: 1. Alex Campani 137 points; 2. Tobias Tauber 121; 3. Simone Monforte 106; 4. Gabriele Larini 88; 5. Enrico Fulgenzi 78; 6. Patrich Gobbo 62.

Abarth 500 European Trophy: Spaniard Lucas Guerrero makes it twice at Valencia

After yesterday's victory, Spanish driver Lucas Guerrero won again in the second race of the Abarth 500 European Trophy, which took place today on the circuit of Valencia in Spain. On his home track, Guerrero won ahead of his fellow countryman Noel Jamal and very young Italian Simone Monforte who just turned 16.

This double success earns Guerrero a commanding lead in the Abarth 500 European Trophy standings with a solid advantage over pursuers Jamal, Campani, Villa and Perret.

The fight for victory was dashed after the first two laps as Italian Alex Campani did not make the most of the pole position he owed to his fastest lap time in yesterday's race. Spain's Noel Jamal took advantage of the situation to engage a fierce battle for first place with Guerrero. After having overtaken his rival, Guerrero gradually extended his lead thanks to a neat and proficient drive in his Abarth 500 Assetto Corse.

Further down the field, Simone Monforte - who started from the 10th spot of the grid - began an outstanding rise, overtaking fellow countryman Manuel Villa and Frenchman Benoît Perret. In the last lap, the young driver made it to reach the podium to the detriment of Portuguese Jorge Rodrigues, crowning his superb rise by gaining third position. Italian Erika Monforte and Spain's Maria de Villota were unlucky as they were both forced into retirement in the second and ninth lap respectively.

Race classification: 1. Lucas Guerrero (E), 11 laps in 21min34.486s; 2. Noel Jamal (E) +6.118s ; 3. Simone Monforte (I) +15.442s ; 4.Benoît Perret (F) +20.839s ; 5. Javier Macias (E) +42.550s ; 6. Manuel Villa (I) +1min06.084s; 7. Alex Campani (I) +1min13.728s; 8. Daniele Vernuccio (I) +1min24.137s.

Fastest lap: Lucas Guerrero, 1min56.161s

Provisional Abarth 500 European Trophy standings: 1. Lucas Guerrero (E), 43 points; 2. Noel Jamal (E), 28; 3 Alex Campani (I), 27; 4. Manuel Villa (I) and Benoît Perret (F), 26; 6. Bernardo Arnaut (P), 18; 7. Simone Monforte (I), 16.

New seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt”

The new seat "Abarth Corse by Sabelt" is born: a technologically evolved product which is the result of the cooperation between two Italian brands, sharing the same sportsmanship and technological values. In fact, Abarth once more found the ideal partner in Sabelt in order to develop this new product, which confirms the goal of the Scorpion brand to transfer to all its customers the functionality, in terms of performance and safety, of the racing world.

Designed by Sabelt Style Center, under supervision of Abarth Style Center, the new seats stem out of the same philosophy that inspired, in the 60’s, the creation of racing seats for the Abarths 595 and 695. This monococque seats, clearly sports featuring, were designed and produced by Roberto Fusina, with their rounded lines and marked containment bands, suitable either for track racing and tourist use.

Nowadays, the seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt” match the tipical features of sport seats – such as lightness (10 kilos less than production seats) and the capability of retaining the body under lateral and lengthwise drives, thanks to their mono-layer padding containment bands – with the ergonomy and comfort of the seats conceived for road use.

Equipped with a release and forward-tipping lever, the backrest embodies the headrest and shows the typical slit for the passage of four-point seat belts. In addition, the shell (with its newfangled supporting backrest) and the cushion plate are made out of white compound material, formed by structural polyester resins with 1” glass fibers, and are moulded using state-of-the-art SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) technology.

Available in two versions (Frau black leather and fretworked black Alcantara, or black "F1" technical fabric) the seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt” are embellished with some details like, for instance, the aesthetic felled seams with red thread and the distinctive Abarth writing, while the silver colour typifies the Scorpion Logo placed on the backrest tilt knob.

After being presented at the recent Geneva show, the first seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt” have been installed on 200 Abarth 500s used as courtesy cars by European Ferrari dealers. This renewed cooperation with the Maranello firm deepens its roots in many shared values, such as passion for performance, racing soul, care of details and Italian style, and in the certainty that the “little and wicked” will be capable of satisfying even the highly demanding clients of Ferrari. Featuring an exclusive colour and a coat inspired by the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, these special cars show typical sport features such as the seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt”, the variable back-pressure exhaust “Abarth by Magneti Marelli” and the satellite navigator “Abarth Blue&Me^TM MAP” with Telemetry function developed by Magneti Marelli.

Some contents of this special series will be soon included in the official Abarth Cars Accessories catalogue, allowing all clients to customize their cars with racing features. In particular, the seats “Abarth Corse by Sabelt” will be available not only to the cars of the “Scorpion” but also to the Fiat 500 and Fiat Grande Punto 3-door models.

Abarth crew of Rossetti and Chiarcossi wins Rally Targa Florio

The Grande Punto Abarth S2000 of Luca Rossetti and Matteo Chiarcossi won the 93rd Targa Florio, a round of the Italian Rally Championship. In Sicily, where the event was taking place, it preceded the Peugeot 207 S2000 of Paolo Andreucci/Anna Andreussi and the Skoda Fabia of Renato Travaglia/Lorenzo Granai. With this success on the roads of the Madonie region, where it had already claimed victory in 2006, the Grande Punto Abarth bolstered its competitiveness.

Thanks to this result, Rossetti climbs up to second in the standings of the Italian Rally Championship for drivers.

The works Abarth driver has set the fastest time over five of the nine special stages which were held. He found himself in the lead from the start and only lost it to Andreucci at the end of the third special stage. He then recaptured first position to keep it until the end of the rally.

Worth to be pointed out are the optimum fifth place achieved by Sicilian Totò Riolo with a private Grande Punto Abarth S2000 and the sixth position of youngster Umberto Scandola, together with Guido D’amore, who was tackling the route of the Targa Florio for the first time with the works Grande Punto Abarth S2000.

“It's my first win with the Abarth and I'm pleased to have achieved it in such a prestigious event”, said Rossetti. “We had the perfect settings for this kind of terrain where all the components of the car are important: the engine, the setup and the tyres, these ones being supplied BF Goodrich”.

Taking place at the same time as the Targa Florio, in the Rally Sata Azores Giandomenico Basso and his co-driver Mitia Dotta were forced into retirement in SS 12 after an impact. Alen enjoyed a day-long battle for fourth place with Freddy Loix, but spun on the penultimate stage and dropped 15 minutes to finish 18^th.

Classification of Rally Targa Florio (Italian Championship): 1. Rossetti-Chiarcossi (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) 1h20min05.5s; 2. Andreucci-Andreussi (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 6.1s; 3. Travaglia-Granai (Skoda Fabia S2000) + 1min31.0s; 4. Medici-De Luis (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 1min36.0s; 5. Riolo-Marin (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) + 1min45.1s; 6. Scandola-D’Amore (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) + 1min54.6s; 7. Michelini-Perna (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2min20.7s; 8. Perico-Carrara (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2min43.5s.

Italian Championship standings: 1. Travaglia (Abarth, Peugeot and Skoda), 28 points; 2. Rossetti (Abarth) and Andreucci (Peugeot) 18; 4. Cavallini (Peugeot) 14; 5. Michelini (Peugeot) 12; 6. Basso (Abarth) 10; 7. Signor (Abarth) 8; 8. Scandola (Abarth), Navarra (Subaru), Trentin (Peugeot) and Perico (Peugeot) 6.

Abarth 500 Trophy: Salvatore Tavano stands out at Mugello - Solid debut achievement in circuit racing for Paolo Bettini

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Sicily's Salvatore Tavano has dominated the second round of the Abarth 500 Trophy, which took place at the Mugello circuit. Indeed, Tavano won both races and scored maximum points by posting the fastest lap time at an average speed of over 140kph. Thanks to this result, he now leads the standings of the Abarth 500 Trophy, in front of Manuel Villa from Liguria, Andrea Rizzoli from Emilia and Venetian Nicola Baldan.

World and Olympic cycling Champion Paolo Bettini achieved a good performance. Having posted the 24th time in qualifying, he started Race 1 from the 12th row and climbed up to 15th, eventually passing some competitors and achieving a remarkable 12th fastest time. Unfortunately, he made a mistake in the last lap when he went off the track. The car was repaired so that the champ could start the second race from the sixth row of the grid. He secured a commendable 18th place overall as he took the chequered flag.

In the Under 23 category, Alex Campani, from Emilia, took the honours after finishing ninth in Race 1 and eighth in Race 2.

Tavano made a good start in Race 1 and led all the way, followed by Giammaria and Rizzoli. Qualified fourth, Iorio started from the pit lane. Into the first chicane, the cars of Michela Cerruti and Luca Previtali collided and the young lady driver's car remained in the middle of the track, leading to the deployment of the safety car. The race resumed on lap 4. In lap 5, Cimarelli - who was 4th - was attempting to pass Rizzoli when he missed his braking point at the entrance of the “San Donato” curve and went off the track. Tavano took the win with the satisfaction of having set the fastest lap time, this allowing him to start Race 2 from pole position.

Tavano started Race 2 in the lead again and gradually increased the gap over his rivals. Baldan was on his heels and maintained his second position while the fight for third was at its hottest between Francesco Iorio and Raffaele Giammaria. Having started from the fourth row, Babuin recovered positions to finally succeed in conquering the third step of the podium.

The next round of the Abarth 500 Trophy will take place at the Imola circuit on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May. On May 30 will also get underway the Abarth 500 European Trophy whose rounds are organised as WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) support races. It consists of six international meetings featuring the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse which has not disappointed the expectations of the drivers and of the public so far, putting on a strong show at the Monza and Mugello circuits.

Race 1 classification: 1. Salvatore Tavano 8 laps in 21min40.098s - average speed 116.188 kph (3 laps behind the safety car); 2. Raffaele Giammaria in 21min41.860s; 3. Andrea Rizzoli in 21min45.622s; 4. Manuel Villa in 21min46.716s; 5. Emanuele Moncini in 21min47.588s; 6. Nicola Baldan in 21min47.917s; 7. “Yolly” in 21min48.551s; 8. Manuel Lasagni in 21min52.430s; 9. Alex Campani in 22min01.281s; 10. Alessandro Frigerio in 22min01.502s.

Race 2 classification: 1. Salvatore Tavano 8 laps in 18min14.880s - average speed 137.965 kph; 2. Nicola Baldan in 18min18.318s; 3. Denis Babuin in 18min20.519s; 4. Raffaele Giammaria in 18min21.231s; 5. Andrea Rizzoli in 18min21.943s; 6. Manuel Lasagni in 18min24.172s; 7. Manuel Villa in 18min25.295s; 8. Alex Campani in 18min25.594s; 9. Emanuele Moncini in 18min25.777s; 10. “Yolly” in 18min28.139s.

Abarth 500 Trophy provisional standings: 1. Salvatore Tavano 77 points; 2. Manuel Villa 61; 3. Andrea Rizzoli 60; 3. Nicola Baldan 59; 5. Raffaele Giammaria 56; 6. Denis Babuin 19; 7. Gianluca Giraudi and Tobias Tauber 17; 9. Enrico Fulgenzi and Emanuele Moncini 16.

Petter Solberg tests the Abarth Grande Punto S2000

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Norwegian driver Petter Solberg has undertaken a test session at the wheel of the Abarth Grande Punto S2000 with a view to participating in some international rallies. World Rally Champion in 2004, Solberg has expressed a favourable opinion about the car and the own specifications of the Super 2000 category, which features cars fitted with a normally aspirated 2000cc engine and all-wheel transmission without electronic assistance.

Abarth 500 Trophy at Monza: Villa and Baldan win

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With 27 drivers on the starting grid, the inaugural round of the Abarth 500 Trophy in Monza has been marked by a great show and fierce competition. Both races took place under the rain but, far from putting the drivers in trouble, the conditions emphasized the natural qualities of the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse, with duels to the hundredth of second but in the most absolute correctness.

After the first two races, the leader of the Abarth 500 Trophy classification is Manuel Villa, from Liguria, who won the first race and finished third in the second. He is followed by Sicily's Salvatore Tavano, fourth (fifth) in the first race and runner-up in the second. Tavano was credited with the fastest lap at an average speed of almost 145 kph. Third place is occupied by Venetian Nicola Baldan, who got the satisfaction of winning the second race after having finished sixth (seventh) in the first one.

The next round of the Abarth 500 Trophy will take place at the Mugello track on May 3rd.

Classification of Race 1: 1. Manuel Villa 7 laps in 17min18.987s (average speed: 140.505 kph); 2. Andrea Rizzoli + 2.973s; 3. Umberto Scandola + 3.411s; 4. Enrico Fulgenzi + 4.296s; 5. Salvatore Tavano + 5.795s; 6. Raffaele Giammaria + 8.914s; 7. Nicola Baldan + 9.380s; 8. Gianluca Giraudi + 11.142s; 9. Tobias Tauber + 15.062s; 10. Lorenzo Bontempelli + 17.634s. Fastest lap by Giraudi in 2min26.384s (average speed: 144.934 kph).

Classification Race 2: 1. Nicola Baldan 7 laps in 17min48.525s (average speed: 136.621 kph); 2. Salvatore Tavano + 2.355s; 3. Manuel Villa + 2.839s; 4. Scandola + 2.937s; 5. Andrea Rizzoli + 3.851s; 6. Raffaele Giammaria + 6.621s; 7. Lorenzo Bontempelli + 9.769s; 8. Gianluca Giraudi + 10.169s; 9. Tobias Tauber + 12.779s; 10. Davide Uboldi + 13.681s. Fastest lap by Tavano in 2min25.662s (average speed: 144.989 kph).

Classification of the Abarth 500 Trophy: 1. Manuel Villa 37 points; 2. Salvatore Tavano 33; 3. Andrea Rizzoli 32; 4. Nicola Baldan 31; 5. Raffaele Giammaria 24.

Abarth 500 Trophy: 27 drivers entered for Monza

For its debut race scheduled on Sunday 29 March at the Monza track, the Abarth 500 Trophy has attracted 27 drivers. This one-make championship stars the specially prepared Abarth 500 Assetto Corse, fitted with a 190 bhp engine which allows a top speed of over 220 kph.

Tomorrow (Saturday 28), the programme features a free practice session (from 9:00am to 09:25am) and a qualifying session from 1:45pm to 2:10pm. There will be two races on Sunday: the first one will get underway at 1:45pm while the second will start at 2:10pm.

Among the participants is young official Abarth driver Umberto Scandola, who has shown a lot of commitment in fine-tuning the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse during a number of test sessions last winter. “Driving the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse is a lot of fun”, said Scandola. “It's quick and it suits all kinds of driving styles”.

On this occasion, the young Abarth driver - who also takes part in the Italian Rally Championship this year - will make his circuit racing debut.

A lot of drivers entered in the Abarth 500 Trophy come from other one-make championships. In addition, there are some noteworthy beginners such as showmen Jimmy Ghione and Luca Cassol from the TV show “Striscia la Notizia”. The latter is better known as “Capitan Ventosa” (“Captain Suction Pad”).

This success in attracting such a field of competitors is also owed to the professionalism shown by the highly specialized “Abarth Racing” network which is renowned for its vast experience in the car racing world. They provide their racing customers with a car which is assembled and prepared directly in the Abarth workshops and with on-the-spot assistance.

There are nine “Abarth Racing” tuning workshops: Uboldi Corse with Autoalberta by Uboldi Corse (Lomazzo, Como), Carrozzeria Campana (Modena), Forza Service (Turin), Romeo Ferraris (Opera, Milan), Rosso Corsa (San Zeno Naviglio, Brescia), Trico Motor Sport (Alessandria), Officina Foresi (Civitanova Marche, Macerata), Procar (Casalguidi, Pistoia) and Zatti Sport (Parma).

When skimming through the entry list, it appears that drivers come from heterogeneous circles, reviving the “democratization of racing” concept so dear to Karl Abarth. The idea is to allow car racing drivers to participate while keeping the costs low.

In the Sixties and the Seventies, a lot of gentlemen-drivers were pitting themselves against young up-and-coming drivers all over Europe at the wheel of the 2-cylinder 500 Abarths. Today, the story repeats itself with the Abarth 500 Trophy, featuring a modern high-performance car capable of granting a great show.