One to Buy: 12,000km from new 1976 Fiat Abarth 131 Rally
/
For three straight season between 1974 and 1976, Lancia set the World Rally Championship alight with the purpose-built Stratos, the like of which had never been seen before.
However, while the Stratos had dominated in a hitherto unseen fashion, parent company Fiat wanted to derive greater commercial benefit from their expensive rally programme.
To this end, factory support for the Stratos was cut for 1977 as Fiat went rallying with a new car that more closely resembled the type of vehicle you could find on any showroom floor: the 131-based Abarth Rally.
400 were built to qualify for the premier Group 4 category, production of which was predominantly handled at the Bertone works in Turin.
Uprated bodyshells were equipped with new multi-link rear suspension, improved brakes and wider wheels. Lightweight exterior panels included new cooling addenda, flared arches and an array of spoilers. In the engine bay was a two-litre inline four reworked by Aurelio Lampredi to produce 140bhp at 6400rpm and 130lb-ft at 3600rpm.
Production started in October 1975 and homologation was approved the following April.
Like the Stratos, the Abarth 131 Rally went on to secure a trio of Driver and Manufacturer World Championships in 1977 (Sandro Munari), 1978 (Markku Alen) and 1980 (Walter Rohrl).
Set to go under the hammer during Iconic Auctioneers’ Race Retro Classic and Competition Car Sale at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on February 25th is this low mileage Rosso Arancio example from 1976.
Purchased from Italy in 2005 with just 11,000km on the odometer, this very low mileage example (chassis 2049112) was subsequently treated to an engine rebuild and is now showing a little over 12,000km. It is expected to realise between £120,000 and £150,000.
