One to Buy: ex-works 1978 Fiat Abarth 131 Rally Gr.4
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Having commissioned arguably the most radical rally car ever to tackle the special stages in 1971 (the Lancia Stratos), for marketing reasons the Fiat Group decided its replacement should be more closely derived from a mainstream production model.
The result was the Fiat Abarth 131 Rally of which 400 were produced over the winter of 1975-1976 in order to qualify for the premier Group 4 class of international competition.
Compared to the bog standard Fiat 131, the Abarth version was uprated to include new multi-link rear suspension, improved brakes, wide Cromodora magnesium alloy wheels, Pirelli P7 tyres, a new Lampredi dual overhead cam cylinder head and a five-speed gearbox. The Bertone designed and built bodyshell featured an array of rally-inspired equipment that gave the car an aggressive new stance.
During the course of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Fiat Abarth 131 went on to have an enormously successful competition career which most notably included a trio of Driver and Manufacturer World Championships in 1977 (Sandro Munari), 1978 (Markku Alen) and 1980 (Walter Rohrl).
Fiat also embarked on a profile-raising campaign across the Atlantic where Jim Walker and his navigator wife, Ann Arbor, campaigned a pair of works-supported examples in the 1979 SCCA ProRally series.
One of this pair will be going under the hammer at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction between August 18th and 19th.
Presented in superb restored condition and to the same specification it appeared on the front cover of May 1980’s Road & Track magazine, chassis 385549 is accompanied by a large history file complete with Abarth & Co. certification and even Jim Walker’s original race suit and helmet.
