AutoItalia – July 2019

50 auto italia

bodies by Allemano and Ellena were topped by their

final incarnation, the 1963/4 2400 Coupe by Allemano.

A beautiful, powerful, long-distance GT car used by

both Carlo and his wife Annelise, deserved far more

success than it gained, whilst the misunderstood

Porsche Carrera Abarth was equally beautiful and

potent but it also suffered, this time from

misunderstandings between Abarth and Porsche.

Corso Marche gave birth to many fabulous Abarths

during this time but to choose one that stands out, I

would have to nominate the Abarth Simca Due Mila

Corsa. Offered to the public also as a road car –

Bernard Cahier achieved 161mph in one on the road on

test! – my choice would be in 1964 European Mountain

Climb Championship winning form. Brutal only just

begins to describe the machine, but with long noses

they were beautiful as well.

1966-1971

The beginning of Abarth’s decline began during the

late 1960s. Carlo’s flagship project, a 6.0-litre V12

intended for World Championship prototype racing,

was dead in the water overnight, when the FIA knee-

jerked into action after the fatal incident in the 1967

Le Mans, declaring that there would be a 3.0-litre

limit for these cars from the following year. Huge

amounts of money and time had been washed down

the drain. The Tipo SE 04 and 010 sports prototypes

were started at this time too, both Tipos being

popular with private entrants in particular. Mention

must also be made of the mad OT 2000 America

which was, in effect, a Fiat 850 Coupe with a full-

house Abarth 2.0-litre racing motor stuffed in the

rear; sadly only three were made. The 600-based

1000 TCs and Radiales continued on their class-

winning ways all over the world.

During this time, a V8-powered SE10 was developed,

mainly for hillclimbing, and with it works driver

Johannes Ortner easily won the 1971 European

Mountain Climb Championship, for which Carlo received

ABOVE: 3.0-litre V8 1971

Euro Mountain champion.

BELOW LEFT: Arturo

Merzario’s SE 021 at

Brands Hatch, April 1972.

BELOW RIGHT: Osella

Abarth PA1 at Silverstone

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