Omologate Turismo – “Touring Car,” according to a sourced translation. Abarth: “Let’s make this little car go like hell!” – according to my translation! Founded by Carlo Abarth in 1949, Abarth transformed Fiats into agile, high-performance vehicles, emphasizing engineering brilliance. This OT 1000 was owned by a single family from the time it was bought until 2023. With just over 5,000 miles on the odometer, this Italian beauty is going up for auction in 13 days from this writing and is available for bid registration now here on Christie’s. Thank you to Araknid78 for the tip on this Bella Italian!
This little sport compact has a 982 cc four-cylinder engine. It was the first to use Abarth’s Radiale Principle, which incorporated special Radiale crossflow cylinder heads with overhead valve control and hemispherical combustion chambers. This made the car powerful for its weight and size, using its 62 horsepower and 76 lb.-ft. of torque to propel it from zero to sixty in 11.7 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 118 miles per hour. Power is transmitted to a 4-speed transaxle.
The interior is pure 1960s Italian sports car. The famous Abarth steering wheel is backed by Abarth-branded Jaeger instruments. A 120-mph speedometer, an 8 grand tach, and water, fuel, and temp gauges sit within the pristine walnut wood insets. The durable black vinyl seats show very little sign of wear. All other materials, including the dash pad and door panels, look untouched and immaculate.
With 5,485 miles, this OT is in almost showroom condition. Christie’s claims that “this well-maintained original example is an entry-level way to experience the legendary pairing of Abarth with Fiat in open form.” The sale will include tools and a period owner’s manual. The condition is said to be exceptional, and since many of its finishes have never been refurbished, it is an ideal candidate for entry into the preservation class at show, just the way it is. With no reserve and an estimated selling price of $60,000 to $80,000, I imagine this will be bid on heavily. Although exact production numbers were not available, it is estimated that, in the 1965 through 1968 period when the OT 1000 Spider was produced, only around 35 were made, with only 8 produced for sale in the US. Are you interested in owning a small piece of Abarth history?
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