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Abarth 1100 Sport Ghia - two identities and some mysteries surrounding the little gem

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Created on May 21, 2017

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Angus McKenzie - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy Owner/Besitzer - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy Milen Milenovich Collection - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Steve Burton

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Courtesy Paul Sable - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Bruno von Rotz

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Archiv

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Angus McKenzie - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy Owner/Besitzer - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy Milen Milenovich Collection - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Steve Burton

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Courtesy Paul Sable - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Bruno von Rotz

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Archiv

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - elegantes Coupé, es wirkt deutlich grösser, als es in Wirklichkeit ist

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - spektakuläre Front, die nicht allen gefiel

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - das Heck ist die Schokoladenseite des Coupés

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - Interieur des rechtsgelenkten Coupés

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - Blick ins Cockpit

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - filigrane Pedalerie

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - der Motor stammt aus dem Fiat 1100

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - der Abarth-Skorpion unter dem Fiat-Schriftzug

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - Jet-Age-Design der Front

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - polierte Speichenräder

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - integrierte Auspuffanlage

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - Reserverad im Kofferraum

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Abarth 1100 Sport Ghia Coupe (1953) von Grant Kinzel - Gewinner der Klasse O-1

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Abarth 205A (1950) - Chassis-Nummern 101 bis 104 historisch und zeitnah gesehen

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Abarth 205A (1950) - das Plattform-Chassis, auf denen die Coupés aufgebaut wurden

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - beim Bau im Jahr 1953 - fast fertig

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - auf dem Turiner Autosalon 1953

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - auf dem Turiner Autosalon 1953

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - zusammen mit dem Dodge Firearrow I auf dem Turiner Autosalon 1953

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - Carlo Abarth mit dem kleinen Juwel

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Abarth (Fiat) 1100 Sport Ghia (1953) - als Vaughn Super Sport in New York 1954

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Simca Aronde Sport Abarth (1954) - auf dem Pariser Autosalon

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Summary

Even at its presentation at the Turin Motor Show, the Abarth 1100 Sport shone with its futuristic coupé bodywork by Ghia. 62 years later, it won its class at Pebble Beach after an extensive restoration. Now it is being auctioned off. This vehicle report traces the history of the small Abarth coupé and shows it in historical and current pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

One of the main attractions in Turin
What technology was installed?
Who drew it?
From the Abarth to the Vaughn SS Wildcat
The French twin
Lost for decades
Restored with painstaking attention to detail
Under the hammer in Monterey
Further information

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In 2015, a small Abarth 1100 Sport from 1953 was almost crowned "Best of Show" at Pebble Beach. This was unusual for two reasons. Firstly, pre-war cars from prominent manufacturers are usually honored at Pebble Beach and secondly, the little Abarth was not brought into top form by a high-dollar restoration company, but by an enthusiastic private owner. In the spring of 1953, the Ghia stand featured a small coupé with Abarth branding alongside an impressive Dodge Firearrow. The Automobil Revue reported at the time on April 29: "Apart from a somewhat massive front design, an almost snow-white small Ghia sports coupé is one of the main attractions at the show. Underneath the low car, whose chrome-plated wire wheels contrast sharply with the large bodywork, is a chassis developed by the 'styling' artist Abarth using Fiat 1100 parts, with its own frame and Porsche front suspension."

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