GRAHAM ROBSON
Foreword
Introduction
Acknowledgements
The car and the team
- Inspiration
- Fiat newcomers at World level
- The 131 Abarths importance in rallying
-Facing up to rival cars
- Homologation meeting the rules
- Engineering features
- Motorsport development and improvements
- Building and running the works cars
- Blind alleys
- Personalities and star drivers
Competition story
-1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
-Replacing the 131 Abarth the Group B dilemma
World/major European rally wins
Works rally cars (and when first used)
Index
When Fiat entered rallying in 1970, its ultimate aim was to become World Rally Champion and the 131 Abarth of 1976-1980 provided the machinery to make that possible. Within the Fiat-Lancia empire, the 131 Abarth not only replaced the 124 Abarth Spider sports car, but was also favoured ahead of the charismatic Lancia Stratos. By 1970s standards, the 131 Abarth was the most extreme, and effective, of all homologation specials. Compared with the 131 family car on which it was originally based, it had different engine, transmission and suspension layouts, was backed by big budgets and by a team of superstar drivers, and was meant to win all round the world.
Not only did it start winning World rallies within months of being launched, but in 1977, 1978 and 1980 the 'works' team also won the World Championship for Makes, and set every standard by which Rally Giants were to be judged. The 131 Abarth was backed by a peerless team of engineers, so was there ever any doubt that successors like the Lancia Rally 037 and the Delta Integrale would eventually come from the same stable?
Features
Full detailed history of the Fiats rally career
Full detailed story of concept, design, development
Unrivalled coverage of people and influences behind the cars
Step-by-step coverage of technical evolution
Description of cars why, how and when evolved
Description of principal people (managers, drivers, engineers) involved
Many many pictures, not only of cars in action, but of details and people
Comparison with rivals
Complete listing of important successes
Complete listing of works Fiats
