Abarth · 1958–present
Abarth 1000 GT Coupé
The Abarth 1000 GT Coupé or Alfa Romeo 1000 Abarth GT Bertone Coupé is a prototype car made by the Italian car producer Abarth in collaboration with Alfa Romeo, and designed by Franco Scaglione for Bertone. Three cars were built; one example survives, rebodied by Luigi Colani.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Overview
The cars were built in 1958, and was fitted with Alfa Romeo's 1.0-litre straight engine with double overhead camshafts with a power output of 88 PS (65 kW; 87 hp). The engine was a short-stroke version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta's 1.3 litre engine, developed so as to enable it to compete in racing categories restricted to engines of less than one litre. The stroke was reduced to 58.0 mm (2.28 in) while the bore remained 74.0 mm (2.91 in). The tubular chassis reportedly only weighed 50 kg (110 lb), and the car was fitted with a fully synchronized five-speed "System Porsche" transmission. The modest engine was offset by the kerb weight of just 640 kg (1,411 lb). Only three were built, and after at least two of them were crashed while testing at AVUS in Germany the project was abandoned.
Rebodied by Colani
Young designer Luigi Colani bought the wrecked cars and pieced together a fibreglass-bodied design of his own, which still exists although it is currently powered by a 1.3 litre Giulietta Veloce engine. == References ==
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- 1000 GT Coupé
- Manufacturer
- Abarth
- Production
- 1958
- Body style
- 2-door coupé
- Engine
- 998 cc Twin Cam I4
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Wheelbase
- 2160 mm
- Length
- 3690 mm
- Width
- 1550 mm
- Height
- 1200 mm
- Kerb weight
- 640 kg
- Designer
- Franco Scaglione at Bertone
- sp
- uk
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4573645CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abarth_1000_GT_Coup%C3%A9CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1270860196 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1959_Abarth-Alfa_Romeo_1300_Berlinetta_(Colani).jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: jean-pierre 60;Cropped, plates blanked, and levels adjusted by uploader Mr.choppers · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.