Advertising Abarth

Thought he looked familiar. I never knew him or met him, but knew a lot about him. I turned over the heavy, folded stock paper. On the flip side was a collage by Al Cosentino, or so it seemed; remember those crazy FAZA book covers and insets he did with all the parts mixed up? But no, this can’t be, because there are new Fiat 500s mixed in. But it brought back a lot of memories, good memories.

Opening it, it became clear what it was–an ad for the new Fiat Abarth series. “The Joy of Empowerment” and a B&W of the rear of that snazzy new Abarth Assetto Corsa with the OZ racing wheels and very boy racer. The words “neat” and “cool” attached themselves to my frame of mind. Words I rarely use anymore.

The heavy paper was folded even further, and as I opened it up, I was pleased. Pleased like a kid who had copped a new brochure from the Abarth dealer, an expensive, full four color brochure with specs and exciting photos that would be tucked away in the Sanctum Sanctorum to be shown only to the deserving. “Abarth”, it said in big letters on a red background. Next to the grey esseesse (SS) with a racy red checkered top, was a wooden box with Abarth Assetto Corsa stamped on it, promising hidden delights inside.

Now, I’m getting old and I’ve had just about all that I’ve wanted when it comes to cars, but this was actually exciting. Someone out there in Madison Avenue or Fleet Street really knew how to pull my chain for stupidly, in a sudden streak of immaturity, I wanted one, the full blown Assetto version with the 190 hp engine and if not that I’d take the Esseesse version, as 160 hp in a 500 is more than enough to scare the horses in Williamsburg. Viagra for Abarth freaks.

I went into the den and looked at framed Abarth poster I had acquired an eon ago. Hanging there was the real stuff, a factory brochure from the mid 1960s, Abarth at its peak, offering three versions of the Fiat Abarth 500, 595 SS, the 695 SS and the Assetto Corsa with 38hp.

I stared at if for a while, and after a bit went to get the ad that had fallen from the pages of Classic and Sportscar.
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Reaching up, I took the frame from the wall and carefully removed the old brochure with the three Abarth 500s, folded it along the fading creases, and with even more care put it away in the hard copy files drawer.

Almost as if by fate, the colorful new Abarth Assetto Corsa ad fit perfectly into the old frame which had protected the original so well. I placed it on the wall.

It was ever so much brighter. And somehow, I think Karl would have approved.