The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
By Pete Vack
Although new information has surfaced about the Cisitalia Abarth 204, in looking over years of notes, letters and books, we note that as far back as 30 years ago historian John de Boer got the facts down and got them right. He passed his knowledge on and we absorbed it into the first edition of this author’s Illustrated Abarth Buyer’s Guide. [Read more…] about Abarth’s Origins Investigated
Was this the first Abarth or the last Cisitalia?
By Pete Vack
Although new information has surfaced about the Cisitalia Abarth 204, in looking over years of notes, letters and books, we note that as far back as 30 years ago historian John de Boer got the facts down and got them right. He passed his knowledge on and we absorbed it into the first edition of this author’s Illustrated Abarth Buyer’s Guide.
De Boer, along with collector and owner Serge Lugo, was one of the first to realize that the Cisitalia Abarth 204 is a car which marked a transitional phase in the history of Cisitalia and Abarth, and as such an important milestone for both companies; he also recognized that the ensuing Abarth 204 A berlinetta was not a 204 buy more correctly a 205, ending the confusion and properly assuming that the first Abarth built with the Abarth badge was the 205.
The 205 Abarth with a Vignale body by Michellotti; the first Abarth and badged as such. Photo by Alessandro Gerelli.