1959 Abarth 850 Spyder Riviera (Allemano)

Several Italian coachbuilders deployed their talents on the Fiat 600 chassis modified by Carlo Abarth in 1955. Zagato's berlinettes, and Allemano's coupés and spiders, stand out.

The ABARTH ALLEMANO SPYDER was built in three versions between 1957 and 1959. The ABARTH ALLEMANO SPYDER RIVIERA represents the last of these three versions. At the same time, Allemano also designed the Scorpione coupé - a berlinette of equally sober, elegant design with a very light interior. Neither model comes on the market often: only 30 coupés were ever made, and even fewer Riviera Spyders - according to Peter Vack's Abarth Buyer's Guide, Allemano produced just 2 or 3! COUPE and SPYDER were first shown at the Geneve Saloon in 1959

The Allemano-bodied Fiat-Abarth 850 Spider Riviera and Coupe Scorpione were first shown at the Geneva Salon in 1959. The engine is a Fiat-based 850 single-cam unit which develops 51 hp at 6000 rpm. Overall length is 3,600 mm, overall width is 1,420 mm, height is 1,200 mm, and the weight is 610 kg (1,345 lb). The claimed top speed is 154 km/h. The Allemano Abarths are very rare. Pat Braden and Greg Schmidt wrote in 1983: “The Fiat Abarth 850 Allemano Riviera is perhaps the best looking rear engined Abarth Spider ever built. If you can find one, pay the man what he asks.”

Abarth sold only a few of them. The rest of the cars were sold by Allemano to Cisitalia Argentina ICSA in Buenos Aires, without engine, gearbox, etc. The Spyders were sold as Cisitalia Spyder Abarth Gran Sport and were equipped with original Abarth 850 technique identical to the Italian version. The Argentinian Cisitalia versions were exactly the same as the Fiat-Abarths, except for a Cisitalia badge on the front and the chassis numbers.