Established in Torino in 1947, Abarth & C. first gained recognition for its high-quality exhaust systems and speed equipment, yet Carlo Abarth’s greatest genius lay in transforming modest Fiat production cars into giant-killing racers. Nowhere was this alchemy more apparent than in his series of rear-engine GT cars derived from the Fiat 600. Beginning in 1956, Abarth’s Zagato-bodied 750 GTs and Record Monzas dominated small-displacement GT racing, a lineage that reached its zenith with the introduction of the 1000 GT Bialbero.

Unveiled in 1960, the jewel-like 1000 GT Bialbero was a thoroughbred competition car. It earned Abarth the prestigious Compasso d’Oro industrial design award and, in 1962, contributed to the marque’s first FIA GT Championship win – one of eight such titles. At its heart was the tipo 229 engine, designed by Gioacchino Colombo, architect of Ferrari’s iconic V-12. This 982 cc unit featured a twin-cam alloy head, Weber 40 DCOE carburetors, Bosch ignition, and tubular headers. Producing an astounding 95 hp at 7,000 rpm, its advanced specification was enhanced by a five-speed transaxle, four-wheel disc brakes, and Campagnolo cast-alloy wheels.

The lightweight aluminum coachwork followed earlier Zagato forms but was constructed by the Torino-based firm Beccaris, wearing the simple badge of “Carrozzeria Abarth.” With covered headlamps, sliding Perspex windows, and elegant Jaeger instruments, the Bialbero weighed just 1,250 pounds. In period, Sports Car Graphic deemed its performance “staggering,” recording 0–60 mph in 7.4 seconds and a 131 mph top speed – “a fantastic figure for a 1-liter machine.”

The example offered here, chassis 1128948, is among the most celebrated 1000 GT Bialberos extant. Completed in late 1961, it was one of three new Bialberos purchased by Briggs Cunningham for the 1962 season. Finished in Cunningham racing colors and prepared by team manager Alfred Momo, the trio debuted at the 3 Hours of Sebring on March 23, 1962. The race, held ahead of the 12-hour event, drew works entries from Abarth and BMC as well as an extraordinary roster of drivers, including Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Pedro Rodríguez, and Steve McQueen. Cunningham entrusted his Abarths to Roger Penske, Walt Hansgen, and Bruce McLaren.

McLaren drove chassis 1128948 – wearing race no. 8 – to victory after a fierce battle with Moss in a lightweight Austin-Healey Sprite, giving the car one of the most famous wins in Abarth GT history.

Cunningham next entered his Sebring winner in the Double 400 at Long Island’s Bridgehampton circuit on September 15, 1962. Hansgen drove it to an impressive 4th Overall and 2nd in Class result behind two Porsche Carreras and Bob Grossman’s ex-works Bialbero. These two American rounds opened and closed the FIA’s 1962 Division I World GT Championship; the superb results achieved by this car contributed directly to Abarth securing the title of Campione del Mondo.

After the season, the car was sold through Momo and Abarth dealer Don Rosendale to Massachusetts racer Bob Ennis, best known for campaigning a white Ferrari 250 LM and Abarth-Simca 2Mila. Ennis raced the Bialbero in several SCCA events at Lime Rock and Thompson through 1965. The car then passed through several documented owners before resurfacing in Oregon, unrestored, in the hands of Abarth historian Greg Paris. After sourcing a correct tipo 229 engine (no. 089), Mr. Paris sold the car to noted collector Mark Gessler, who commissioned a no-expense-spared restoration at the renowned Epifani Restorations in Berkeley, California. Both cosmetic and mechanical elements were addressed, including an engine rebuild by Abarth guru Les Burd. Presented in its Sebring livery, the historic Bialbero debuted at the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, earning First in Class honors.

For the past 12 years, the Abarth has resided in a private California collection comprised of Italian sports and racing cars. Aside from a return appearance at Pebble Beach in 2015, it has been selectively displayed at local events and enjoyed on weekend drives, where it offers the rare thrill of piloting a championship-winning FIA GT race car on public roads.

Presented today in outstanding condition, this Bialbero is offered with its proper owner’s manual, tool kit, jack, original roll bar, and Campagnolo wheels. Not only is this Abarth featured in numerous books, its remarkable provenance and history are supported by an extensive documentation file dating from 1962 onward, including the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin and Bill of Sale signed by Momo, period SCCA plaques, correspondence, homologation papers, technical literature, magazine features, race reports, and period photographs.

A superb and historically significant example of the ultimate Fiat-Abarth GT, this 1000 Bialbero stands as a lasting testament to the vision of Carlo Abarth and the enduring allure of the Scorpion marque.