ITALIAN CARS CLUB

The next 131 prototype - the 131 035 Abarth was fitted with an early Volumex supercharger based on a 16valve 1995cc Twin Cam. The capacity of the engine was also varied according to the regulations for its intended class. In the first instance the car was tested with a 1995cc capacity engine, but to keep within the 'under 2 litre' motorsport categories, forced induction engines carried a capacity penalty - so the capacity most often quoted for the 035 is 1452cc. This car also sported streamlined lightweight panels, and the car produced 290bhp with a top speed of 175mph. Made in 1979, it was entered for practice in the 1980 Le Mans 24 Hours race – driven by Pianta, but was not entered for the race itself. This was not as odd as may first appear, as it was relatively easy for Abarth to take the car, amongst the Lancia transporters and the Beta Montecarlos entered for the event for additional testing with the team already on hand.

The 035 also stands astride two eras in Abarth history. It was clear to the designers that the next generation of world rally winners would need a 50% power increase from the same capacity engines - as it looked very likely that the performance loop-hole of using the old Group 4 rally/sports prototype category would continue in some form. This inevitably would mean using forced induction.

Within the Fiat Group there was a debate about the means to achieve this. But as so often within the Group there was a political as well as engineering dimension to all of it.

Following the Stratos years, Lancia had been excluded from competing in the world rally series while the Fiat 131 Abarth was 'in play'. Instead Lancia chose to build its brand by entering the Sports and Endurance world race series. In going head to head with the likes of Porsche, some of these Lancia sports-racers used naturally aspirated engines, while some successfully adopted smaller capacity engines with turbochargers. Furthermore, in 1981, Lancia's motorsport team found a sponsor in Martini who's distinctive livery and commitment was to last over a decade.

So the debate over performance and reliability for the next world rally winner was between Abarth and their Volumex supercharger design, and Lancia with a form of the KKK type turbocharger familiar to their race team. Some technical doubts over the durability of the turbo and engine management coupled with a bigger Works design of Volumex supercharger meant Abarth won the design debate. However it was to be installed in the Lancia 037 in 1981/2 - also the Abarth SE037. For more detailed discussions of the 037 see the Lancia 037 Model page. Abarth pulled together all their experience from the X1/9 prototipos, with a similar mid engined rally car design, to ensure the 037 was readied in record time. The two cars, the Fiat 131 035 Abarth, and the Lancia 037 Abarth represent the link between the normally aspirated Fiat twin cam and the Group B Lancia turbocharged 4 wheel drive eras. It was also the last two wheel drive World Rally Champion rally car.