Fiat Ritmo Abarth

The Fiat Ritmo Abarth was a sporting version created on the base of the Fiat Ritmo saloon, sold as several models: the Ritmo 105 TC, which was not an Abarth, the Ritmo Abarth 125 TC and the Ritmo Abarth 130 TC. The Ritmo, which followed the Fiat 128, had no coupe like the 128 Coupe or spider like the X1/9, so to face the Golf GTI Fiat launched sporting variants of the three-door Ritmo. The Ritmo Abarth 125 TC was shown at the Frankfurt motor show in September 1981 with a 2 litre twin-cam engine of 125 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions, alloy wheels, special Pirelli P6 tyres, a lowered ride height, ventilated front discs and a polyurethane rear spoiler. It weighed 980 kilograms, reached 190 kilometres an hour and covered 0 to 100 in under nine seconds, which left the Golf GTI behind. In September 1983 it became the 130 TC, lighter by 30 kilograms, with 5 more horsepower, electronic ignition, four headlights and 0 to 100 in 8 seconds. Many private teams raced it, although the Scuderia Fiat Corse never entered it officially.