"We love an underdog here in the UK.
For reasons I’m not sure any of us understand, we always get behind the team or player who’s not supposed to go far, the one who isn’t meant to "
As the company that Carlo Abarth moves into its 50th year, Influx looks at the man and his legacy.
Born 1908 in Vienna, Karl Abarth was reincarnated in post war Italy as Carlo, the true renaissance man of world motoring. Sportsman, engineer and businessman ‘The Magician’ excelled in every aspect of the car industry – from performance exhaust systems, innovative motorcycle racing technologies (see the flexible sidecar setup he invented below) to full ground up builds. If he launched his business now he’d be called an artisan, an indie savant making bespoke vehicles and collaborating with, but never becoming absorbed fully by, the mainstream motoring industry. By the time of his death in 1979 Mr Abarth had notched up ten world records, built and sold a successful automotive business and left a legacy of vehicles still in production today.
"People often look towards the stars and dream.
There’s something about looking up to those twinkling little lights that fills us with wonder and ambition, and this in turn drives us to pursue our goals. In Carlo Abarth’s "
"2019 marks a significant landmark for the Italian name with the scorpion symbol which, at 70 years old, still ignites the passion of enthusiasts around the world.
The company was started by Carlo Abarth and motor racing driver Guido Scagliarini in Bologna, "
"When Abarth released their tweaked version of the hugely successful Fiat 500 prodigy we were banging their doors down to have a crack at the little whip.
It was actually the 'Essesse' version that we ended up ragging round the hills "
"written by Neil Siner
The pretty and explosively performing Simca 1300 is the essential Abarth collaboration.
It is 1961 and there are rumours of a new and exciting motoring collaboration taking place between two of the industry’s most colourful figures. When "
"The Targa Florio endurance race once witnessed classic racing cars ripping through Sicily’s meandering mountainous passes. It ran from 1906 until 1977 and has run ever since as a rally.
2018’s re-enactment of the iconic Targa Florio took place recently - "
"It’s more than just the motor. It’s the history; the stories the metal tells with each scrape, bump or nick and the memories that the fabrics of the seats weave with their smell and feel. To many, that’"
"Bolt London is a colourful, textured Aladdin's cave of all things bike and all things good. We spent some time with a paragon of London’s creative bike scene.
Bolt London is nestled in an atmospheric stable yard just off "
"Take the speed of Senna, the wet weather prowess of Schumacher, the smoothness and mechanical sympathy of Prost, the versatility and enthusiasm of Andretti and the humility of a country boy and you've got the recipe for the greatest racing "
"Queen B: Normalisation.
Becky Evans is at the forefront of a new digitally inspired generation of women redefining what it means to love driving.
The Influencers
The Women's motorcycle exhibition
Gallery
Images: Mike Fordham
It's a rare break "