- This 1955 208 A Spyder is one of three concepts created by Abarth to attract American buyers.
- It features a tiny Fiat four-cylinder engine tuned by Abarth.
- Owned and possibly raced by the Du Pont brothers in the ’50s, this design icon is now being sold by RM Sotheby’s.
While Europe emerged from World War II severely damaged, the U.S. left it as a global superpower with a wealthy populace. It’s no surprise then that Italian automakers tried to appeal to American buyers with a new “Transatlantico” style, and this 1955 Abarth 208 A Spyder is one of the era’s highlights.
Designed by Giovanni Michelotti for the coachbuilding firm Boano, the Abarth 208 A tried to lure American customers with its bright two-tone paint finish and a set of finned rear haunches, which did a mighty job at hiding the more humble Fiat 1100 chassis.
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The 208 A Spyder was one of three concepts Abarth showed off in 1955. According to RM Sotheby’s, this example, and the coupe version of it (the 209 A) are understood to be one-offs, while the company made 10 of the motorsports-oriented 207 A Spyders.
Abarth tuned the 1,089 cc Fiat engine with a twin Weber carb and a custom exhaust header, which was enough to squeeze 66 hp (49 kW / 67 PS), almost twice as much as the engine made (34 hp / 26 kW / 36 PS) in its basic most basic form.
As you may be able to infer just from looking at it, the Abarth 208 A succeeded in its mission of attracting American customers and was purchased by the Du Pont brothers. They were the heirs to the family’s chemical company, as well as avid racers.
The brothers drove the cars for a few years, before selling it to a friend, who eventually gifted it to Bill Hale in the early ’70s. An aircraft mechanic who worked for the Du Ponts, Bill drove the car around his native Long Island before moving to Maine with it, and then eventually back to New York.
He owned and cared for the car until 2009 when it was sold to collector Elad Shraga. Although it was in excellent condition given its age, the new owner decided to fix whatever small dings and mechanical gremlins the car had developed in its 50 years on the road but was determined to maintain its originality.
The 208 A was sold to its current owner a few years ago, and they sent it back to Italy to be repainted, which cost over €30,000 (around US$32,200 at current exchange rates), but left some signs of its age, to maintain its character.
Now, the gorgeous 1955 Abarth 208 A Spyder is being sold through RM Sotheby’s as a private sale item. The car is registered in Greece, and is being sold from Monaco, but, unfortunately, the asking price has not been revealed.
