Zagato Fiat Abarth 750 GT

The introduction of the Fiat 600 was a boon for the Italian coachbuilders, including Zagato. Although the famed "double bubble" motif was originally used on a Fiat Otto Vu, the Abarth 750 GT Zagato made it popular.

In 1956, famed Fiat tuner Carlo Abarth began offering a 750 derivation of the little Fiat 600 with a tuned 600 cc four-cylinder engine which was enlarged to 747 cc. Output nearly doubled to 41.5 horsepower. Externally, these Fiat Abarth 750 sedans looked almost identical to their mass-produced cousins. The next step for Abarth was to offer special lightweight-bodied versions of the 750. For this, he turned to the Milan coachbuilder Zagato. The result was a very low and sporty looking aerodynamic aluminum-bodied coupe. The 750 Zagato stood 8.1 inches lower than a 600-based 750 sedan, and was 1.5 inches shorter. In true Zagato tradition, the coupe was lighter too. The twin-hump theme was continued on the deck-lid for air intakes. Up front, little vertical nerf bumpers provided limited protection for the delicate bodywork.

Most of the Abarth Zagatos were shipped to the United States, where they were successful in SCCA racing. The Abarth 750GT Zagatos were made from 1956 to 1958-9, when they were replaced by the faster 'Record Monza' - and a new coachbuilder.