On Saturday 24th September 2005 history was made as Fiat’s illustrious Abarth performance brand reigned supreme in SA’s premier tin-top racing formula, the Sahara Production Car championship. The victory was the first for the Fiat Stilo Abarth 2.4 on South African soil and harked back to the halcyon days of tuning wizard, Carlo Abarth who won six Manufacturer’s World Championships and more than 5 000 class victories, not to mention numerous endurance records.

In only its first year of competition Fiat’s Stilo Abarth 2.4 has taken victory in South Africa’s premier saloon car championship, beating the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C270 CDI, Ford Fiesta ST150 and Toyota RunX RSi to win round eight of the Sahara Production Car championship at the Kyalami race track.

In what was initially only envisaged as a development year, the Fiat Stilo Abarth 2.4 driven by motoring scribe, Angus Thompson has progressed from strength to strength throughout the year, overcoming very stiff competition including a myriad of factory-assisted teams on every occasion.
 

A jubilant Thompson said after the race, “This is the best result our privateer team could ever dream of, beating off a number of bigger budgeted factory teams in only our first year of competition. It’s a true testament to the sporting DNA of the Fiat brand, which has its roots so firmly entrenched in performance and competition.”

The achievement demonstrates not only the Stilo’s strong performance credentials in this competitive proving ground, but the Abarth’s dynamic character inspired by the efforts of the renowned Austrian tuning wizard himself. Abarth simply stands for performance in the Fiat stable and the Stilo Abarth 2.4 rivals the best hot hatches on the market with its unique sporting character emanating from its powerful 125 kW 2,4-litre engine. Add to this a host of standard equipment and a value-packed price tag and you’ve got an attractive, stylish hatchback, exuding all the style, passion and Italian emotion the brand is famous for.