The Abarth OT series was a family of tuned, homologated touring and sport cars built by Abarth on the Fiat 850 and Fiat 124 bases in the 1960s. OT stands for Omologato Turismo, or touring homologated. The family included the OT 850, OT 1000, OT 1300, OT 1600 and OT 2000, the last of which was a two-litre prototype. This page covers the key facts, the history, the variants and the questions people ask most often.
Abarth OT at a glance
| Manufacturer | Abarth & C., Turin |
|---|---|
| Base | Fiat 850 (OT 850, 1000, 1600, 2000); Fiat 124 engine (OT 1300) |
| Name | OT, Omologato Turismo, touring homologated |
| OT 850 Berlina | Introduced July 1964, engine raised from 34 to 44 hp |
| OT 1000 Berlina | Introduced October 1964, 982 cc, 61 hp |
| OT 1300 Coupé | Launched November 1966, 1,280 cc |
| OT 2000 Coupé America | Introduced February 1966, two-litre engine |
The OT 2000 Periscopio, shown in the photo, was a sports prototype. Power and dates are taken from the English article and differ for each version.
History
The OT series was made from the tuned 850 range. The English article on the Fiat 850 describes the OT versions as tuned variants of the Berlina, Coupé and Spider, with ever-increasing displacements. The OT 850 Berlina, introduced in July 1964, was Abarth’s first 850 derivative.
Because the OT 1600 was well received by the press, Carlo Abarth decided to build an even more extreme version on the 850 saloon body. The result was the OT 2000 Berlina Mostra, and the OT 2000 Coupé America, based on the 850 Coupé but with a two-litre engine.
Design and features
- The OT 1000 Coupé and Spider, introduced in October 1965, used the more powerful Tipo 202 engine with 62 hp.
- The OTR 1000 Coupé had a new Abarth-designed cylinder head with valves in a V.
- The OT 1300 Coupé used a bored-out Fiat 124 engine of 1,280 cc and was visually almost identical to the OTR 1000.
Variants
- Fiat-Abarth OT 850 Berlina: the first 850 derivative, 1964.
- Fiat-Abarth OT 1000 Berlina: 982 cc, 61 hp, 1964.
- Fiat-Abarth OTS 1000 Coupé: introduced in April 1966, with 68 hp.
- Fiat-Abarth OT 1300 Coupé: 1,280 cc, November 1966.
- Fiat Abarth OT 1600 Berlina: 1,592 cc twin-cam, unveiled at the October 1964 Turin show.
- Fiat-Abarth OT 2000 Coupé America: two-litre engine, February 1966.
See also: the Abarth 850, the Abarth 1000, the Abarth Simca and the Abarth collection.
Abarth OT questions and answers
What does OT mean?
Omologato Turismo, meaning touring homologated.
What was the most powerful OT?
The OT 2000, with a two-litre engine, was the largest of the series.
Which OT was on the 124 engine?
The OT 1300 Coupé, which used a bored-out Fiat 124 engine of 1,280 cc.
Video: Abarth OT 2000
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Fiat 850, English Wikipedia: OT series, OT 850, 1000, 1300, 1600 and 2000 versions, OTS and OTR
- Abarth, English Wikipedia: OT 1300 and OT 2000 Periscopio prototypes
- Abarth OT 2000 Periscopio, Retromobile 2018, Wikimedia Commons: photo and licence
