Carlo Abarth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlo Abarth
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| Born |
Karl Albert Abarth
15 November 1908 |
| Died | 24 October 1979 (aged 70) Vienna, Austria
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| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Automobile designer |
| Years active | 1925–1971 |
Carlo Abarth (born Karl Albert Abarth) was a famous Italian car designer. He was born in Austria in 1908. Later, he became an Italian citizen. This is when his name changed from Karl Albert to Carlo Alberto. He is best known for creating the Abarth & C. company. This company made fast racing cars and special exhaust systems.
Early Life and Racing Adventures
Carlo Abarth was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. When he was a teenager, he worked in Italy. He helped design parts for motorbikes and bicycles. Back in Austria, he started racing motorbikes. He won his first race in 1928. He became a European champion five times!
After a serious accident, he stopped motorbike racing. But he didn't stop designing! In 1933, he designed a special sidecar. With it, he raced against a train, the Orient Express. He won the 1300 km race from Vienna to Ostend.
In 1934, he moved to Italy permanently. He met Ferdinand Porsche's son-in-law, Anton Piëch. Carlo had another racing accident in 1939. This accident ended his racing career for good. He stayed in Slovenia until World War II ended.
Building His Car Company
After the war, Carlo moved to Merano, Italy. He met famous people like Tazio Nuvolari. He also met Ferry Porsche, a family friend. Together with other engineers, he helped start a company called CIS Italia. This company worked on car designs.
In 1949, Carlo Abarth started his own company. It was called Abarth & C.. He started it with a racing driver named Guido Scagliarini. The company's logo was a scorpion. This was Carlo's astrological sign.
Abarth & C. made racing cars. They also became famous for making high-performance exhaust pipes. These special exhaust systems are still made today. On October 20, 1965, Carlo Abarth set several speed records. He did this at the Monza race track in Italy.
In 1971, Carlo sold his company to Fiat. He continued to manage it for a while. Later, he moved back to Vienna, Austria. He passed away there in 1979.
Family Life
Carlo Abarth was married three times. His first wife was a secretary for Volkswagen's head.
He married his second wife, Nadina, in 1949. They lived in northern Italy until 1966. They divorced in 1979.
About six weeks before he died, Carlo married his third wife, Anneliese. She now leads the Carlo Abarth Foundation. She also wrote a book about his life in 2010.
