THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE
Model dossier
- Production period
- 1956
- Body style
- Coupé
- Engine
- Inline-4
- Type
- Prototype
- Displacement
- 747 cc
- Power
- 47 CV
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR
Coachbuilding, design & conversions
PRICE & SALES RECORD
Vehicle value
- Original price
- Not documented
- Latest recorded sale
- Not documented
01 / THE STORY
History & context
The Abarth 215 A Coupé is a tiny sports coupe with a body designed by Franco Scaglione and exhibited by Bertone at the 1956 Geneva Motor Show. Standing at a mere 1.14 meters in height, it features a frame constructed from 10mm tubes meticulously welded together. Powered by a Fiat 600 rear engine, Abarth boosted its performance to 47 horsepower at 6000 rpm, allowing the lightweight car, weighing only 560 kg, to achieve a top speed of over 160 km/h. The Abarth 215A’s aerodynamic efficiency is enhanced by concealed headlights and the car’s minimal frontal area. This design choice contributes to its compact yet aerodynamically favorable profile, reducing drag and enhancing performance. The thoughtful design not only ensures visual appeal but also optimizes the car’s overall efficiency and stability. In addition to the coupe version, there is also a spider variant known as the 216 A. This suggests that the model was offered in different body configurations, with the spider likely featuring an open convertible top for a distinctive driving experience. The Abarth 215 A Coupé exemplifies not only outstanding engineering and performance but also a captivating aesthetic design that captures the essence of the automotive era in which it was crafted.
IN THE ARCHIVE
Coachbuilders & design studios
02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY
Specifications & construction
Production & construction
- Production type
- Prototype
- Mechanical platform
- Fiat 600 chassis
Engine & performance
- Engine configuration
- Inline-4
- Displacement
- 747 cc
- Power (CV)
- 47 CV
- Engine speed
- 6,000 rpm
- Specification notes
- SOURCE/TECH 2026-09-21 — Abarth marque history documents the 215A Coupé as a 1956 Bertone/Scaglione special based on the Fiat 600 chassis with 747 cc engine. No unverified output is added. | AMS Heft 6/1956 contemporaneously specifies the 215/A at 1.14 m height, 560 kg and 47 PS at 6000 rpm, with a 10 mm-tube frame. Its speed is stated only as 'more than 160 km/h', so max_speed_kmh remains blank.
Dimensions & accommodation
- Height
- 1,140 mm
- Weight
- 560 kg
Design & manufacture
- Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
- Bertone
- Manufacturer · Documented
- Abarth
- Designer · Documented
- Franco Scaglione
06 / EVENTS & AWARDS
Events & awards
Geneva Motor Show General · verified
- Date
- 1956
- Chassis
- General
Knowledge event_record_key CI1-50243-EVT-5377
The Abarth 215 A is a 1956 Bertone show coupé designed by Franco Scaglione; the period motor-show image is consistent with the model already represented by CI listing 50243. General · Unreviewed
- Date
- 1956
- Chassis
- General
IMG_1483 is an additional period image of the same Abarth 215 A Coupé one-off by Bertone, designed by Franco Scaglione and shown at Geneva in 1956; it is companion evidence to IMG_1484, not a separate vehicle. General · Unreviewed
- Date
- 1956
- Chassis
- General
auto motor und sport Heft 6/1956 directly reports the Abarth 215/A Bertone prototype on display at the Geneva Salon. General · Unreviewed
- Date
- 1956
- Chassis
- General
07 / THE VEHICLE IN DETAIL
Photo gallery 4 photographs
08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE
Archive
References held in the vehicle dossier. Their inclusion does not establish that every historical claim has been independently verified.
| Reference | Source type |
|---|---|
| Abarth Scorpion Magazine — 1956 Fiat Abarth 215A Coupé / 216A Spyder www.abarth.jp | Manufacturer marque official history |
THE CONVERSATION
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