Abarth will return to rallying with the motorsport-spec 124 Spider, which was showcased at this year's Geneva motor show. The hard-top 124 Rally prototype was developed by the Abarth Racing Team and was unveiled alongside the road-going 124 Spider.

The 124 makes a comeback about four decades after the original Fiat 124 Abarth Rally debuted on the special stages of the Monte Carlo Rally.

Abarth 124 Rally is powered by a 296bhp 1.8-litre, turbocharged petrol engine, which drives the rear wheels via a six-speed paddle-shifted sequential manual gearbox. The car is also equipped with a mechanical limited-slip differential.

The Abarth Racing Team engineers focused on reducing the weight and enhancing the overall balance of the competition car. They have done so by mounting the engine behind the front axle; using lightweight materials in the cockpit and engine compartment and replacing the production car’s soft top with a fixed composite hard top. The centre of gravity has been lowered compared to the road-going car, and the suspension has been beefed up for racing.

Weight distribution is slightly rear biased, which, according to Abarth, “ensures maximum traction even in low-grip conditions”.

The Abarth 124 Rally will be eligible for the FIA R-GT Cup, a tarmac-based rally series which was dominated by Porsche 911 GT3s last year. Abarth will build examples of the 124 Rally for custom rally teams, and has opened up the order books.