THE Abarth OT 2000 Coupe America , born in 1966, derives from the humble Fiat 850 Coupé. It is the culmination of a succession of competition models derived from the 850 — OT stands for Omologata Turismo or Homologation Tourism.
Compared to the original 850 Coupé, the OT 2000 Coupe America was a monster — in the rear, instead of finding the 843cc (four cylinders) and 47hp of the original engine, there was a 1,946cc block capable of delivering 185hp. All coupled with a featherweight 710 kg — around 250 kg lighter than a current MX-5. Result? Only 7.1s to reach 100 km/h and 240 km/h top speed.
But what about the spare tire, sticking out in that weird shape from the front? As mentioned, the engine on the Fiat 850 Coupé is at the back, so the trunk and spare tire are at the front. But in the case of the Abarth OT 2000 Coupe America, it was necessary to reposition the radiator at the front, forcing the spare tire to be pushed… beyond the body.
Abarth's apparent “defeat” was transformed into a virtue, with the spare tire also assuming the role of bumpers, at a time when they were all made of metal.
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