How a 100% spoiler “Made by Abarth” is created

– All the secrets surrounding the Ad Assetto Variabile, the new spoiler for the legendary Abarth 695 70° Anniversario, are revealed.
– It was tested in the FCA wind tunnel in Orbassano near Turin and on the Vallelunga racetrack.
– The spoiler improves grip, allowing for more stability at high speeds.
– The pursuit of performance and the continuous expansion of what is possible was initiated early on by the Abarth 1000 Bialbero Record (1960), and in 1966 with the Abarth 1000 Corsa, the brand's first rear spoiler model.

Carlo Abarth's "performance concept" went far beyond the pursuit of maximum power, top speed and acceleration. He was particularly interested in the long-term overall performance possible in all areas - and therefore he focused on developing innovative technical solutions to improve aerodynamics, roadholding and braking power - and the brand with the scorpion in its logo still works according to these guidelines today.

"The Ad Assetto Variabile spoiler debuted a few months ago on the limited edition Abarth 695 70° Anniversario. It was designed in the spirit of Carlo Abarth," explains Luca Napolitano, head of the Fiat and Abarth brands for the EMEA economic area. The company founder's philosophy was indeed the guiding principle when developing the spoiler: the engineers optimized the aerodynamics on race tracks and in everyday use. Their role models were the Abarth 1960 Bialbero Record Pininfarina, which became legendary in 1000 as the "silver torpedo" and broke several speed records - and the famous Abarth 1000 Corsa from 1966. This car was one of the first to have a rear spoiler.

The new Abarth 695 70° Anniversario pays tribute to this success story with its new Ad Assetto Variabile spoiler, a typical motorsport component from Abarth. It is no coincidence that it is also reminiscent of the spoiler of the Lancia Delta Integrale from the 1980s. After all, the rally icon perfectly embodies Abarth's brand values.

The Secrets of the Spoiler Ad Assetto Variable
The Ad Assetto Variabile spoiler is the result of consistent engineering work in the FCA wind tunnel in Orbassano near Turin and on the Vallelunga race track not far from Rome. It improves the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle by increasing grip at high speeds and on different surfaces. Just as Carlo Abarth had in mind: just as the angle of the spoiler can be adjusted during a race, the spoiler of the Abarth 695 70° Anniversario can also be adapted to the respective driving style. It can be manually adjusted in 12 positions with an angle of 0° to 60°. To offer maximum flexibility, the driver has the option of positioning the spoiler regardless of the track and performance.

At maximum inclination (60°) and a speed of 200 km/h, the spoiler increases the aerodynamic load to 42 kg. This ensures excellent vehicle dynamics and improved stability at high speeds, particularly on fast mixed routes. This was demonstrated in the test, for example in the tight "Roma" curve of the Vallelunga circuit. The Ad Assetto Variabile spoiler can reduce the necessary steering corrections by almost 40 percent, thus helping to achieve a "cleaner" ride. This added efficiency gives the driver additional confidence in his car, especially at the limit. The optimization of the aerodynamics also has an effect on the acoustics. The reduction in wind noise will be particularly appreciated in everyday life.

In order to achieve such a technical level, the new Abarth 695 70° Anniversario was also put through its paces in the wind tunnel in Orbassano, south of Turin: In the FCA competence center, Abarth tested all possible configurations of the Ad Assetto Variabile spoiler on the 695 70° Anniversario under the toughest conditions.

Applied aerodynamics: Abarth's first rear spoiler
From 1956 to 1966, cars bearing the scorpion logo set 133 records - and all of these successes can be attributed to the consistent application of the laws of fluid dynamics. Part of this history are the eight astonishing records set by the Abarth 1960 Bialbero Record Pininfarina in 1000. Thanks in particular to its aerodynamic efficiency, the extremely slim vehicle was called the "silver torpedo" at the time. Its aerodynamic performance was achieved in the wind tunnel at the Polytechnic University of Turin - the drag coefficient was still a fabulous 0,20 today.

Carlo Abarth's legendary motto: "Sunday on the track, Monday on the way to the office" was put into practice in spectacular fashion. The aim was to transfer the knowledge gained in motorsports in terms of aerodynamics to road vehicles. To do this, Abarth combined the racing team's experience with work on production cars. In doing so, this paved the way for many young drivers to have a successful racing career.

The first model to benefit from the aerodynamic findings was the Abarth 1000 Corsa - the racing version of the popular Fiat 600: In 1962, the victories of the 1000 Corsa were on everyone's lips. This was also due to the open rear hood with which the car crossed the finish line. This legendary look was of course primarily related to the heat dissipation of the engine - but it also provided aerodynamic advantages.

In 1966, the experience with the open bonnet inspired Carlo Abarth to develop and have a resin spoiler manufactured. It was to be one of the first spoilers to be used on road vehicles and to help improve performance. The Abarth 695 70° Anniversario Spoiler Ad Assetto Variabile is now a tribute to this innovation and proves that the race track is still the ideal testing ground for technological ideas for the Abarth brand. That is why it is still used there to test what owners of a sports car from the Abarth brand expect.

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

© Photos: FCA Group