Abarth 204 A Motto

Vehicle Overview

The Abarth 204 A is famous for being the car with which Tazio Nuvolari concluded his racing career: the Cisitalia-Abarth 204 A Spyder Sport from 1950. This highly interesting car saw collaboration from Ferdinand Porsche before he started his own company. The German designer and Carlo Abarth worked for Piero Dusio, owner of the “Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia” (Cisitalia), which was one of the most prestigious car manufacturers in the sports field for a few years. After Cisitalia’s bankruptcy and Dusio’s escape to Argentina, Carlo Abarth received as severance the racing material of Cisitalia and three 204 A Spyders, single-seaters designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi and bodied by Carrozzeria Rocco Motto. Thanks to these cars, Abarth & Co. was born. The 204 A Spyder chassis 04/08, appropriately modified and renamed Cisitalia-Abarth, continued racing and in 1950 was entrusted twice to Tazio Nuvolari. The famous Mantuan pilot participated in that year’s Targa Florio (though he did not finish the race) and in the Palermo-Monte Pellegrino, where he placed fifth overall, before permanently leaving competitions, worn out by age and illness. The story of the 204 A Spyder continued, and according to the documents that accompany it, it competed in another 18 international races. In 1953, the car was sold to a certain Mr. E. Ferri, who in 1954 sold it to J. Saggese; in 1958, it was acquired by O. Silich. In 1960, it passed to the Asociación Argentina de Automóviles Sport as a training car for drivers and, in 1978, it became the property of Sergio Lugo, who had it restored in Buenos Aires in 2009 by specialist Jose Maria Pedota. In 2012, the 204 A participated in the Mille Miglia and was exhibited at the Tazio Nuvolari Museum and the Museo dell’Automobile in Turin. In 2013, it was purchased by Californian Russell Whiteis and underwent all necessary checks to obtain the FIA certificate and recently the Certificate of Originality from Abarth Classiche. The Abarth 204 A Motto Spyder represents a significant piece of automotive history, not only for its connection with Nuvolari but also for being one of the vehicles that marked the beginning of the legendary story of Abarth.