1950 Abarth 204 Roadster

The Italian-based Cisitalia Company received its name from 'Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia'. It was founded in 1946 and controlled by wealthy industrialist Piero Dusio. During the company's short lifespan, they would build several memorable road and Formula One going cars. In 1949, the company relocated to Argentina. After the company went defunct, Carlos Abarth started his own company called Abarth & Company. He acquired the remains of Cisitlia, including the Model 204. The Cisitalia 204 sports racer was developed alongside the company-destroying Tipo 360 Grand Prix project. The 204 featured a front suspension design that was adapted from their Grand Prix cars in order to lower the front aspect and provide more precise handling.

The aerodynamic design was created by Giovanni Savonuzzi. It was low, simple, and smooth; it was tightly pulled around the compact two-seat cockpit. Power was sourced from a Fiat 1100-based four-cylinder engine fitted with dual carburetors and offered 75 horsepower. The lightweight and aerodynamic body, coupled with the small but powerful engine, offered ample performance for both circuit and hillclimb events. The bodywork was later revised by Savonuzzi, including removing the enveloping front bodywork and replacing it with small cycle fenders.

Debts began to accrue due to the disastrous Porsche-designed Grand Prix project and became too much for the company to bear; it soon was placed in receivership. Production was halted on new projects and Karl Abarth became the recipient of much of the firm's assets. Abarth, along with Porsche, were major creditors.

Among the items Abarth received were the remaining stock of, as well as the manufacturing rights to, the Top 204 and 205. The last of the 204s completed became known as 'Cisitalia-Abarth' cars.

Dusio relocated to Argentina following the collapse of his company. As a result, many Cisitalias were sold to Argentinian drivers. Patricio Badaracco and Ernesto Mario Tornquist, who sometimes ran under the pseudonym 'Emart', were Argentinean gentlemen drivers in the mid-fifties.

This Cisitalia-Abarth 204 is believed to have been an Argentinian car. In the 1960s, it appears in photographs in modified form with an inline 6-cylinder Studebaker engine installed and driven by Lelio Castelli. The grill opening of the 'Santo-Studebaker', or Abarth Studebaker as it was sometimes called, has been opened up and re-shaped into a rectangle and the front fenders are now of the cycle type. After the car's competition life was over, the car was left ignored in storage. It was later found stored in a boathouse, lashed to a pallet in a corner by the late Stan Nowak. It was brought to the United States in the late 1990s and soon after was purchased by the current owner. A search for a proper Fiat-based engine followed. After three years, a motor was located in Italy, and the restoration was started. Upon completion, the car was finished in Abarth Silver with black leather seats.

There are eight chassis numbers listed for the 204, though it is believed that only five were ever built. All five still exist.

In 2012, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Quail Lodge presented by Bonhams Auction. The 204 is a very attractive vehicle for many reasons; they are the last 'real' Cisitalias, the 'first' Abarth, and the car in which the legendary driver Tazio Nuvolari achieved his final victory.

The car was estimated to sell for $500,000 - $600,000. Unfortunately, the car was unable to find a buyer willing to satisfy its reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2012