The Dream Hybrid - Conceived in the Fifties!
For me there are three marques which supremely appeal to both my heart and my head. Brand-loyal is nowhere near an adequate term to define my relationship with Alfa Romeo, Porsche and Abarth. For there to have been a car that combined the best of two of these great makers – a dream hybrid – still seems to me to be too good to be true. Yet this car had its origins in personal friendships made shortly after the end of WW II. It first emerged in prototype form in 1960, eons before everyone in and around the Automotive Industry started talking about hybrids ! Carlo Abarth became on good-enough terms with Ferry Porsche to secure agreement in 1946 to be Porsche’s representative in Italy. The alignment this signified was strengthened by collaboration with Rudolf Hruska, (at Porsche during the war years and at Alfa Romeo, (employed and subsequently in a consulting role), in the 50s/60s/70s), and Piero Dusio, (Italian business entrepreneur), leading to the ...