Old-school rides are often deployed at auto shows, used by the automakers that produced them as tangible links to their heritage—especially when they want to evoke said heritage in promoting a new vehicle. They’re also used as stand candy by various companies to lure unsuspecting journalists and potential customers into their booths, and as templates for dreamers looking to be the next restomod superstar, à la Singer.

The Geneva International Motor Show usually has more to offer in the vintage and classic-car realms than just about any other new-car event on the calendar, and the 2019 rendition was no different. Here we present a sampling of what we drooled over as distractions from all the shiny new machines on the floor of Geneva’s Palexpo conventional hall.

70 years of Abarth. In the pantheon of Italian brands, the Abarth name stands tall. It has all the critical elements: an extensive motorsports heritage, design innovation spearheaded by legendary Italian talent, and a long history of taking otherwise unsuspecting, pedestrian Fiats and giving them a swift kick in the performance pants. As a way to celebrate 70 years of the brand, a special exhibit was curated for the 2019 Geneva show, a place where many an Abarth has made a debut over the years. Here are a few feisty Abarths that we thought best represented the fantastic grouping on hand:

1966 Abarth OT 2000 Coupe America
It had us at America, but then we saw the spare tire at the front and that sealed it. The bulky fenders and hood vents lend little Fiat 850 Coupe–based bugger a mean-mugging stance, as well. Its 1.9-liter four was rated at roughly 180 horsepower for a car that reportedly weighs about 1,600 pounds, a power-to-weight ratio that we’re sure gives it plenty of pep in its step.

1956 Abarth 600 Record Car Designed by Bertone
If this thing had wings they wouldn’t look out of place. Though powered by a tiny, 600cc engine adapted from the Fiat 600, this one-off was clearly inspired by the aeronautical industry, which was a common inspiration for car designers during this era. There were two prototypes constructed, and between them they set 10 high-speed world records at Monza.

1968 Abarth 1000 TCR Radiale GR. 5
First the front spare tire and now this grafted onto the front end of this 1.0-liter four-cylinder-powered runabout with roughly 105 horsepower. Based on a Fiat 1000 Berlina, the Radiale was named for the modified head of the engine that utilized hemispheric combustion chambers. The car underwent several changes to make it race-ready in what at the time was Europe’s Group 5 category.

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