GT4 1979 Autobianchi A112 Abarth

Today's car is the GT4 1979 Autobianchi A112 Abarth.

You don't have to buy this car, you win it at some event in GT4 early on (at Sunday Cup).

I just had a saved replay with this car, ran it, fired up the GT4 Photo Drive (as this feature is known in GT4) and made some pics for completion's sake. They are what they are, not my best efforts but still this makes it another car covered.

The GT file says:

"An Italian hot hatch that represents an icon of the 1970s."



The A112 was introduced at the Turin Auto Show in 1969 as a compact hatchback from Italian car maker Autobianchi. It was based on the A111, a FF (Front engine, Front drive) sedan, powered by a 903-cc engine from the Fiat 850 Coupe and Spider. The A112 was originally an early test model for parent company Fiat's new line of FF cars, but it was so popular that Autobianchi decided to offer it as its own original vehicle.
The boxy body measured 3270 mm from bumper to bumper, 1480 mm wide and 1340 mm high, wheelbase was 2040 mm. These dimensions made it about the size of a kei car in Japan. But despite its small size, the A112 could seat four adults.
In 1971, the A112 Abarth was introduced, sporting a souped-up version of the stock 47-ps powerplant. In the hands of tuner Carlo Abarth, the engine's displacement was increased to 982 cc, resulting in 58 ps. The A112 Abarth saw further improvements in 1975. The engine was enlarged to 1050 cc, enabling it to produce 70 ps. With the car tipping the scales at 700 kg, this A112 reached a top speed of 160 km/h and dashed to the 400-m mark in 18.5 seconds. This A112 Abarth, with its front end bathed in fearless black paint, dominated the Italian sports hatchback segment throughout the 1970s.

Autobianchi is no more - integrated into the operations of Lancia by Fiat.

Abarth is still operating.

Seen here at the Mid-Field Raceway.

It even manages to look a bit menacing too.

And the Mid-Field Raceway is...

... is a medium-length tarmac racetrack that first appeared in Gran Turismo 2 and has featured in every subsequent mainline version until Gran Turismo PSP. It has returned to the series as part of the 1.16 update of Gran Turismo 6.
Mid-Field Raceway is one of only a few circuits in Gran Turismo to feature a 'Figure 8' style layout, with the 180 degree turn 4 passing over the main straight. Other circuits in this category are Suzuka Circuit, Special Stage Route 5 and Top Gear Test Track.
The circuit consists of a very long straight, combined with several mid-to-high speed corners and one hairpin turn. The numerous heavy braking areas, notably into turns 1 and 8 can provide great overtaking points between well-matched cars.
The first corner which, in Gran Turismo 2 and Gran Turismo 3, was a parabolic style corner was slightly modified in GT4 to make it sharper and shorter. Turns 2 and 3 (the first chicane) were also slightly adjusted to compensate for the alterations to turn 1.