'The performance of FIAT engines, as modified by Carlo Abarth, has for long been held to verge on the supernatural.' – John Bolster, Autosport magazine.

After leaving Cisitalia in 1948, Austrian-born engineer Carlo Abarth set up as an independent in Turin, the home of the Italian auto industry.

From producing induction and exhaust systems, Abarth branched out into selling performance kits for - mainly FIAT - production cars, later building a highly successful series of sports prototypes and limited-series production cars.

Possibly the best known of all Abarth's creations are the series of high-performance adaptations of the FIAT 600 saloon, whose giant-killing exploits were one of the most entertaining aspects of saloon car racing in the 1960s.

In creating his 'TC' (Turismo Competizione) racers, Abarth stretched FIAT's 'D'-block, four-cylinder, overhead-valve engine to 750, 850 and finally 1,000cc.

Quoted maximum power output for the 850TC in Group 2 specification was 76bhp (DIN) ...