Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe: A Forgotten Italian Rocket

Rare Rage - There was a time in the 1960s when European sports cars were locked in a battle for both speed and style. The Porsche 911 had just arrived, instantly redefining what a performance road car could be. But while the German icon took the spotlight, a man named Carlo Abarth—famous for transforming small Fiats into fire-breathing machines—was not about to sit quietly in the shadows. His response came in the form of one of the most fascinating yet little-known creations in automotive history: the Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America coupe. 

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe was created to be a rival to the Porsche 911, one that was lighter, wilder, and brimming with Italian character which was originally aimed at the American market. (Picture from: VintageLife in Facebook)

 

 

Carlo Abarth’s idea was simple but bold—create a rival to the Porsche 911, one that was lighter, wilder, and brimming with Italian character. The addition of the word “America” to its name was no accident. At that time, the United States was the biggest and most lucrative sports car market, and Porsche had already gained a foothold there. Abarth wanted his car to be seen as a direct competitor, not just in Europe but also overseas, and giving it the name *America* was a deliberate move to capture attention in that vital market. It also helped set the car apart from other OT or 'Omologato Turismo' models in Abarth’s lineup, giving it an international identity and emphasizing its ambition.

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe helped set the car apart from other OT or 'Omologato Turismo' models in Abarth’s lineup, giving it an international identity and emphasizing its ambition. (Picture from: Jalopnik)

What makes this story even more incredible is the rarity of the car. In 1966, only three examples were originally built, and all of them were quickly spoken for: one went to a young Niki Lauda, another to a Japanese collector, and the third to a buyer in Switzerland. Despite the immediate demand, the project stalled almost as quickly as it began. Each car cost about $3,000 more to produce than a 911T sold for in the United States at the time, which made the program financially unsustainable. So Abarth, known for his pragmatism as much as his passion, shut it down.

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe ultimately totaled just four units after the 1967 continuation, ending production entirely and becoming one of the rarest cars ever to wear the scorpion badge. (Picture from: MyCarQuest)

But the story didn’t end there. Two years later, Belgian enthusiast Guy Moerenhout decided to keep the flame alive. With Abarth’s blessing and access to leftover parts and original blueprints, he constructed a continuation model in 1967 for collector Leo Aumüller. This was not a copy but rather an authentic extension of the original vision, carrying all the DNA of Abarth’s daring concept. With that car, the total number of Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America coupes built came to just four. Production stopped completely after this continuation, making the model one of the rarest creations to ever wear the scorpion badge. 

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe evolved from a modest Fiat 850 shell into an aggressive little rocket with flared arches, extra hood intakes, and a stance ready to attack the road. (Picture from: MyCarQuest)

The car itself was a masterclass in transformation. Underneath, it began life as a humble Fiat 850 Coupe body shell. By the time Abarth was done, though, it looked like something entirely different—an aggressive little rocket with flared wheel arches, extra air intakes carved into the hood, and the kind of stance that made it seem permanently ready to attack the road. Imagine seeing such a car in the mid-1960s, when many coupes still looked tame; this machine was nothing short of radical. 

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe powered by a 2.0-liter, twin-cam, four-cylinder engine producing around 175 to 185 horsepower. (Picture from: MyCarQuest)

Beneath the sculpted bodywork sat the real magic: a 2.0-liter, twin-cam, four-cylinder engine producing around 175 to 185 horsepower. That may not sound like much in today’s world of turbocharged supercars, but paired with a featherweight chassis—just 710 kg—it was explosive. Reports from the time claimed a top speed of 248 km/h (155 mph), numbers that placed it right in line with, and in some cases ahead of, its German rival. It was a car that could embarrass a Porsche 911 on a back road and even take on a Corvette for good measure. The phrase “911s for breakfast, Corvettes for lunch” wasn’t just marketing bravado—it was a reality for this tiny Italian missile.

The Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America Coupe evolved from a modest Fiat 850 shell into an aggressive little rocket with flared arches, extra hood intakes, and a stance ready to attack the road. (Picture from: ConceptCarz)

What makes the Fiat Abarth 2000 OT America coupe so captivating today is not just its speed, but its rarity. With only four examples ever produced between 1966 and 1967, it is a unicorn in the automotive world. It represents a moment when passion pushed boundaries, even if practicality pulled them back. Carlo Abarth wasn’t afraid to dream big, even if the market wasn’t ready to reward him for it. The car stands as proof that innovation often comes from risk-takers who refuse to settle for the ordinary. | BqdcMZQFWYA |

More than fifty years later, the OT 2000 America continues to turn heads, not just as a rare collector’s gem but as a reminder of what happens when creativity and determination meet. It may not have outsold the Porsche 911, but it carved its own place in history as one of the boldest and rarest little coupes ever built. And for anyone lucky enough to see one in person today, it still carries that same mischievous grin—a car built not for balance sheets, but for pure, unfiltered joy. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORTREND | MYCARQUEST | JALOPNIK | VINTAGELIFE IN FACEBOOK | CONCEPTCARZ ]

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