Etienne Psaila
In the late 1970s, the world of rallying stood at a crossroads-between the raw, mechanical artistry of the past and the technological revolution that would soon transform motorsport. Into this dynamic landscape roared the Fiat 131 Abarth, a purpose-built machine born not of extravagance, but of engineering precision. What began as a family saloon from Turin became a world-beating rally icon, conquering gravel, snow, and tarmac with equal mastery.Rally to Glory: The Fiat 131 Abarth Story chronicles the full journey of this extraordinary car-from Fiat’s ambitious leap into top-level rallying, through Abarth’s ingenious engineering, to the triumphs that reshaped the sport. With a blend of factory insight, detailed technical exposition, and the human stories behind the victories, it paints a vivid portrait of how the 131 Abarth captured three manufacturers’ championships and a drivers’ world title under Walter Röhrl’s command.This book traces the alliance of minds and machines that defined an era: the genius of Abarth’s engineers, the artistry of Bertone’s design, and the courage of drivers like Markku Alén, Maurizio Verini, and Röhrl himself. Beyond competition, it explores the road-going Stradale versions that connected everyday enthusiasts to rallying’s golden age, the car’s influence on Fiat’s later motorsport programs, and the global community that continues to restore and celebrate these icons today.Richly detailed, fact-driven, and written in an elegant narrative style, Rally to Glory is more than a history of a championship car-it is the definitive chronicle of how innovation, teamwork, and sheer willpower forged one of rallying’s greatest legends.
