1998 Abarth Monotipo

Launched at the 1998 Turin Motorshow, the Stola Abarth Monotipo does not in the slightest bit look like the Fiat Barchetta, which was used as a base for the project. Penned by ex-Pininfarina designer Aldo Brovarone, the Monotipo was conceived to showcase Stola's craftsmanship rather than a fashion statement.

Stola Group's Abarth Monotipo 98 was developed specifically for the Turin Show. Stola's operations cover nine engineering and production businesses, including models, prototypes, dies, molding, welding technology, and body assembly. The Monotipo 98 is a coupe and a technology demonstrator but is not designed for production.

Stola collaborated with eight sponsors: CIBA Specialty Chemicals, Brembo, Momo Corse, AG Glasurit, Isoclima, OZ Racing, Goodyear, and Vercar Model. Stola said of CIBA Speciality Chemicals' contribution: "It participated with all materials needed for model and die construction, and for the bodywork details. Regarding the style model, we utilized the BM 5185 table, in our opinion, a material much more effective than traditional clay. This technology allowed for a smooth construction in seven weeks with outstandingly stable characteristics. It proved to be highly useful in the construction of the dies, for which LY5138 was used. For the construction of the particulars involving the body, an epoxy resin of CSC and carbon tissue was chosen. The sturdy yet lightweight characteristics that evolved are the core of the project."

Sources: www.stola.it; www.sae.org

Image Sources: Stola; www.bernimotori.com