An overdose of Abarth
Visiting the Squadra Abarth & Rallye Collection in Lier
Beautifully housed in the Belgian town of Lier lies a new temple for motorsport enthusiasts: the Squadra Abarth & Rallye Collection. Stepping inside feels like walking into a museum and stumbling into the private dream garage of a lifelong rally addict at the same time.
Overwhelming collection
The sheer density of one-off cars is overwhelming. It’s not just a handful of classics carefully staged in a beautiful building – it’s row after row, corner after corner, of extremely rare Abarth race cars, Lancia rally icons, and experimental prototypes that you’ll hardly see anywhere else in the world.
A Fiat 131 Abarth rally monster sit shoulder-to-shoulder with the tiny but ferocious 750 Monza, while unusual prototypes – the kind of one-offs you’ve only glimpsed in old black-and-white photos – quietly wait for you to notice them. There’s no easing into it. The moment you enter, you’re hit by an overdose of Abarth history: decades of motorsport passion condensed into one space, every car bristling with stories of grit, risk, and ingenious Italian engineering. It’s both exhilarating and exhausting.
Extra credits
Unlike many collections where vehicles sit quietly, the Squadra cars are being kept alive by regularly bringing the cars out for events and historic races. Visitors don’t just admire these machines as static displays—they also get to see them being send flat out, just as they were built to do. For car lovers like you an me, that’s a big plus and extra credits are due.
Scorpione 1300 SS
Among this ocean of rarities, one of the cars that stopped us in our tracks was the 1969 Fiat Abarth Scorpione 1300 SS. Low, sleek, and with the promise of speed, it has the distinctive mix of Italian flair and Abarth edge. Only 15 of these were produced and this particular car was the prototype that mister Carlo Abarth drove himself. With 1300 cc 's screaming in the back, this little car produced a firm 100 horsepower and topped a whopping 193 km/h. It must have been a spectacular sight back in the day – as it is still now.
If you’re an Abarth fan, visiting the collection in Lier is a pilgrimage. Just be prepared: the scale and rarity of what’s gathered here will leave your head spinning long after you’ve stepped back out. 🏁