The all-conquering Lancia Stratos faced increasing competition, and the "dinosaurs" of Group B had not yet hatched. Consequently, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was still possible to transform unpretentious family sedans — such as the Opel Ascona or Fiat 131 Mirafiori — into race-winning rally machines for factory campaigns in the World Rally Championship, without the aid of turbochargers or all-wheel drive. To secure Group 4 homologation, the motorsport governing body (FIA) required the production of 400 road-going versions. Fiat, already successful at World and European Championship level since 1972 with the 124 Abarth Rally, enlisted Bertone and Abarth to develop a rally variant of the two-door 131 Mirafiori (named after the Turin factory and district where it was mass-produced).

Carrozzeria Bertone created an angular body bristling with spoilers, additional air vents, and boxy flared wheel arches. The car's weight was trimmed to around 1,000 kilograms by using aluminum for the doors and composite materials for the hood and fenders. The interior — including structural reinforcements — was also fitted at Bertone before the bodies were shipped to the Fiat plant in Rivalta to be mated with the Abarth components.

The four-cylinder "Lampredi" 16-valve engine — featuring a special aluminum cylinder head and twin Weber downdraft carburetors — produced 140 hp at 6,400 rpm. In its ultimate evolution, the racing version delivered 245 hp thanks to Kugelfischer fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication — still a power deficit compared to the Ford Escort RS, which boasted up to 280 hp. In return, the Fiat offered superior traction and more forgiving handling — manageable single-handed if necessary, a quality once praised by Walter Röhrl. The road-going version's Colotti five-speed gearbox had its synchronizers removed (a requirement for homologation), but the car distinguished itself from the standard model with independent rear suspension, rear disc brakes (replacing drums), and a limited-slip differential (featuring an aluminum housing) sourced from the larger Fiat 130.

The 1977 Fiat 131 Abarth Stradale now being offered at RM Sotheby's forthcoming Zurich auction is presented in the historically correct exterior color of Rosso Arancio over a black interior. It recently underwent a two-year restoration — completed in April 2024 by the specialists at Blue Palm Service in Münsingen, Switzerland — which prioritized a comprehensive engine overhaul.

Meanwhile, the development efforts of ASA ("Attività Sportive Automobilistiche") —established in 1978 to consolidate the racing departments of Lancia, Fiat, and Abarth — were bearing fruit: Fiat secured the World Rally Championship manufacturers' title three times with the 131 (in 1977, 1978, and 1980), while Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer celebrated their first drivers' title in 1980. Between 1976 and 1981, Fiat 131 crews won 18 WRC events.

Whether for entering a classic rally or participating in a Concours d'Elegance, this Fiat 131 Abarth Stradale — now heading to auction — offers you the chance to experience firsthand, behind the wheel, what it felt like for Markku Alén, Walter Röhrl, and other rally stars of that era.

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