<< Prev Page 2 of 2 As mentioned earlier, Enzo Osella still relied on the purpose-built four cylinder Abarth engine. Displacing just under 2-litre, the thoroughly modern unit boasted two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and Lucas fuel injection. In its latest specification, the Abarth engine produced around 270 bhp at 8,700 rpm. It was initially mated to a Hewland FT 200 gearbox but this proved not reliable enough so the sturdier FG 400 was used instead.
The body used on the PA1 was a subtle evolution of the design used so successfully the previous season. The main change was at the tail, which in 1972 still used a separate rear wing. In its original guise, the smooth design sported two small spoilers integrated in the left and right corners of the tail. The final version, however, featured a full-length aerofoil that was mounted as an integrated part of the bodywork.
Building on the success of the previous season, Enzo Osella managed to build and sell or race ten PA1s. The season did not get off to the best of starts but eventually Vittorio Brambilla and Arturo Merzario managed to score a win each in the eight-round European Championship. In the manufacturers' standings Abarth-Osella had to settle for third behind Lola (five wins) and Chevron (a single victory).
Ahead of the 1974 season, Osella developed the Abarth-Osella PA2, which sported an even smoother body. It would be the last sports prototype to bear the Abarth name but it faced even stronger opposition. On his own, Osella would continue to produce sports racers and single seaters using a wide variety of engines. The PA1 remains as the final 'Scorpion-badged' sports racer to win a round of the European Championship. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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As mentioned earlier, Enzo Osella still relied on the purpose-built four cylinder Abarth engine. Displacing just under 2-litre, the thoroughly modern unit boasted two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and Lucas fuel injection. In its latest specification, the Abarth engine produced around 270 bhp at 8,700 rpm. It was initially mated to a Hewland FT 200 gearbox but this proved not reliable enough so the sturdier FG 400 was used instead.