Abarth is the Italian performance car brand founded by Italian-Austrian engineer Carlo Abarth on March 31, 1949, as Abarth & C. [1] The brand’s identity has centered on a single symbol since its founding: the scorpion, inspired by Carlo Abarth’s November 15, 1908 birth under the zodiac sign of Scorpio [2]. Today’s logo is a shield featuring a stylized black scorpion on a yellow and red field, with the Abarth wordmark and Italian tricolor elements incorporated into the badge [1].
Design and History
The scorpion has been Abarth’s main symbol since the brand’s birth 70 years ago [2]. The initial emblem showed the scorpion alone, free from any shield or frame, carrying the words “Abarth & Cº – Torino” [3].
In 1954, Carlo Abarth introduced a two-tone shield as the background for the scorpion, described as the emblem of victories in “sporting battles” [1]. The shield format placed the yellow “Abarth & C°” lettering on blue, while the scorpion appeared on red and yellow, colors associated with the racing world [3].
After the Abarth 1000 Bialbero won the first of six consecutive Manufacturers World Championships in 1962, three elements were added to the logo: a black-and-white checkered flag, the words “Campione del mondo” (World Champion) in red block letters on a yellow background, and a stylized laurel wreath [1].
A refreshed version launched in 1969 made the scorpion more stylized, completely black, and, for the first time, with both pincers pointing upwards. The lettering changed to white on a blue background and simply featured the word “Abarth” [1].
In 1971, Abarth was acquired by Fiat, and the Italian flag appeared on the logo in the background behind the word Abarth to underscore its Italian character [1].
The current logo was completely redesigned in 2007, incorporating all the distinctive features of the scorpion in a more up-to-date and modern style, with the pincers of the black silhouette resting on the diagonal of the shield [1]. The restyling was conceived by Carrè Noir of Turin [3].
In 2019, a celebratory version of the shield featuring a checkered flag was introduced for Abarth’s 70th anniversary, appearing exclusively on cars made that year. A celebratory color version was created specifically for the Limited Edition 695 70th Anniversary, produced in just 1,949 units to reference the founding year [1].
All Abarth cars display a second logo on the rear end of the two side panels, echoing an emblem that Abarth racing cars have sported since the 1960s. This logo picks up the typical yellow and red Abarth shield surrounding the scorpion with the addition of a thunderbolt in the colors of the Italian flag [1].
Meaning and Symbolism
The scorpion was chosen for three reasons: it was Carlo Abarth’s zodiac sign, it was an original and difficult-to-imitate logo, and it embodied the philosophy of the newborn racing team specialized in “small but deadly” cars [3] [1]. The brand’s official website states the scorpion also means “grit, strength, power. Irresistible power” [2].
The red and yellow colors of the shield are associated with the racing world [3]. Some sources trace these colors to the city of Merano in Trentino, the birthplace of Carlo’s father [3].
Typography and Design
In the 2007 restyling, the lettering was composed with the “Microgram” font, giving the wordmark a strong distinctive charge. The tricolor logo enhances the “made in Italy” connotation, and a version with a “3D” chrome steel effect treatment also exists [3].
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