IF THERE is one car which makes the Mini look large and austere, then surely it is the 'nuova' Cinquecento; a car so perfectly proportioned and oozing character that only the Italians could create such a minute marvel.

   Just as the Mini had far-reaching implications for Britons’ personal mobility and Britain’s motorsport scene, so did FIAT’s 'bambino' in its homeland. The list of companies which added their own interpretation of Dante Giacosa’s cheeky little creation was considerable: Ghia, Savio, Pininfarina, Frua, Lombardi, Nardi, Bonetto, Moretti, Brutsch, Ede, Necker, Giannini, Michelotti, Steyr-Puch, Zagato, Fissore, Viotti, Canta, Vignale, Siata, Stevens, Ferves, Sessano, Caprera and Monterosa to name rather a lot. Yet of all these great names, only one really springs to the fore when petrolheads talk about hot air-cooled FIATs: Abarth.

   Unfortunately, whereas Coopers of all ages are a relatively common sight in old Blighty – even a T51 GP Cooper is usually met with a degree of nonchalance – the same though cannot be said about Abarths. In fact, the last time I tried to track down an original Abarth 595 or 695, I was told that there was only one in the UK – and of course, it was in the Channel Islands.

   So given their rarity, it is totally understandable why those in need of an Abarth FIAT fix, turn their attentions to building that most controversial of retro classic creations – the replica. Why spend ages tracking down an original, when you will always end up feeling slightly guilty about using it? The risk, the deterioration, the cost...

   James Wheeler from Newbury-based Italian car specialists, Black & White Garage, has spent quite a few quid getting this Cinquecento back in shape. When we first saw it, lined up in a parade of its siblings, this little Abarth replica really did stand out. It’s not totally accurate – eg it's still got its original single-clock facia – but it had such a presence that we knew we just had to get it featured on 'Dep-O'.

   “This car is unusual, because it was sold new in 1959 near San Jose in California,” says James. “It’s an early suicide-door Cinquecento Sport which initially had three owners; the last of whom sold it to Keith Murphy, a chap who has loads of unusual small European cars. He had several Cinquecentos so, with this one, he decided to restore it and turn it into an Abarth replica.

   “During the mid Seventies, FIAT North America shipped over a few 600cc 126s, just after they had been launched, to test the market... They decided it wasn’t going to happen and rather than take the cars back to Italy, they crushed them. However, the chap who was given the task of crushing these 126s removed the engines and gearboxes – which he wasn’t supposed to do. Subsequently, he slowly sold them and Keith bought his last engine and gearbox.

   “I was told the 126 engine was bored out to 800cc and that it had 79mm forged racing pistons fitted, but, I’m not sure, I think it’s about 700cc,” says James.

   The 126 twin cylinder has also got a big valve head, Abarth heavy-duty valve springs, a Weber 40DCOE24 side-draught carburettor (which dwarfes the engine) and an exhaust system which is practically straight-through. Meanwhile, finishing off the drivetrain details are: a modified oil pump, Aeroquip braided oil hoses, an external oil filter and a 126 gearbox with close 3rd and 4th ratios.

   “On Keith’s first test drive in 1989, during which he couldn’t get it to run properly, this guy flagged him down and told him that he had to buy the car – which he did. Later the car was entered into one of the Pebble Beach auctions and was bought by Hans Hugenholtz, a Dutch racing driver who exported the FIAT to Holland.

   “Its last Dutch owner tried to sell it a couple of times, unsuccessfully, and then we bought it through a Dutch dealer in October 2006,” says James. “During those 17 years in Holland, it must have only done just 500 miles... So when we got it, we had to basically run it in; and each time we ran it, it would break down due to teething problems.