Far from singular, the history of the automobile is in fact a rich tapestry of stories uniting enthusiasts and exceptional vehicles from every era. To bring these extraordinary tales to life, Rétromobile presents "One Vehicle, One Story", a video series giving the floor to passionate people from all walks of life. In this episode: an absolutely one-of-a-kind Autobianchi A112 Abarth, presented at Rétromobile 2026 by Arnaud Vidal, founder of Futur Classics.
Published on Jul 20,2026 at 12:50 PM | Updated on Jul 20,2026 at 2:06 PM

Autobianchi A112: the little popular car everyone thought they knew

Some cars you think you know inside out. The Autobianchi A112 is one of them. Born at the very end of the 1960s and produced until the mid-1980s, this little Italian ran through the decades with the quiet ease of popular cars that have nothing to prove. Agile, lively, built for city centres and cobbled alleyways, it won a loyal following well beyond the borders of the Peninsula. And in its Abarth version, it became a genuine little firecracker: 70 horsepower for barely 700 kilograms, enough to have serious fun without breaking the bank.

Except that the example Arnaud Vidal, founder of Futur Classics, is presenting at Rétromobile 2026 has absolutely nothing in common with an ordinary A112. At first glance, nothing gives it away. Same compact lines, same understated appearance. But look a little closer, and something feels off. The windows, in particular, have an unusual thickness. And the car carries a weight difficult to explain for a model supposedly tipping the scales at 700 kilograms. "You do wonder why," says Arnaud Vidal with a knowing smile, before delivering the answer: this A112 is armoured.

Autobianchi A112 Abarth: a mob boss's car, built to go unnoticed

 

The story of this A112 begins in Naples in the 1970s, in a world where caution is not an option but a condition of survival. Its first owner is a Camorra boss. A man who could easily afford a large-engined saloon, a prestigious executive car, a comfortable Mercedes. But who deliberately chooses the opposite: a small city car, discreet, with no pretension whatsoever. The logic is watertight. "I wanted to go unnoticed," he explained directly, as Arnaud Vidal recounts. "And in the streets of Naples, when you needed to get away because you were being followed, the police all drove Alfas. They couldn't get through the narrow streets. With this one, you slip down a back alley and you're home."

The car was therefore bought new, then immediately handed over to Italian specialists in this type of modification, well-versed in a craft they had, unfortunately, plenty of practice with. The result: over 300 kilograms of armour integrated into the body, floor, doors and all glazing, bringing the total weight well above a tonne. The preparation cost more than the purchase price of the car when new.

 

Autobianchi A112 armoured: B6 level, the one that stops Kalashnikovs

 

To understand what this armour actually represents, one must know that ballistic vehicle protection is classified on a scale running from B0 to B10. B0 is the entry level: it stops a knife. B10 is the head-of-state car: it withstands a bomb. This A112 is certified B6. Meaning it is resistant to Kalashnikov fire. A level of protection normally found on government saloons or imposing diplomatic SUVs, never on an Italian city car measuring less than four metres in length.

The thick windows, visible once you know what to look for, are only part of the specification. In the rear compartment, two fire extinguishers were integrated into the bodywork, connected from the driving position to six discharge nozzles: four positioned on the tyres, two on the engine bay. In the event of gunfire and a subsequent fire, the driver could activate the system from his seat, extinguish the flames, and resume his escape. Every detail had been thought through, considered, anticipated. This is not a makeshift conversion. It is a combat vehicle disguised as a Sunday runabout.

The brakes, however, were the weak link in the whole setup. An additional 300 kilograms on a chassis designed to carry 700 is no small matter. The Neapolitan preparers did what they could: replacing the original brakes with units from a Panda, more suited to the task. "It makes us smile a little, but for them, it was already an improvement," concedes Arnaud Vidal with the amused hindsight of someone who has had the chance to drive the thing. Behind the wheel, the engine copes well enough. It is the brakes that require anticipation.

 

Autobianchi A112: the only one, or almost

For five years, Arnaud Vidal was convinced he owned the only armoured Autobianchi A112 in the world. Then, after talking about it more widely, information came back from Italy: a second example may exist, this one having belonged not to a mob boss, but to a Sicilian judge. Both sides of the divide, in the same little car. A coincidence that speaks volumes about the era and about the particular nature of a conflict that left a lasting mark on contemporary Italian history.

Two examples in the entire world, then, for what is without doubt the most improbable modification ever carried out on a production city car. "This really is one vehicle, one story," says Arnaud Vidal. The remark is modest. It is also perfectly accurate.

 

Autobianchi A112: and what if it starred in the next James Bond?

 

The episode closes on a quip that may not be entirely in jest. Faced with this little armoured car, built to flee through Neapolitan alleyways and withstand bursts of Kalashnikov fire, the James Bond reference comes naturally. "If they ever shoot a James Bond set in the Italian mob world, in the narrow streets of Sicily, you should pitch them the car," someone suggests to Arnaud Vidal. He does not disagree: "It would be something original to have an armoured A112 in a future James Bond, because we are actually in pretty much the same universe."

The same universe. That may be the understatement of the year, for a popular city car that stops Kalashnikovs, once belonged to a Camorra boss, and has spent fifty years looking for all the world like just another little Italian.

 

Discover the Autobianchi A112 and many more exceptional vehicles in Rétromobile's "One Vehicle, One Story" podcast. To catch every episode, visit the Rétromobile website and tune in on all streaming platforms.