Located in Lier near Antwerp, SQUADRA Abarth & Rally Collection is the successor to the Abarth Works museum, an initiative of Guy Morenhout. A Belgian driver and tuner, Guy used to race Abarth (as well as other car brands) and continues to take part in historic rallies to keep his cars alive and kicking.
The museum opened in April 2025 in a brand-new building, built especially for the purpose. The quality of the interior architecture is particularly noteworthy, with large, open plateaus offering wide, plunging views of the collections. This open architecture also brings in plenty of light, making for a very pleasant visit.
Cars
As its name suggests, SQUADRA Abarth & Rally Collection has 2 main themes: Abarth models and rally cars. Some of the cars, of course, correspond to both themes, since Abarth specialized in sports models. The Squadra Collection also exhibits other brands, notably Italian (Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo), but also Porsche and Saab, for example. Rarer in car museums, Lada cars are also on display, as Guy Morenhout prepared these Russian cars for competition and raced them.
The permanent collection comprises some 175 cars. Among the Abarths are coupes, “barquettas” and single seaters designed and built by Carlo Abarth, such as the Fiat Abarth 750 coupe (including a Zagato version), and the 595 Abarth, derived from the Fiat 600 and recognizable by its open rear hood (the beast had to be cooled).
Carlo Abarth collaborated extensively with manufacturers such as Fiat and Simca, many of whose models can be seen here. Fiat models include the 2300 S coupé, the race-prepared X1/9, and the 124 coupe Rallye and 131 Rallye, which competed successfully in world championship rallies.
Also worthy of mention are the Simca 8 Sport coupe (designed by Pininfarina), Simca Abarth 1300 coupe, or the very rare Simca Abarth 1150 SS derived from the Simca 1000. The 1924 Fiat 501 SS Corsa is the museum’s doyenne. It is based on the popular Fiat 501 of the 1920s. The Pininfarina Spidereuropa is an evolution of the Fiat 124 Spider, built by Pininfarina when Fiat stopped selling it, while the Squadra Museum’s Volumex is the ultimate version, equipped with a compressor enabling its 4-cylinder injection system to deliver 135 hp.
A “Rally” collection with an Italian flair simply had to include Lancias, the most successful brand in the World Championship. So here we find the “classics”, the Fulvia HF, the Group B 037, and the Delta (HF, Integrale), as well as some less common Beta coupes.
Let’s conclude this short selection with 2 Lada models. The Lada VFTS is based on the quiet 2015 Lada (derived from the Fiat 124), but in this Group B Rally version, it develops 180 hp! The Lada Samara Cipher is a spider based on the Lada Samara, originally designed in England in the vein of the Triumph Spitfire and MG Midget. Lada had ambitious plans for this model, but the Cipher was one of the collateral victims of the political upheavals at the end of the Soviet Union.
Besides cars
The SQUADRA Abarth & Rally Collection also displays numerous items and artifacts related to auto rallies. Large photos showing the cars in action adorn the walls, and a movie corner offers a chance to take a break while watching archival films. A reading corner lets visitors browse through the books and magazines in the library.
Café Carlo (named after Carlo Abarth, of course) is open during the museum’s hours for a coffee break or lunch, with a menu that, as you’d expect, leans toward Italian cuisine. It’s open to the public, not just museum visitors, and on nice days, guests can enjoy the terrace. The gift shop lets you take home souvenirs, books, apparel, or scale models.
It’s also possible to rent a room for a private event and arrange for catering. In fact, the large hall on the ground floor regularly hosts events and concerts.
In addition, Squadra has a fully equipped workshop where classic cars can be restored, rebuilt, maintained, or prepared for a rally. This obviously applies to the cars in the collection and those of the historic rally team, but collectors can also have their cars repaired or restored there. Large floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor offer a view of the workshop. A large free parking lot is available for visitors.
Practical info
Opening
Open all year round, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm (last admission at 4pm).
Rates
| Adults | 19,00 € |
| Children 5 – 12 | 10,00 € |
| Students (12 – 21), PRM | 15,00€ |
| Children under 5 | Free |
| Groups, 15 people or more | 15,00€ |
| Free Parking | |
| Buy your tickets online |
The photos on this page belong to Automobile-Museums, no right of reproduction without express permission.
Discover more automobile Museums around the world…