In 1912, Abadal formed his own automotive brand. Although the young company lacked the necessary infrastructure to build a complete automobile, it was able to agree on a deal with the Belgian firm Imperia for the supply of their chassis, which were delivered to Barcelona.
The mechanical running gear of the car was identical to that of the Alphonso XIII Hispano-Suiza sports car, as was the bodywork. Abadal also offered a less sporty six-cylinder version which had heavier bodywork.
With the advent of the first world war, Abadal’s production suffered a severe blow. The company then became an importer of Buicks in a bid for survival, and soon after the war, Paco Abadal resumed production, this time of the Abadal-Buick, though no longer a sports car.
On June 18, 1914, an order for this very Abadal entered the books of Abadal y Cia., in Barcelona, and was brought into Portugal by João Pinto Monteiro Mendonça from Lisbon.
The chassis was later entrusted to the firm Almeida e Navarro, who manufactured a body similar to the one presented at the Paris Motor Show, by Labourdette.
What caught the attention of Monteiro Mendonça was an incredible feat accomplished by this first Abadal. The car completed the Paris to Le Mans run with a staggering average speed close to 90 km/h.
The proud owner, Dr. Mendonça, immediately put the car to work by debuting at the Gincana do Estoril, on October 31st, 1914, in which he managed to register it under the plate S-2000, after several disputes with other competitors who desperately wanted that honour.
On October 19, 1935, Dr. Mendonça cancelled that registration and opted instead to store the car in his mansion on Rua Marquês da Fronteira, at the top of Parque Eduardo VII.
Decades later, in March 1964 João de Lacerda was offered the car with the condition that it would be rebuilt and displayed in the Museu do Caramulo.
The recovered Abadal was then restored in the private workshop of Harry Rugeroni, at Rua Tomás Ribeiro in Lisbon, with the help of the skilled mechanic, Humberto Coelho.
Since its restoration, it has participated in the 1966 Rallye de Santo Tirso, as well as numerous national and international events, including the Rallye Internacional de Vigo, in July 1977—which the car went to and returned under its own steam.
Interestingly, the total number of Abadals manufactured is not known for certain, but what is certain is that no other model like the one in the Museu do Caramulo is known to exist in the world today.