The Fiat X1/9 is an Italian two-seater mid-engined sports car designed by Bertone and manufactured by Fiat from 1972–1982 and subsequently by Gruppo Bertone from 1982–1989.
With a transverse engine and gearbox in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive configuration, the X1/9 was noted for its balanced handling, retractable headlights, lightweight removable hardtop which could be stowed under the bonnet, front and rear storage compartments — and for being the first Fiat to have been designed from its conception to meet US safety regulations.
History
Design and development
The X1/9 was developed from the 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout concept, with styling by Bertone under chief designer Marcello Gandini.
Even though the Runabout was named for the Autobianchi A112, it was powered by a version of the brand new Fiat 128 SOHC engine. The Runabout featured a distinctive wedge shape and took many styling cues from contemporary power-boat design. Though the more extreme features of the Runabout such as the C pillar mounted headlights and the small wind-deflector windscreen were lost for the production car, many aesthetic features of the Autobianchi Runabout are readily identifiable on the X1/9. The long flat bonnet with central indentation, the large front overhang, the wedge shape with prominent C-pillar roll-over hoop and the car-length indented waterline all made the successful transition to the X1/9, giving it a highly distinctive appearance.
Designed around the Fiat SOHC engine and transmission from the front wheel drive Fiat 128, the X1/9 relocated the transverse drive train and suspension assembly from the front of the 128 to the rear of the passenger cabin, directly in front of the rear axle, giving a mid-engined layout. The engine was designed by Aurelio Lampredi, famed Ferrari engine designer before he went to work for FIAT (the parent company, at that time). The fuel tank and spare wheel were located ahead of the engine, behind the driver and passenger seats respectively — optimizing the proportion of the car's weight within its wheelbase for more balanced handling and enabling cargo areas front and rear.
Once developed for production, the two-seater featured sharp-edged styling with a wedge shape, retractable headlights, an integrated front spoiler and a removable hard top roof panel (targa top). The removable hardtop could be stored in the front boot; a second luggage compartment was provided at the rear of the car, accessible through a conventional boot lid.
Unlike Fiat's marketing nomenclature at the time which used a numerical system (e.g., 127, 128, 124, 131) denoting relative position in the model range, the X1/9 retained its prototype code as its marketing name. Fiat's prototype coding used X0 for engines, X1 for passenger vehicles and X2 for commercial vehicles. The X1/9 was thus the ninth passenger car developed using the nomenclature.
Production and model evolution Originally slated to debut at the November 1972 Turin Motor Show, the X1/9's launch was delayed until after the show to avoid upstaging the new Fiat 126 city car. Press test drives were held at the end of November 1972, on the Sicilian Madonie roads home to the Targa Florio road race.The car was intended to replace the 850 Spider, another Bertone design, not the larger and pricier 124 Sport Spider whose production continued for much of the X1/9's life. The car's monocoque body was produced at the Bertone factory in Grugliasco (Turin) and then transported to the Fiat's Lingotto factory for final assembly. As mentioned before, the X1/9's type 128 AS single overhead cam straight-four engine was derived from the Fiat 128, specifically from the 128 Coupé 1300.
Changes included a new cast aluminium oil sump, complementing the aluminium cylinder head. With a twin-choke Weber 32 DMTR carburettor and an 8.9:1 compression ratio, the engine produced at 6,000 rpm and of torque at 3,400 rpm. The all-synchronized 4-speed transmission was also carried over from the 128, though with a taller fourth gear ratio to exploit the sports car's better aerodynamics. As a consequence the X1/9 had a top speed of over , 10 km/h higher than the similarly engined but 65 kg lighter 128 Coupé 1300.
As standard the X1/9 came with 4.5J×13-inch stamped steel wheels fitted with tyres, while cast alloy wheels were an extra-cost option.
Suspension was fully independent, with MacPherson struts front and rear. The split circuit brake system used equally sized solid discs all around. Steering was rack and pinion.
The interior, upholstered in leatherette, featured two bucket seats with integrated headrests and a four-spoke steering wheel (resembling the one fitted to the Lamborghini Marzal). The engine cover and rear trunk could be opened with (lockable) interior latches located on the driver's side door jamb.
Due to the fact that elements of a frontwheel drive car with a tranverse engine were 'simply' moved backwards, some uncommon solutions can be found: the rear suspension has adjustable auxiliary control arms, the speedometer is driven by a very long cable running forward from the gearbox and making a 180 degree turn, and the cooling system with radiator in the front features long coolant tubes running to the engine in the rear.
Fiat began marketing a right-hand drive variant in 1976. Prior to this, Radbourne Racing had been converting left-hand drive X1/9s to a right-hand drive configuration for sale in the UK market. None of these early conversions are believed to remain in existence.
For 1979, FIAT introduced the only major revision of the X1/9, often referred to as "Series II". The 1.3L/4-speed FIAT 128-derived drivetrain was replaced by an adaptation of the FIAT Ritmo 1.5L/5-speed drivetrain. Exterior changes include replacing the original "Series I" wrap-around steel split bumpers with an aluminum box channel bumper and corner trim, and a taller engine compartment lid to accommodate the taller engine.
In 1982, shortly after the introduction of the 1500 model, complete production was assumed by Bertone with models subsequently badged as the "Bertone" X1/9. Bertone models featured revised footwells redesigned to enhance legroom and sitting comfort for persons taller than the original design's target.
The last production models were named the Gran Finale and sold over the 1989/1990 period. They were a dealer modification of the special edition (commonly abbreviated to SE) of 1988/1989, with the addition of a rear spoiler and "gran finale" badges.
The X1/9 in the United States
Reported numbers vary by source, but about 2/3 of the approximately 160,000 X1/9s produced were sold in the USA. Three generations of X1/9 were sold in the U.S.: 1974 cars, 1975-1978 cars, and 1979-1989 cars.
The 1974 U.S. examples aligned closely with worldwide models, including small (but U.S.-specific) bumpers, 1290 cc engines, and four-speed transmissions.
The 1975-1978 U.S. cars were unique to the U.S. market with "ladder-style" impact absorbing bumpers front and rear. To meet U.S. evaporative and exhaust emission standards, X1/9s were fitted with exhaust gas recirculation valves, air pumps and activated charcoal systems. These cars were rated at . This was also how Japanese market cars were specified; the same engine and also the ladder bumpers and side marker lights.
In 1979, U.S. cars received increases in displacement to 1498 cc and five-speed transmissions both sourced from FIAT's Ritmo ("Strada" in USA) small sedan, with max power up to . The 1979 U.S. cars retained the previous emission controls. Model years 1980 and 1981 saw a transition from carburetion to Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, with the changeover coming in 1980 for cars sold in California and a gradual changeover for "federal" cars from late 1980 to 1981 model years. The combination of fuel injection (FI), a catalytic converter and unleaded gasoline allowed these cars to meet California's and later federal emission standards. Fuel injected cars were rated at .
In 1979, U.S. X1/9s also received both exterior and interior revisions including integrated bumpers front and rear, as well as new front grilles and air dams. The instrument panel and dash redesign moved the heating and ventilation controls from the center console up to the main dash, relocated the radio to the center dash area, moved the fuse panel from the area above the driver's left knee to the area above the passenger's footwell where the glovebox was, and moved the glovebox to atop the dash.
During 1982, Fiat ended its presence in the U.S. Fiat turned over marketing and support of the X1/9 to International Automobile Importers, Inc., headed by Malcolm Bricklin, and turned over full production duties to Bertone.
In 1983, the orphaned X1/9 was sold as the "Bertone X1/9". IAI and Bertone continued to update the X1/9, providing improved rust protection, revised seating to accommodate taller drivers, and a modernized electrical system for 1984 models.
U.S. sales of the X1/9 fell in the final few years, and 1987 was the last year that IAI imported X1/9s to the U.S.
From mid-1987 to end of the production in 1989, Bertone X1/9s were imported to the U.S. by M.I.K. Automotive, Inc. in North Hollywood, California, owned by Miro Kefurt, who at that time was the number one Bertone dealer in the U.S. and one of the very few that sold exclusively X1/9s. The last four X1/9s were imported to the U.S. in April 1990 (1989 model year cars, produced in December 1989).
The X1/9 in the Australia and New Zealand The X1/9 was exported and sold in Australia and New Zealand in 1978, initially with the smaller 1.3L engine and 4-speed gearbox although this was quickly changed to the larger 1.5L engine and 5-speed gearbox. When the car became a Bertone model it needed to pass a new Australian Design Rules test to be sold there. Bertone also had to find new showrooms. This meant the X1/9 was withdrawn from sale in Australia in 1983. It continued being sold in New Zealand until 1985.
The Bertone X1/9 made a return to the Australian market in 1988 and was sold until 1991.