Is the Fiat X1/9 one of the coolest cars out there, or one of the most misunderstood? It’s hard to say, but looking back on it, the creation of an affordable, mid-engined Italian sports car seems like a gift to enthusiasts. Still, it remains quite cheap to buy one in good condition and you can modify them just enough to make it a more compelling purchase if you’re bothered by the modest horsepower rating. This X1/9 listed here on eBay is a claimed barn find with a dirt cheap opening bid of $250 and no reserve.
There’s a bit of history to the X1/9 that I wasn’t aware of, and it has to do with how Bertone saw an opportunity to help Fiat sidestep legal challenges that would threaten the viability of the 850 Spider in the U.S. market. Of course, Bertone was also worried that its meal ticket would dissolve if the 850 was banned with no replacement in the wings. Therefore, Bertone conceived an idea that would allow Fiat to keep a sporty car in its lineup without running afoul of regulators. Always a 4-cylinder car, the X1/9 found high praise for its handling abilities from road test editors at the time.
The X1/9 was not a commercial success, but not for lack of achievements. Handling was exceptional, with reviewers citing the impressive on-road abilities and low price tag, especially relative to more expensive cars that didn’t handle quite as well. Due to the U.S. making safety requirements increasingly stringent, Fiat also “overbuilt” the car in a sense, ensuring it met the rapidly changing regulations. However, build quality was still an issue, and X1/9s are far more susceptible to rust and poor assembly than mechanical faults (though there are certainly likely to be plenty of those, especially in a barn find example.)
This X1/9 isn’t offered with much of a backstory, but wherever it’s been hiding, it was likely fairly dry. There’s not much visible rust on the Fiat, unless it’s been expertly painted over. But everything looks right, from the way the black plastic trim hasn’t been painted over to the factory badges still in their correct spot on the engine lid. The 1980 model benefits from a larger 1.5L engine producing 85 b.h.p., enabling it to reach 60 in just over 10 seconds. This Fiat will need a lot of love to run again, but for $250, isn’t it worth the gable?
Ah, the words that inspire confidence. “Cheap Italian Sports Car.”
where is this car ??
Henrietta, New York from what the ebay ad says.
Suburb of Rochester NY
Is this what GM was trying to emulate with the Fiero?
Back when I had one of my X’s, a work friend picked himself up a new Fiero GT with the V6… Although the layout and configuration of the Pontiac and Fiat were similar, the characters of the cars were completely different. The Fiero was a great, comfortable and fast GT cruiser (not “quick” but fast). The X1/9 had much more of a road legal go-cart personality.
Also, soon after the original Fiero became available (with the Iron Duke 4) I drove my X down to the dealer and took one for a test drive… I remember being quite underwhelmed… The Iron Duke may have been great for mail trucks, but not for sports cars. When Pontiac put the V6 in the Fiero it transformed the car…
True. I can only imagine what the stillborn ’89 model, with the Olds Quad 4 in the engine bay, might have been like! Typical GM, great idea, but lousy execution destroys any chance the car might have had. By the time GM gets the car dialed in, they kill it, because it gets a bad reputation and the poor sales that go with it! Sigh.
Usually GM finally gets a car right,then they discontinue it.
How much weight goes away with the bumpers?
Not all that much as they’re aluminum… IIRC from my X1/9 days both bumpers and the bumper shocks add up to well under 100 lbs…
mother had several 850s so i went for this one when able to geta license. When ‘shuffling thru the deck’ 4 newer car I didnt sell this as usual. Put it on my trailer and went to local SCCA rallies. Did alota wrenchin/mod/corses as the car was out of the DD rotation. Sold me on ‘mid-engine’. Big fan now.
Days of affordable, sporty cars seem gone? Miata high priced now? BRZ (probably wouldnt fit in it?), etc. Whats offered new like the X 1/9, 850, karmen ghia, others? Major problem today is probably: wages do Not match
product (thru out markets) costs.
Owned 3 of these over a 25 year span… best “slow car to drive fast”… I miss having one… but too many projects going on now to take on this one.
I’m still driving my 1974 exe. It’s never had the engine out of it, although it seems weaker than it was. The only two complaints I’ve had was the short life of the cam belt needing replacement every 25,000 miles and the seat covers that evaporated in its first year. As for rust, all imported cars of that era had rust issues. Mine has some but not extensive. It’s ready for a face lift and those rust issues will be addressed. Most fun car I’ve ever owned and at $3900 new I think I got my money’s worth,
Looking at some of the comments here, yes this one is pretty rusty in the rockers. That is not a usual vulnerable rust area so I’m guessing that this one may need floors and a lot more. Common rust areas on these are inside the front trunk behind the fender well and all fender flares . Some that have been driven on salty winter roads will rust around the lower windscreen molding.
I loved my 1968 850, especially after two head grinds from blown gaskets. Probably got the compression up to 11-1, had to run premium. Nicely However it had a throttle lock speed control, but then the windshield motor burned up, and the weld on the drivers seat broke off and I got tail ended. Fun while it lasted, oh yeah the rear inside wheel would pick up on turning occasionally. Never had to help move a piano though, so that was good. I could get everything I owned into that car at one point.
I usually don’t care how bad the first 5mph bumpers looked until they were cleanly integrated into the bodywork, but I would be looking to do something with these. Yikes.
“THIS NEEDS COMPLETE RESTORATION… NON RUNNING CONDITION BEING SOLD AS IS!” Doesn’t sound too promising, but the price is low. Rust in both rockers, no underbody pics. No interior or engine pics. New York location=rust. Tread lightly into this one.
That being said, I’ve owned three X1/9’s. Great driver’s cars, I’m 6’2″ and fit ok. Would like to have another but the good ones are a bit pricey.
Mystery bargain, exterior is good, minimum rust (it seems), engine can be replaced with a cheap Fiat mill until the Abarth unit is found. If the front to the rear pipe and cover are rust free, the 2 cables to the back bonnets are good, then maybe it is a bargain. The lack of an inside and underside photos is also a problem.
Located in: Henrietta, New York
Way back when I had lost my job including my demo and borrowed my wife’s daughte+s X1/9. It had 50.000 miles on the clock and was a typical young, divorced women´s car, full of junk, unwashed and neglected. Well, I thought to stop for gas, since predictably she had been driving it on the fumes; while at the gas station I decided it was a good idea to check the fluids and as I had feared, there were none. This poor thing had been beaten all to hell without ever having its oil topped off, or its radiator checked or anything else foor that matter. Off the show room floor, for 50 thou without
any service, period. Well, after a thorough cleaning and a polish job, well fed with oil, filter and coolant, this little Italian beauty served me extremely well for 4 weeks, giving me a lot of pleasure. If I ever drove a car that handled like a dream, this was it. It had taken the abuse of a divorced mom like a trooper. She later traded it for a 6 cylinder plain Jane Camaro.
Item sold on Mon, Jul 13 at 11:05 AM.
US $1,200.00
18 bids
Beautiful looking car. This has always been my favourite car. I hope it goes to a good owner.
These rusted faster than a Chevrolet Luv
But not as fast as a 70s Plymouth Duster….
With those bulging quarters it almost seems intentional
A 1980 X 1/9, Silver over black was my first new car, lots and lots of fun in that car.