Wow – we don’t get to see X1/9s like this very often, but we’ve actually featured another very nice driver not that long ago. Is the enthusiast car world waking up to the appeal of these pretty Bertone-styled coupes? At the very least, sellers seem to be deeming them worthy of investing in, as they previously languished for years as curiosities that rarely got shown the love and attention they deserved. The X1/9 combines attractive styling with mid-engine design, and this example has seemingly been preserved to a very high level. Mileage is just under 60,000 and you’ll find it here on eBay where it hasn’t seen any bids yet with a lofty opening number of $15,000.
Now, I don’t blame the seller at all for slapping a high opening number on this X1/9 given its incredible state of preservation, but I also think some acknowledgment should be given that the market for these is fairly narrow at the moment. Like I said earlier, there was no denying these were meant to be owned by enthusiasts, but when a major brand leaves a market, it tends to dampen enthusiasm for the company’s models, no matter how special. The X1/9 was a good car but not necessarily great – reliability was always a factor in buyers’ minds and the drivetrains weren’t what you’d call thrilling. Still, handling was respectable and the overall packaging was quite sporty. This car is incredible inside and out, as they also weren’t known for being built with durable materials, so the fact that the interior remains so tidy is impressive.
Wow! What an engine bay. If the car has been detailed, the detailer did a very nice job making this drivetrain look clean but not too clean. The seller is clearly a dealer/flipper as they don’t seem to know much about the Fiat’s mechanical history other than assuming (and likely correctly) that it was closely looked after by its longtime owner. The description indicates “some” records/receipts are available, along with a receipt for the 15,000-mile dealer service. This information isn’t entirely useful, but one could assume there was a whole stack of paperwork somewhere with this Fiat that revealed just how lovingly it was looked after. The paint under the hood is quite nice, too. The original window sticker and service book are included.
When you see an X1/9 in beautiful condition, it reminds you what a pretty design this is. I sometimes think our images are tainted of a particular make or model not because the car ever personally offended us but simply because we only see it in one context. It could be an exotic car that only ever looks like it’s never been driven, which makes us believe the owner only bought it for status (seriously, who wouldn’t love seeing a Jaguar XJ220 that looks like it’s been used as a commuter car every day of its life?) In the case of the X1/9, buying a battered one will just reinforce all the negative stereotypes, but finding an example that’s as seemingly as nice as this one could likely change your impression of this funky Italian two-seater. Have you ever driven one?
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