User:Kumboloi/sandbox/Fiat X1/9

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The Fiat X1/9 is a two-seat mid-engined sports car designed and manufactured for Fiat by Bertone. From 1972–1982 it was sold under the Fiat name, and from 1982–1989 as the Bertone X1/9.[1]

With a transverse engine and gearbox in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive configuration, the X1/9 was noted for its balanced handling.[1][2] The car was designed from its conception to meet anticipated changes to U.S. safety regulations.[3][4]

History[edit]

Design and development[edit]

Bertone Runabout concept car

Bertone had been building the 850 Spider for Fiat since 1965, would face two challenges.

Production of Fiat's 850 line scheduled to end in the early 1970s.

Upcoming changes to American safety standards were expected to outlaw convertible cars.

Bertone would soon need to find another project for their Grugliasco, Turin factory.[5] In 1969 Bertone displayed a nautical-inspired concept car called the Autobianchi A112 Bertone Runabout [it]. This small wedge-shaped roadster had a long bonnet, a wide horizontal line recessed into the body at mid-height, a flat, foil-like rollbar and mounted a transverse four-cylinder Fiat drivetrain amidships.

Designed and built at Bertone. Built at Grugliasco. Americans banning open cars. End of 850 line in sight.[6]

Superb handling, exotic looks. Fiat not keen on developing new car, but Bertone needed a line for its Grugliasco factory. Brainchild of Bertone, not Fiat. Marcello Gandini. Fiat wanted convertible but to pass the stricter crash protection requirements foreseeable in the USA decided a targa would be better. [5]

"Truly great handling". Production numbers. Designed by Marcello Gandini. Lido model. "Fiat designed the X1/9 to meet anticipated US 50kph barrier crash requirements." [7]

While the Runabout is generally described as the inspiration for the X1/9, some have suggested that the general concept was first explored by Fiat in the G31 of 1968.[8][9] Other have gone so far as to claim that the real forbear of the X1/9 is a small mid-engined car called the 1600 unveiled by De Tomaso in 1971.[10] The 1600 that bore a startling resemblance to the forthcoming X1/9, which did not debut until the next year. Regarding the origin of the De Tomaso 1600 and its relationship to the X1/9, Tom Tjaarda, De Tomaso's designer at the time, relates that he was asked to create a body that was a copy of an X1/9 styling buck seen by Alejandro de Tomaso.[11] Bertone described the Runabout as the inspiration for the X1/9.[12]

The X1/9's body was styled by Bertone's chief designer Marcello Gandini.

retractable headlights, lightweight-removable hardtop, front and rear-storage compartments.

Chassis designed by Giuseppe Puleo.[4]

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.[13][14]

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.[Note 1] The X1/9 was thus the ninth passenger car developed using the nomenclature.

Production and model evolution[edit]

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.[15]

The car was intended to replace the 850 Spider, another Bertone design, not the more expensive 124 Sport spider whose production continued for much of the X1/9's life. The car's unibody chassis and body were produced at the Bertone factory in Grugliasco (Turin)[16] and then transported to the Fiat's Lingotto factory for final assembly. As mentioned before, the X1/9's type 128 AS 1,290 cc (79 cu in) single overhead cam inline-four engine was derived from the Fiat 128, specifically from the 128 Coupé 1300.

Changes included a new cast aluminium oil sump,[14] complementing the aluminium cylinder head. With a twin-choke Weber 32 DMTR carburettor and an 8.9:1 compression ratio, the engine produced 75 DIN-rated metric horsepower (55 kW; 74 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 97 DIN-rated newton-metres (72 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,400 rpm.[17][14] 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 170 km/h (106 mph), 10 km/h higher than the similarly engined but 65 kg lighter 128 Coupé 1300.[14]

Tthe X1/9 came standard with 4.5J×13-inch stamped steel wheels fitted with 145 HR 13 tyres, while cast alloy wheels were an extra-cost option.[16]

Suspension was fully independent, with MacPherson struts front and rear. The split circuit brake system used equally 227 mm (8.9 in) diameter solid discs all around.[16] 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).

1976 Fiat X1/9 (1300 cc)

The original 1.3-litre, 4-speed X1/9 can be distinguished from the later 1.5-litre, 5-speed model by its wrap-around steel split bumpers with rubber blocks, and the shallower engine compartment lid.

Lido, Corsa, Versione Special (VS), Serie Speciali, Bertone IN (fuel injected), Exclusiv (Germany), Sunshine (Germany), Gran Finale

https://www.x1-9ownersclub.org.uk/x19-info/model-types.html http://www.x19.nl/Historie_X--19.html http://www.x1-9.it/xspeciali.htm http://www.clubx19france.org/toutesx19.htm

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.[18] None of these early conversions are believed to remain in existence.

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.

Prototpye 1990 diciotenne hatchback

Special editions, concept cars, and prototypes[edit]

Stradale - http://www.x19.com.au/stradale.html https://www.velocetoday.com/fiat-x19-prototipos-today/ https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/x-squared-1979-fiat-x1-9/ https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a29984/the-strange-lost-history-of-faza-the-worlds-most-bizarre-abarth-tuner/ Familiare - http://www.x1-9.it/cat4.htm http://x19gr.50webs.com/prototypes.htm

X1/10 icsunodieci ???

Giannini X1/9 NP http://www.x1-9.it/giannini.htm

Bertone conducted at least three design and engineering studies with the X1/9. Along with several standard X1/9s taken from the production line, examples of all three design studies are now on display in the Volandia Museum adjacent to the Malpensa/Milan airport, which is the new home of the majority of the Bertone collection that was sold after the company went through final bankruptcy proceedings.[19]

Fiat X1/9 ASV[edit]

X1/9 Superlight prototype

An all-aluminum X1/9 unibody was developed in concert with Alcan. Five all-aluminum cars, called "ASV" for "Aluminum Structure Vehicle", were built to the same strength and stiffness of the normal steel cars, and tested for vibration, noise, high load input, and corrosion. The program also tested the adhesives and techniques specially developed to assemble bodyshell components. Weight was reduced to approximately 66% of the normal steel body.[20] Since a 24 hour Showroom Stock endurance race was expected to reveal a lot about the durability of aluminum cars, one of these aluminum-bodied prototypes was entered into the 1987 Longest Day of Nelson Ledges race, but a mishap on a test and tune practice lap prevented the car from running the race.[21]

Fiat X1/9 "Passo Lungo"[edit]

X1/9 "Passo Lungo" prototype

The second design study was a 2+1 dubbed "Passo Lungo" completed in 1981. The Passo Lungo was based on a European specification 1500 Fiat X/19 with a wheelbase stretched to 2,450 mm (96.5 in), with 178 mm (7 in) of space added behind the door and ahead of the rear wheels. Additionally, the chassis was widened by 51 mm (2 in). The spare tire was relocated to the new space behind the driver's seat, and a third seat was added to the space behind the passenger seat originally used for the spare tire. "Opera" windows were added to the sail panels. The stock 1.5L engine was replaced by a 2.0L Fiat Twin Cam engine to add more power to compensate for the added weight.

The car is interesting in that whilst the body was stretched to accommodate a back seat (only usable by small children) no thought[who?] was put into the fact that the targa roof was now so long that it could no longer be stowed in the front boot of the car (as it had been designed for in the normal X1/9).

Only one example is known to exist which is currently on display with the Bertone collection in Volandia.

Fiat X1/9 Spider[edit]

X1/9 Spider prototype

The third study was a full-convertible top (Spider) version of the X1/9. The fixed rear window and sail panels were deleted, and a more conventional roll bar/hoop was added for rollover protection. A fascia was fabricated to mate with the engine compartment lid to cover the body shoulders where the sails panels used to be. The convertible top is not a structure that emerges from behind the passenger compartment area; rather it is a flexible cover that mounts using the original targa top clips along the windshield in front, stretches over and is supported by the new roll bar, and is secured into place in the rear with twist-clips.

Body kits[edit]

Amalfi Passero https://www.allcarindex.com/auto-car-model/United-Kingdom-Amalfi-Passero/

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Fiat Bertone X1/9 Story". sportsvogn.no. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  2. ^ Unlisted Author. (1977), Motor, February 26, 1977:

    At its announcement in 1972, Fiat's Bertone styled X1/9 had the distinction of being the first mid-engined sports car destined for volume production.
    ...the X1/9 is a remarkably safe car with excellent handling and high reserves of roadholding...
  3. ^ Peek, Jeff (22 May 2019). "The 1974–82 Fiat X1/9 is one hot ride (well, it's heating up anyway)". www.hagerty.com.
  4. ^ a b LaChance, David (August 2011). "X Squared – 1979 Fiat X1/9". www.hemmings.com.
  5. ^ a b Wan, Mark (2009). "Fiat X1/9 (1972)". www.autozine.org.
  6. ^ Butt, Christopher (5 December 2017). "Camaleonte". auto-didakt.com.
  7. ^ Anderson, Donn (8 May 2015). "Motor Man: Fiat's X1/9 — the first affordable mid-engined car". www.themotorhood.com.
  8. ^ McCourt, Mark J. (July 2011). "Exciting Etceterini – 1971 O.T.A.S. 820 Grand Prix". www.hemmings.com.
  9. ^ Simoni, Mario (7 January 2019). "Fiat X1/9, la roadster che piacque all'Avvocato" [Fiat X1/9, the roadster that the lawyer liked]. ruoteclassiche.quattroruote.it (in Italian).
  10. ^ Gallerani, Vittorio Falzoni (20 August 2018). "FIAT X 1/9 e Autobianchi – Bertone – Runabout" [Fiat X1/9 and Autobianchi Bertone Runabout]. www.peritoautodepoca.it (in Italian).
  11. ^ Heseltine, Richard (8 July 2018). "Alessandro de Tomaso: genius, dreamer, plotter and schemer". news.yahoo.com.
  12. ^ "Fiat X 1/9" (in Italian). 2006. Archived from the original on 5 June 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  13. ^ Daniels, J. R. (14 December 1972). "Fiat X1/9". Autocar. Vol. 137, no. 3994. pp. 50–52.
  14. ^ a b c d "X1/9—Corse, eccola!" [X1/9—Racing, here she comes!]. Autosprint (in Italian). XII (48): 43–45. 27 November 1972.
  15. ^ Power, Robert (October 2004). "Fiat X1/9—Grazie, Dante Giacosa!". Grace—Classic & sport cars (in Italian). Barbero Editori: 24–29.
  16. ^ a b c Bernabò, Ferruccio (26 November 1972). "Un nuovo modello sportivo Fiat si chiama X1/9, supera i 170 orari" [A new Fiat sport model named X1/9, exceeds 170 per hour]. La Stampa (in Italian). p. 9. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  17. ^ Fiat—Tutti i modelli del Novecento. Vol. II. Editoriale Domus. 2010. pp. 60–63.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference msm-aug1976 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Vack, Pete (20 March 2018). "The Bertone Collection". www.velocetoday.com.
  20. ^ "The Building and Test-Track Evaluation of an Aluminum Structured Bertone X1/9 Replica Vehicle". Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  21. ^ Rusz, Joe (October 1987). "The Longest Day of Nelson 1987". Road & Track Magazine: 126.

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