With the popularity of mid-engine sports cars gaining traction in the late 1960s, Fiat sought to get in on the action and devise a replacement to their rear engine 850 Spider. With styling conceived by Marcello Gandini at Bertone, the X1/9 used the all new single cam engine from the front drive Fiat 128, which was handy, as this powerplant was set up having a transaxle, which made conversion to mid-engine use a rather easy affair. At the start, the car’s body was manufactured by Bertone with final assembly carried out by Fiat, and towards the end of the car’s life, the production shifted entirely to Bertone, with the car being transitioned to the “Bertone” badged in 1983 with the exit of Fiat from the US market. The car was marketed in the US until 1987 by Malcolm Bricklin and his company, International Automobile Importers, Inc. The X1/9 soldiered on until 1989 and has garnered a legacy of a lightweight, good handling compact, if a bit susceptible to the usual rust and teething issues that plague Italian cars of the period. This example for sale in Ohio is a Fiat badged X1/9 and beat the odds as a 69,000 mile survivor.

1980 Fiat X1/9

1980 FIAT X1/9. VIN# : 128AS000133787. MILEAGE: 69,498. These X1/9 are hard to find and are listed on Yahoo's ten most desirable used vehicles that are impossible to find. You want to talk about a rare beauty...this 1980 Fiat X1/9 is it. This one has been well maintained as you can see from the pictures. It runs great and there are no issues.

Since the Fiat 500 came to the US last year, I’ve noticed a few Fiat dealers peddling vintage models of the marque, no doubt as a tactic to get people interested in the history of the brand and appreciate the qualities of current offerings. Since it is for sale at a dealer, the almost $8,000 price doesn’t surprise me. If this was from a private seller, you might be able to snag this car for about $2,000 to $3,000 less. If this example is rust free, it, along with the Lancia Scorpion/Montecarlo would be about the cheapest way into a mid-engine Italian vehicle. The color and US spec bumpers are not to my taste, but it is nice to see clean examples of this sporty runabout are still out there if you search hard enough.

-Paul