Rare Mid Engine 1980s Fiat X1 9 | Season 3 - Episode 81

👋 Hey friends! In this video, we are featuring a rare Fiat X1/9 painted in striking Rialto blue seen out and about recently in County Leitrim, north-west Ireland. We are Ireland Made® the Irish transport archive. Our mission is to celebrate and preserve stories of Irish transport past and present for the benefit of future generations. If it has wings, wheels or it floats and there is an Irish connection, we share the story. ⬇️ The Fiat X1/9 was a rare car in Ireland, do you have a story to share about your car? Comment below ⬇️ Recently our video crew found a beautifully preserved blue Fiat X1/9 in Co. Leitrim. This November marks Fiat's 120th year in Ireland. Fiat, abbreviated as Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, was founded in 1899 and established its presence in Ireland in November 1923 as Fiat Motors (Ireland) Limited in Chapelizod, Dublin. The X1/9, initially a 1969 concept car called Autobianchi A112 Runabout, quickly became a production model due to high demand. It was Fiat's first car designed to meet US safety standards. The 'Flying Wedge' X1/9, designed by Marcello Gandini of Gruppo Bertone, showcased a sleek mid-engine GT look. With pop-up headlights and a removable Targa top, it rivalled pricier models. The elegant engineering of the mid-mounted engine and rear-wheel-drive, set a trend for other manufacturers to copy. In preparing for the press launch the working name for the new car was the “128 Spider”, however, a savvy marketer changed the name as the car’s official development tag: “X1” denoting a passenger car and “9” being the ninth in the 1960s car series to be developed. And so, we have the FIAT X1/9. Fiat X1/9 specifications: Designer: Marcello Gandini (Bertone) Body type: two-seater Targa Layout: transverse mid-engine rear wheel drive Manufacturer: Fiat 1972 – 1982 & Gruppo Bertone 1982 – 1989 Engine: 1.290 cc or 1.498 cc straight-four Top speed: 169 km/h (105 mph) Numbers built: 159.500 Despite its sporty looks the car’s performance was not that great with a relatively heavy body designed to meet American crash test standards, propelled by a small 1.3L engine. Also, with the company’s rush to bring the car to market there were some design shortcomings: a cramped engine compartment, overheating, rust and gearbox reliability problems. Claimed perfect weight distribution led to thrilling handling in dry conditions but became challenging in the rain. Considering these flaws, the X19 enjoyed a long life with Bertone taking over manufacturing in 1982 and upping the engine size. 159.500 cars were built between 1972 – 1989. +++++++++++ Check out our subscribers-only videos on the Ireland Made website www.irelandmade.ie and our free back catalogue of Irish transport videos. Follow Ireland Made for two new videos every week. Do you have an Irish transport story past or present you would like us to feature? Email us here info@irelandmade.ie ++++++++++ Information sources: 501 Must Drive Cars – Bounty Books CompleteCar.ie DrivenToWrite.com CarMagazine.com #irelandmade #ad #fiatireland #fiat100yearsinireland #gruppobertone #mid-engine #fiat #fabbricaitalianaautomobiliditorino This video post is copyrighted© to Ireland Made® not to be copied or reproduced without permission.