This article originally appeared in the March 1973 issue of Road & Track.

It has been a consistent Fiat practice to produce highly-tuned Spider versions of its standard sedans; these open cars have been particularly popular in

the United States, from the 1100 TV of the mid-1950s through the handsome 1200 and 1500 Roadsters of the early 1960s to the contemporary 124 Spider. In the

lowest-priced range the little 850 Spider, with its superb Bertone styling and roomy, well-appointed interior, proved to be more than a match commercially

for the more powerful Midget and Spitfire roadsters and the sale of 850 Spiders here has been a revelation both to Fiat and to Bertone. The latter firm,

having already enjoyed a modest success with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, found itself committed to mass production with the Fiat 850 Spider.

The appealing, mid-engine Targa-style two-seater on these pages has been eagerly awaited for over two years. We knew that the lively but ungainly 128 Coupe

would be getting a little sister and advance information on this '128 Spider' was printed in earlier issues of R&T. The new car did not appear at the

Turin show as expected (it seems that Fiat didn't want its new 126 sedan upstaged) but we received firsthand details of the Spider from A1 Cosentino, of

Faza Abarth fame, who inspected one in Italy. Just before our deadline, full specifications and photos were made available by Fiat.

The car is not called '128 Spider' after all, but rather the X1/9. This new-style designation does not seem to have any technical significance and was

probably chosen from purely marketing considerations. The X1/9 is the first Fiat designed specifically for the American market. Despite the use of the

basic 1290cc powertrain from the 128 Coupe, it is really an all-new car. One has only to look at the scale drawing of the 128 Coupe (above) to realize that the front-drive package would not fit under a low, sloping hood. By moving the entire unit back to a position just ahead of

the rear wheels, Fiat designers were able to utilize most of the existing 128 drivetrain though substituting a larger-capacity aluminum sump, a

cooling-system expansion tank and a hydraulically-operated clutch. Similar in basic concept to the Porsche 914, the X1/9 has retractable headlights and two

luggage compartments, and the roof is a removable panel which stores in the front compartment rather than the rear as in the 914.

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Unlike the Porsche, the Fiat has a water-cooled engine and thus a radiator is required. Mounted in front, this has a thermostatically-controlled fan and

its piping runs between the seats down the middle of the chassis at floor level. The radiator uses some of the potential front storage space, so Fiat has

elected to position both the 12.7-gallon fuel tank and the spare tire immediately behind the driver and passenger seats, respectively. All this has

resulted in a weight distribution of 41.4/58.6 percent front/rear, not as favorable as one would expect in a mid-engine car but better than the 850

Spider's 40/60. The curb weight of the X1/9 is 1935 lbs, about 100 lbs more than that of the 128 Coupe. Although the open car has a shorter wheelbase and

is lower than the Coupe, it is longer and wider, the track is slightly greater front and rear, and additional strength for US crash requirements has been

designed in—all entailing minor weight penalties.

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The quoted output for the European version of the X1/9 's engine is the same as for the 128 Coupe SL 1300 at 75 hp DIN, but it is developed at a lower

engine speed of 6000 rpm (versus 6600) and the torque figure is 71 lb-ft at 3400 rpm compared to 68 at 3600.

This suggests that the US version could have slightly more power than the 51-hp net of the 128 Coupe and that the acceleration should be similar. Our test

128 Coupe reached 60 mph in 15.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in 20.5. Maximum speed should be significantly improved, however, with better penetration and

lower frontal area in addition to an overall fourth-gear ratio of 3.91:1 (4.08 final drive ratio x 0.96) compared to 4.25:1 (4.08 x 1.04) for the Coupe.

The mph/1000 rpm figure is thus 17.4 versus 14.9, and if the X1/9 will pull 6000 rpm in fourth in its US form, then it could reach a 98-mph top speed. The

US version of the 128 Coupe, on the other hand, is limited by its boxiness and frontal area to an 88-mph maximum.

The X1/9 has a unit chassis and body including the roof roll bar structure. The suspension is by struts all around with the nearly vertical tube shocks

enclosed within coil springs on the struts. In front, these are located at the bottom by angled links, the forward pair being almost longitudinal in

disposition and the forward pivot points ahead of the tires. At the rear a similar geometry with fabricated A-arms is used the other way around and

additional adjustable links are provided behind the main arms for setting the toe angle. Steering is by rack-and-pinion with an angled, U-jointed shaft

connecting the steering column and the mechanism; the entire system is located safely behind the front wheels. There are no anti-roll bars. Although the

128s have a disc/drum braking system, the X1/9 has discs all around like the larger 124 series.

Disc diameter is 8.9 in total swept area is an impressive 272 square inches and two independent braking circuits are employed. Tires are 145HR-13, mounted

on the same 13 x 4V2J wheels used for the 128 Coupe. The recommended tire pressures of 26/28 psi front/rear give an indication of the better inherent

stability of the X1/9 over the 850 Spider, which had a 16/26 recommendation.

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In styling, the Bertone-designed X1/9 is a delight, with clean forms and an aggressively agile appearance that is entirely appropriate. The hood line is

fairly long (the radiator is positioned well forward to allow useful luggage space) and sloping. The "fender" line only goes to the rear edge of the door

before angling up into the roll bar structure; the line is picked up again for the rear deck. Being a transverse vertical four, the engine is accessible

behind the recessed rear window. The raised, louvered, matte-black panel, not seen on earlier prototypes, suggests that the engine plumbing has become a

few inches taller than originally planned, but then this wouldn't be the first car with a "power bulge." All the hardware and external fittings are

matte-black rubber, plastic or painted (bumpers, radiator grille, marker-light housings, wiper blades, side intakes, roof panel) and the car is

refreshingly free of chrome, which is confined to windshield and window surrounds. The X1/9 has a nose spoiler as standard like the Porsche 91 IS. One has

to assume that the spoiler is there for a functional reason, but it certainly adds to the car's competent look. The only serious criticism of the X1/9

styling would be directed at the unattractive split bumpers front and rear. Early prototypes had full-width bumpers that looked better and must have given

some added protection. The vertical overrides probably are needed to meet US bumper requirements but are also unfortunate from an aesthetic standpoint.

The interior is extremely sophisticated, almost BMW-like in appearance, with a 4-spoke matte-black steering wheel and a handsome instrument panel

incorporating a full-width shelf for small articles. Besides the large, round tachometer and speedometer, there are gauges for oil pressure, water

temperature and fuel level. The rest of the information is furnished by no less than nine warning lights. Heating and ventilation controls are located on

the central console; judging by the four vents (two in the middle and one at each end of the dash), the fresh-air system is much improved over that of the

850. Choke and throttle levers are positioned on the central tunnel beside the handbrake. The tall seats have integral, non-adjusting headrests, as on the

850. A rear-window de-mister is standard.

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Production of the 850 Spider ends as that of the X1/9 begins. With such a vastly improved replacement, no one should mourn the passing of the 850—except

those who are hoping for an under-$2500 sports car. The price of the X1/9 probably can't be kept below $3000 (it costs that in Italy) and $3195 is a more

likely figure. But it should be worth that and could easily become the best-selling Fiat ever on the US market. At present we don't have a date for the

X1/9's availability in the United States, but it can't be too soon to suit us.

It was appropriate that Fiat chose the world-famed Targa Florio mountain circuit as a test course for their new "Targa"-bodied sports car, the X1/9. One

warms to this car simply on looking at it, its shape is so functional, slightly but not offensively "wedge," yet so pleasingly balanced.

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Getting into the driving seat of the car is easy, the door being wide enough without being heavy. Legroom is ample for a 6-footer, although floor width at

the pedal end is narrowed by the wheel arch. The seats are anatomically shaped, with high wrap-around backrests and integral headrests, and they provide

good support both laterally and to the back, even though non-adjustable for rake. The pleasant 4-spoke steering wheel with its padded D-shaped rim is

fixed, too, but the driving position is both alert and comfortable.

The dashboard is covered in non-reflecting crushable material, and the instruments, set flat in a rectangular housing, include a 200-kph speedometer,

8000-rpm tachometer (red from 6800 rpm), an oil gauge with pressure warning light, and water temperature gauge. A central console houses two air diffusers,

heater controls, several switches and an ashtray, with a very "128" gear lever with a plain round knob at just the right point on the central tunnel. The

latter may seem superfluous in a mid-engine car, but is an important stress-bearing member, integral both with the floor pan and special reinforcing member

linking the tunnel and the scuttle.

As on the 128, the ignition key engages with a steering column lock, there is a floor choke as on the 500 and 126, and also that excellent Fiat feature, a

hand throttle. Sicily did its best to make British visitors feel at home by laying on heavy rain, but it was not cold, and my test X1/9 started without

choke after a few spins. With the seat, fuel tank and spare wheel, and soundproofing between me and the engine, this was exceptionally quiet, and the

throttle response was instant. The clutch is fairly light and the gear lever on a car with around 3500 kilometers (2174.8 miles) on the trip was quite

free.

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The steering, without the drive passing through it, is considerably lighter than the 128, but pleasingly direct with only three turns lock to lock. The run

from our hotel to the 45-mile Little Madonie circuit was preceded by a 12-mile stretch of autostrada, and here, once warmed up, the car held a steady 175

kph (108.7 mph). Allowing for slight speedometer flatter, this tallies with Fiat's claim of a maximum of just over 170 kph (105.6 mph). The engine was

fairly audible at this speed with the tach hovering around the 6600-rpm mark. This brings up the point that this instrument on the X1/9 is badly

obscured—at least from my driving position—by the steering wheel rim, so that I could not easily take readings.

Trying the car for acceleration on a wet road, I got 0 to 80 kph (49.7 mph) in 9.8 seconds, and 0 to 140 kph (86.9 mph) in 31 seconds. Speeds in gears are

50 kph (31.1 mph) in first, 80 kph (49.7 mph) in second, 120 kph (74.6 mph) in third and over 170 kph (105.6 mph) in top.

Once on the Targa circuit, the real exercise began. Straight sections are short and corners many and sinuous; sometimes they tighten up on you suddenly,

other times they whip left, right, left, while now and then you get a tight hairpin, and all the time one is climbing heights or plunging into valleys. The

road is rough and irregular, with many surface and camber changes, and altogether there could hardly be a finer test for a new sports car. Even in the

rain, the X1/9 rode and handled notably well, the steel-belted Pirelli 145-HR13s gripping fully on surfaces ranging from thoroughly wet to just nastily

damp.

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The engine location between the seats and the rear axle seems to impart an ideal weight distribution, for despite ever-changing surfaces the handling

remained basically neutral. Going rather too fast into what turned out to be a hairpin, a spot too much lock made the front end break away on the damp

road, but a quick liftoff and that responsive steering instantly straightened it up. There is no apparent roll and the ride is pitch-free except when the

road character changes suddenly.

On the longer downhill stretches one could work the car up to around 130 kph (80.8 mph) before braking hard for the next turn in the Madonie's

ever-changing repertoire. Right through the lap the four-wheel disc brakes pulled up square, with a very progressive feel and no front-end dip. Although

there is no servo-assistance they did not require undue pedal pressure and under the damp conditions there were no fade tendencies at all.

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On this circuit the chance to look at the instruments comes only now and then, and I would have preferred separate instruments a little closer to, and

angled at, the driver. The ventilation arrangements are first class and despite the humid outside conditions there was no misting up at all. Visibility all

round is very good, including the rear view through the window, while the Bertone styling made minimal wind noise, at least with the roof in position. The

wipers left an annoying little unwiped triangle in the top left-hand corner of the screen and, incidentally, the wipers on my particular car had two

constant speeds, fast and slow, and not intermittent as on the 128 and as claimed in X1/9 press material.

Although there was no call, alas, for sun visors on our day, I was still aware of them, since they do not lie fully flush above the screen but rest on the

two catches which keep the roof in place. This top is made of a fiberglass, is very light, and can be fitted or removed very simply by working the two

catches. When not needed, it fits very neatly inside the front luggage compartment. The rear trunk catch, and that for the engine cover, lie recessed in

the left-side-door pillar and are accessible with the door open; the pull for the front compartment is in the glove box. The headlights retract flush into

the nose, which poses a problem when flashing another car. The dash-mounted rocker switch which puts the sidelights on also brings the headlights up out of

their nests by electrical operation, while the headlight-cum-flasher lever is on the steering column. Thus one either has to go through two actions each

time one wishes to flash, or leave the headlights switched on full beam, as I did, then work the rocker switch alone to flash. Perhaps Fiat will have

simplified this by the time the X1/9 is in production.

Such minor things apart, this new Fiat rates as a thoroughly modern sports car, lively in performance, precise to handle, and a very real pleasure to

drive. It is not the cheapest car in its class, but Fiat is more concerned that it will be durable and safe as well as a good performer. Output will be

governed by Bertone's productivity and is expected to be just over 100 per day, a high proportion of them for the American markets. You lucky people.

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