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Vital Statistics the People Who Made the X1/9

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Vital Statistics the People Who Made the X1/9 1986 Bertone X1/9 The People Who Made the X1/9 Vital Statistics 1972 FIAT X1/9 Layout Championed by Nuccio Bertone Chairman of the prominent Italian coachbuilder Carrozerria Bertone, he Transverse mid-engine rear wheel drive battled the beancounters at FIAT but succeeded in persuading FIAT boss Two-seater Gianni Agnelli to bring an affordable mid-engined Italian sportscar to mass Removable targa top stores in front trunk Autobianchi Front and rear trunks production. From 1972 thru 1988, about 163,000 X1/9s were built, more Runabout than 2/3 of which were sold in the USA as FIATs, and later as Bertones. Fuel tank and spare tire centrally positioned Dimensions Designed by Marcello Gandini Length: 156.3” Gandini was Chief Designer at Bertone from 1965 to 1980. His Width: 61.8” Autobianchi Runabout concept car, forerunner of the X1/9, debuted at the Wheelbase: 86.7” 1969 Torino Auto Show. He also designed supercars such as the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, the Lancia Stratos, the Ferrari Dino Height: 46.5” 308GT4; concept cars such as the 1970 BMW Garmisch 2002ti Curb Weight: 2210 lbs. (forerunner of the first generation BMW 5-series); and everyday Engine & Transmission production cars such as the X1/9 and the Citroen BX. Inline 4-cylinder, iron block, aluminum head Single Overhead Cam (SOHC), belt driven Engineered by Dante Giacosa & Giuseppe Puleo Displacement: 1.5 Liter (1498cc) FIAT’s Chief Engineer Giacosa designed the Autobianchi Primula, the first Horsepower: 75.2@5,500 rpm car with today’s now-standard layout of front-mounted transverse engine Torque: 79.6 Ft. Lbs.@3,000 rpm and transmission driving unequal-length half-shafts. He was responsible for engineering the novel concept of the X1/9’s mid-engine design, which Compression ratio: 8.5:1 is the placement of a front wheel drive powertrain behind the passenger Fuel system: Bosch L-Jetronic compartment (later copied in the Pontiac Fiero and Toyota MR2). Puleo, Manual 5 speed transmission FIAT’s Director of Advanced Design and engineer of the rally masterpiece Suspension, Brakes, and Steering Lancia Stratos, designed the X1/9’s remarkably stable and safe chassis. 4-wheel independent suspension, struts Powered by Aurelio Lampredi 4-wheel solid rotor disc brakes Before coming to FIAT, Lampredi designed race engines for Ferrari in the Rack and pinion steering, 3 turns lock-to-lock 1950s. At FIAT, he designed the two engines that propelled almost every 185/60R13 tires FIAT manufactured from 1965 thru 1995, the iconic FIAT Twin-Cam and Cromodora CD58 magnesium alloy wheels the equally iconic FIAT SOHC (Single Overhead Cam), which powers the X1/9. Performance 0-60 mph: 13 seconds Sold by Malcolm Bricklin 1/4 mile: 17.8 seconds When FIAT left the US market after 1982, X1/9s were imported by Top speed: 104 MPH Malcolm Bricklin’s company, International Auto Importers, and sold as the Dallara Icsunonove This X1/9 Bertone X1/9 from 1983 until 1987. Group 5 Production Car Serial # 157161, Manufactured June, 1985 Driven By Formula One Legends Polar Ice Metallic over Blue Metallic Niki Lauda and Gilles Villeneuve owned daily-driver X1/9s, and Emerson FIAT Abarth Prototipo Rally Car Owner: Dan Sarandrea, Philadelphia (3rd Owner, 2007) Fittipaldi said, “...the X1/9 drives just like a Formula One car.” Special Thanks To: Joe Vigorita & Byron Morgan, East Coast Auto Machine, Glenside, PA; Mario DiMascia & Bill McMullin, Mario’s Auto Repair, Philadelphia, PA; Tony Renzi, Il Capo Meccanico, Philadelphia, PA; the members of www.xwebforums.com; Matt Brannon, Midwest-Bayless Italian Auto, Columbus, OH; Henk Martens, X1/9 Parts Holland, Lent, Netherlands .
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