... right?

A couple of quick thoughts:

There are some very important people at Fiat who love the idea of the X1/99 or something like it, who love the original X1/9 very much, who genuinely are X and Fiat enthusiasts themselves (this alone is really heartening to know, the tendency of us as individuals to think of giant corporations as nameless, faceless, uncaring entities, that in FACT the entity of Fiat really is made up of real people, some REAL enthusiasts inside, in very important positions, who think a lot like we do about this passion for these cars), and who personally would love nothing more than to give us what we want!

The problem is money. Fiat as a company is a lot like many of us as enthusiasts, they're on a BUDGET. I'm sure there is no shortage of people who love the X that would also love to just stroll on down and buy a Ferrari or a Lamborghini if they could just lay down that sort of cash. Fiat as a company is in the same boat that we as individuals are when it comes to this. They would really LOVE, it appears, to crank out a new, tiny, low-slung, mid-engine, rear wheel drive, slot-car handling, exotic looking, VERY ITALIAN sports car to put smack in the center of every Fiat dealer showroom for us and everyone else to run out and enthusiastically buy. It is comforting to know that that same passion, excitement and desire exists in the company as it does out here, but again, the problem is MONEY. 2 Billion Dollars paid out by GM into Fiat's bank accounts may seem like a lot of money (and it is) but honestly 2 Billion will not go a long way at all, even if spent wisely, for a company as large as Fiat, who are operating at a loss, and looking to bring themselves around to "breaking even" within the next couple of years.

The best that we can do here, as enthusiasts of the X1/9, who would love to see Fiat produce "a new X", or the X1/99, or anything remotely like either one of those things, is simply to offer the "99" as much vocal support as we possibly can come Geneva, show the people at Fiat corporate who hold the purse strings that any such car would be very well received (!) and then sit back and hope that the new Punto also sells LIKE HOT CAKES so the project might have more money to be thrown at it.

Just some random thoughts to keep this place percolating...

Peace, -Mac

Ok, mind you, that was a long time ago...

It was a Bertone project, NOT originally a Lancia project. They wanted to get Lancia on as a customer, and that car was a way to show what Bertone could do. It originally was powered by a Fulvia engine I think, anyhow, the story is... Lancia loved it... they built it.. (ok, only 400 or so, but they DID build it!!! and with a Dino engine!!).

So, I think anything can happen.

And Fiat coming back to North America... that too may happen... (although I think Alfa would come back first).

So YES YES YES, I support it either way, with any powertrain, any configuration, as long as it is called the X1/9... I will support it .. and Fiat... and IED...

It will happen, ....



http://www3.sympatico.ca/myronx19
Myron Samila
Toronto, Canada
1978 Fiat X1/9 1500cc/4spd/daily driver
1982 Fiat X1/9 1500cc FI/Faza 35/75/weekender
1982 Fiat X1/9 1500cc dual 45/DCOE GT race car
1987 Volvo 760 GLE daily&winter beater
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano (Gold) sold,

OK Myron, now you are even baffling me! -and on TWO counts!

Here is what I've actually understood to be enthusiasts' general "global group opinion" so far (based on this page as well as all the other archived discussions, offline discussions, related topics etc):

1: If IT IS going to be called the "X1/9" or "X1/99" it HAS TO BE MID ENGINE

2: If IT IS NOT MID ENGINE that is ok BUT THEN it better NOT BE CALLED "X1/ANYTHING"

If I read your post correctly, you are seriously bucking both trends, and frankly I am surprised (shocked!), or did I not understand you correctly? Are you actually telling me you would support a "front engine X1/9"?????

(or you would just do anything if Fiat would come back to North America?)

I'm scratching my head here please clarify...

Peace, -Mac

(or you would just do anything if Fiat would come back to North America?)

Sure... I'd like to see something 'interesting' in N.A.... rather than what we have now.

I bet if a new X1/9 came about, it certainly would be mid-engined. That is the most ideal setup for a sports car, a 2+2 is only in the interest of sales... nothing more. It is hard to sell a 2 seater sports car today. Many high end sports cars are 2+2s, even Porsche.

Yeah, ok, I'd say it has to be mid engined... ok, I gotta do the poll now..



http://www3.sympatico.ca/myronx19
Myron Samila
Toronto, Canada
1978 Fiat X1/9 1500cc/4spd/daily driver
1982 Fiat X1/9 1500cc FI/Faza 35/75/weekender
1982 Fiat X1/9 1500cc dual 45/DCOE GT race car
1987 Volvo 760 GLE daily&winter beater
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano (Gold) sold,

NY times says yesterday its a front enginer

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/concept-cars/turin-design-students-create-fiat-x19-concept-033939.php

What they said is that it is "based" on the 199 punto platform, they didn't say the concept *was* front engined - that is implied though

78 X1/9 TNB racer
96 TVR Griffith 500
97 Ford Explorer (all round tank and tow car)
http://www.the-lair.demon.co.uk/

You know how badly we all need "more space for golf bags or bits of hard cheese"...

(for you non-golfers a staff bag is the largest bag available), and on occassion I stuck them in the passenger seat