Styling Fiat X1/10 (X1/9 redesign) project

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Styling Fiat X1/10 (X1/9 redesign) project

Lukas D

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Hi,

I'm an automotive design student from Coventry University. I joined this forum with the hope to get some information from the Fiat X1/9 enthusiasts.

Recently I was given a design project at the university which requires me to design a Fiat X1/10 (a new X1/9). The problem is I know close to nothing about this car and therefore set-out to do some serious research. This is how I got here.

I would be very glad if you could help me understand the essence of this car. You could do that by spending some of your time by answering the following questions:

What exactly makes it special for You?
What do You use it for?

Thank You for Your attention!
 
Well, it's italian, it's a Bertone and it fits perfectly in the 70s.
Everybody wishes they could have a Stratos or a Countach, but they are expensive and not practical. The X1/9 is cheap and not practical, plus you get the engine lid latch of the Countach and the pop-up headlights of the Stratos.
The scale is important: the X1/9 is tiny. When you drive past a truck, you can see up the exhaust pipe. If you stretch your arm, you touch the passenger's window.
And the way it drives can only be described as different. Old cars handle terribly. The X1/9 handles beautifully, but not like a modern car. You feel the steering wheel, the suspension working, the engine pulling. It's just beautiful to drive. And completely useless. I usually use mine to take the kid to school when the weather is good and on weekends.
 
Yes I agree with all of the above, it's a beautiful but pretty badly put together car, an icon of the 70's. I think the design team were very clever though, they were obviously told about dipping into the 128, later Strada/Ritmo, parts bin and no more. Would it be any different today? probably not, put a modern engine and box from a typical FWD car into a decent body shell and VOILA X1/10. add decent electrics and make it from proper steel and it would be a winner. All in all I think its a brilliant little car.
 
And the way it drives can only be described as different. Old cars handle terribly. The X1/9 handles beautifully, but not like a modern car. You feel the steering wheel, the suspension working, the engine pulling. It's just beautiful to drive. And completely useless. I usually use mine to take the kid to school when the weather is good and on weekends.

Most modern cars are numb - the ongoing efforts to reduce NVH combined with powersteering means the driver loses a large chunk of the communication coming back to him in anything built over the last 20 years. The X1/9 quietly tells you what is going on unless something is worn out or broken in which case it shouts...

You must be doing something wrong though to describe the car as completely useless. For a large part of my driving history an X1/9 has been the only car I had and it didn't stop me doing anything except carrying more than 1 passenger or delivering furniture. Wet weather driving is little different from dry weather thanks to that wonderful balance.

The original design has the benefits of modern design methods - hidden trim fittings for example but with none of the finesse that manufacturers have developed over the last 40 years. Its just a shame the chassis was so heavy to meet the crash regulations that were never enforced...
 
You must be doing something wrong though to describe the car as completely useless. For a large part of my driving history an X1/9 has been the only car I had and it didn't stop me doing anything except carrying more than 1 passenger or delivering furniture.

Yes, well, I'm married and have one kid, so carrying more than 1 passenger is a big deal. And although wet weather isn't much of a problem, hot (as in sunny Portugal hot) weather is a pain. I usually don't drive the car during the summer months.
 
A wonderful carcis what it is, true italian character and superb handling not forgeting the wonderful targa top and wedge shape and power boat design. As for realibility if maintained badly it will give u headaces but if kept well it will go for years
 
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