Fiat spiders

Photo by Mary Decker Vack

Editor’s note: In the mid 1980s, while working under Chris Herwig as an AT&T National Account Engineering Manager for GE and Dupont, I was also writing for several major car magazines, and my stories were accompanied by photos taken by my wife Mary. We also had a lot of cars, mostly Alfas, but more than a few Fiats. We in fact did sell a Fiat Spider to Chris, and there were a few problems, which led us to write this bit of mostly fictional humor for our monthly column in “Car Collector and Car Classics” magazine. Note that in the photo Chris is holding a rather large pipe wrench. He was a very good sport about it all. Chris recently celebrated his 75th birthday, which brought this article to light once again. Happy birthday, boss!

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By Roberto Motta
Photos by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles press archive and GGRM archive

Read the history of the X1/9 Prototipos
Read X1/9 Prototipos Today

Characterized by taut lines, and equipped with the engine and various mechanical components taken from the 128 sedan, the Fiat X1/9 was, and remains, a dream car.

The “X1/9” was part of a design series designation that began with the Fiat 128, which was the “X1/1”. The X1/9 was the first ‘Targa’ car produced by FIAT and Bertone.

From the 1965 to 1968, with the Bertone’s help, Fiat produced a low-priced sports car, the 850 Spider.

In the past, it was been a normal Fiat practice to realize an highly-tuned Spider versions of its standard sedans; for example the 1100 TV (in the mid 1950s), the 1200 and 1500 Roadster (in the early 1960s) or, from 1969, the 124 Spider. During the 1965, with the Bertone’s help, Fiat produced also a low-priced car, the little 850 Spider. This Spider was a great commercial success, helping cement the relationship between Bertone and Fiat.
[Read more…] about Fiat’s X1/9: The 1300 and 1500 Street Cars