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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » x1/9 Danish Touring Car Champion, Aug 23, 2009

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Aug. 27, 2009 10:05 a.m. Rupunzell New Reader

Johannes Graversen won the Danish Touring car championship, Aug. 23, 2009 in a Bertone/FIAT x1/9. The other two cars are a Porsche 997 and Renault Megane Trophy V6 (introduced 2008 as a mid-engine V6, Nissan 3.5L powered track car). Interesting to see a what is widely considered a "cheap crap heap" in the US taking on the most recent track car designs from Porsche and Renault. Just one more example of what this Bertone chassis is capable of if given the chance and what FIAT management at the time made sure would never happen back in the day when this car was in production.

Here is the race video: Race part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV1t5O2xmcI

Race part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4-Wvtz1gWY&feature=related

Cars in this field: Fiat x1/9 Turbo Aquila CR1 Aquila SR1 Corvette C5R Ferrari 360 Challenge Porsche 997 Peugeot 306 maxi BMW 320i E46 2,0 Renault Megane Trophy V6 Honda Accord 2,2 Type R Volvo S60 T5 Honda Civic Type R Alfa Romeo 147 Nissan Skyline GTS-R BMW 325i VW Golf Gti Ford Escort MK 2 Sleipner LM 3000 Toyota Supra GT300 Ford Focus Lotus Elise VTEC 2,0 Honda Integra 2,0 Type R K20 Porsche 944 5,4

This X1/9 is powered by a 1.4L FIAT Uno Turbo engine (This is the FIAT turbo version of the stock engine used in the x) tweaked to about 360 Bhp using Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection.

More about this X1/9: http://www.x1-9.dk/graversen-traef.htm

Graversen is a member of the Danish X1/9 club: http://www.x1-9.dk/english.htm

Under "racing" http://www.x1-9.dk/english.htm
Aug. 27, 2009 10:08 a.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

How long is your hair?
Aug. 27, 2009 10:22 a.m. Rupunzell New Reader

Almost knee length... You can find me here: http://xwebforums.org/showthread.php?t=4897

NYG95GA wrote:

How long is your hair?
Aug. 27, 2009 11:05 a.m. m4ff3w Dork

I miss my X1/9.
Aug. 27, 2009 11:09 a.m. kreb Dork

Hell yeah! That little car looks like a road-going x-wing fighter!
Aug. 27, 2009 11:44 a.m. mad_machine UberDork

yes.. Fiat HATED The X for some reason
Aug. 27, 2009 12:15 p.m. Carson Dork

That's awesome! What an incredibly diverse field too.
Aug. 27, 2009 2:17 p.m. mad_machine UberDork

Makes me want one now
Aug. 27, 2009 2:33 p.m. JohnGalt Reader

Mmmm... More box flares
Aug. 27, 2009 2:53 p.m. dansxr2 Reader

With everyone wanting to be more ECO friendly, Fiat should bring a new X1/9 back to comete with the compact sportscar market.
Aug. 27, 2009 5:22 p.m. mad_machine UberDork

Fiat did not want the original X.. why would they want an updated version? The "new" X is the Barchetta.. which was what Fiat wanted all along. A front wheel drive "sporty roadster" instead of the mid-engined sports car Bertone gave them.

In many cases.. Fiat dealers would hide or at least dissuade you from buying an X, instead they would push you towards the 128 Sl Coupe
Aug. 27, 2009 5:26 p.m. pres589 Reader

mad_machine wrote:

Fiat did not want the original X.. why would they want an updated version? The "new" X is the Barchetta.. which was what Fiat wanted all along. A front wheel drive "sporty roadster" instead of the mid-engined sports car Bertone gave them.

In many cases.. Fiat dealers would hide or at least dissuade you from buying an X, instead they would push you towards the 128 Sl Coupe

What was that about? I mean, that doesn't really make a lot of sense, was the X1/9 a shop queen at the time? It seems like a pretty simple car really, what are the pitfalls of these things? You'd think Fiat dealers would love having people tooling around in a very recognizable product like that.
Aug. 27, 2009 6:32 p.m. cwh Dork

I think I just changed my mind about X1/9's. That one is a track beast!! Looking at the other cars in the field, and that little thing won quite convincingly. OofDahh!! Love to see a build on that.
Aug. 27, 2009 7:32 p.m. oldsaw Reader

pres589 wrote:

mad_machine wrote:

Fiat did not want the original X.. why would they want an updated version? The "new" X is the Barchetta.. which was what Fiat wanted all along. A front wheel drive "sporty roadster" instead of the mid-engined sports car Bertone gave them.

In many cases.. Fiat dealers would hide or at least dissuade you from buying an X, instead they would push you towards the 128 Sl Coupe

What was that about? I mean, that doesn't really make a lot of sense, was the X1/9 a shop queen at the time? It seems like a pretty simple car really, what are the pitfalls of these things? You'd think Fiat dealers would love having people tooling around in a very recognizable product like that.

The X1/9 was more expensive to produce. An alternative coupe design using the FWD 128 platform would have had a higher profit margin.

I owned a 128SL for 10yrs/120.000 miles and it was no shop queen. My Dad bought a new, left-over '74 X1/9 in '75, had it for 6yrs - no shop queen either. My personal experiences with Fiats have been favorable, or lucky.

Both the 128SL and X1/9 are blasts to drive. If my Dad knew how much fun I was having when I borrowed his car, well, we'd have had to work-out some issues.

The new Abarth 500 is a car on my short-list.
Aug. 27, 2009 8:35 p.m. mad_machine UberDork

funny though... how many 128s do you see around (or stradas or Yugos) and how many X's are still on the street?
Aug. 27, 2009 8:49 p.m. Jensenman MegaDork

I lubbed my two Exxies. :tear:
Aug. 27, 2009 11:48 p.m. oldsaw Reader

mad_machine wrote:

funny though... how many 128s do you see around (or stradas or Yugos) and how many X's are still on the street?

The majority of people who bought Fiats never appreciated them, abused them and threw them away.

I seriously considered keeping mine, but a dealer offered me a $400 trade-in deal on a 10yr-old car (a Fiat, mind you) with high mileage and I took it.

End result, I was driving a new '84 CRX before Christmas of '83 after paying list price for the car. By the time I took delivery of CRX, dealers were adding an extra $500-$1000 over sticker.

I came out way ahead on that one!
Aug. 28, 2009 9:46 a.m. Keith PowerDork

dansxr2 wrote:

With everyone wanting to be more ECO friendly, Fiat should bring a new X1/9 back to comete with the compact sportscar market.

This is true, they're biodegradable
Aug. 28, 2009 10:39 a.m. maroon92 UltraDork

GAH! box flares! ~:DROOL:~
Aug. 28, 2009 1:22 p.m. DeadSkunk New Reader

The drivers of the Porsche and the Megane should send this clip and their resumes to NASCAR headquarters. They clearly know how to block and do the last lap takeout moves already !
Aug. 28, 2009 1:48 p.m. friedgreencorrado HalfDork

Beware crazy Danes wielding Fiats! 360hp from 1400cc is pretty kicking!

Good to see Mr. Holm walking around after that nasty shunt. I haven't been in a race car in 15yrs, and watching that one still made my bones ache.
Aug. 28, 2009 5:02 p.m. mad_machine UberDork

anybody notice how often he had the rear step out a touch in the corners?
Aug. 28, 2009 5:21 p.m. Salanis UltraDork

mad_machine wrote:

anybody notice how often he had the rear step out a touch in the corners?

Yup. That looked twitch-tastic. I give major props to the fantastic driver who was able to consistently keep that car in check.
Aug. 28, 2009 6:57 p.m. ronbros New Reader

1400CCs, thank goodness for tubochargers,

do they have weight limits??

very impressive!
Aug. 28, 2009 8:14 p.m. mel_horn Dork

Neat little track, too...plus the scoop for crashed cars is clever...

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