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Junkyard Gem: 1974 Fiat X1/9

There was a time when the Fiat X1/9 was a fairly common sight on California roads, alongside Triumph Spitfires, MGBs, and other cheap European sports cars. The little two-seater got good fuel economy, could find parking spots on crowded city streets, and had Italian good looks. The X1/9 wasn't so robust, though, and most of them were gone by the dawn of the 1990s. This rusty, battered survivor managed to avoid the fate of most of its brethren until age 42, but now its time has come. Judging from the sun-bleached paint and rust inside the air cleaner, though, this car hadn't been a runner for quite a while, perhaps decades. My guess is that it sat in a Northern California back yard for many years, awaiting a restoration that never came. I have put in some time daily-driving an X1/9, back in the middle 1980s, and I recall it being very enjoyable to drive in the city and on twisty mountain roads. It was much less enjoyable on freeway onramps, thanks to the Fiat 128-sourced 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine behind the seats (the X1/9 got a 1.5-liter engine later on). In 1974, this car was rated at 66.5 horsepower. Yes, Fiat claimed the half-horse, just as British Leyland did with the 62.5 hp MGB later in the 1970s. This one is nowhere near worth restoring, though some of its pieces will find new life in nicer X1/9s (or 128s). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Pretty much the same thing as a Lamborghini Countach!

FCA compromises with France, moving Renault merger bid forward

FRANKFURT/PARIS – Renault directors were preparing to review Fiat Chrysler's $35 billion merger offer on Tuesday, after the Italian-American carmaker resolved differences with the French government overnight, three sources said. The compromise on French government influence over a combined FCA-Renault may clear the way for Renault's board to approve a framework agreement beginning the long process of a full merger, unless new issues surface at the meeting. France, Renault's biggest shareholder with a 15% stake, had been pressing for its own guaranteed seat on the new board and an effective veto on CEO appointments. But after late-night talks with FCA Chairman John Elkann, the French government has accepted a compromise that would see it occupy one of four board seats allocated to Renault, balanced by four FCA appointees, the sources said. Renault would also cede one of its two seats on a four-member CEO nominations committee to the French state, they said. Renault, FCA and the French government all declined to comment on the discussions. The same evening that the compromise was was negotiated, activist hedge fund CIAM wrote to the board of Renault to say it "strongly opposed" a planned $35 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler. Calling the deal "opportunistic," the fund said the current deal terms strongly favored Fiat Chrysler and offered no control premium. (Reporting by Arno Schuetze and Laurence Frost; additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari in Milan and Simon Jessop; editing by Jason Neely and Rachel Armstrong) Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat Mitsubishi Nissan Renault merger

FCA plotting larger Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500XL

The joint development of the new Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X goes to show what the combined efforts of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group can yield. But don't expect the Italian-American automaker to stop there. According to Autocar, the company is planning to base another pair of larger SUVs on the same platform. The Jeep version would take the place of the previous Compass and Patriot, slotting in between the Renegade and Cherokee. Meanwhile, the Fiat version would further bolster the Cinquecento lineup to sit alongside the 500 hatchback, 500L minivan and 500X crossover. Details remain few and far between at the moment, but they wouldn't be the extent of the growth plans for either brand. Jeep is reportedly zeroing in on a decision on the long-rumored sub-Renegade model, while also preparing to expand up-market with the return of the Grand Wagoneer. Fiat is reportedly abandoning the prospect of offering a full model line as it once did. While the 500 range will continue to form a vital part of the brand's business, it's also tipped to be going after the no-frills, bare-bones market dominated by Renault's Dacia brand. To that end, it would seek to build upon the Panda by offering a larger, but still low-cost hatchback to rival the Ford Focus and VW Golf, and succeed the discontinued Fiat Bravo, but based on the 500L's platform and built in Turkey to keep costs down. This second pillar of the Fiat brand wouldn't likely be offered in the US, however, where we'd expect the 500 line to continue representing the Italian automaker. Related Video: