Half a century young. The New Cars of 1972. Part 5

A number of cars are celebrating their fiftieth anniversary this year. That's a decent number, because 1972 brought a lot of new car models. Traditionally, we put a number of newcomers from the past in the spotlight. Today we present part five again. In it we briefly describe the DAF 66 and the Fiat X1/9.

DAF 66

DAF made a good impression with the 55. The first four-cylinder DAF passenger car was built in combination with the Cléon-Fonte engine. It was available in several versions and body shapes. In addition, he made a name for himself in major rally events. The best known: the London-Sydney Marathon of 1968, in which DAF participated with two Dutch teams. Both teams made it to the finish in Australia. In 1972 the successor came: the 66. Like the predecessor 55, it was available as a coach, coupé and station, in combination with several versions. The exterior of the 66 got a new front. The front took on a clearly more angular character; the headlights were incorporated into the grille. Also within changed the necessary. The DAF 66, for example, got a new dashboard with clocks under one roof and safety padding. The finish and the use of materials were at a very decent level with the DAF 66.

The Dion

The biggest news, however, was hidden under the skin. The rear suspension of the 55 (with pendulum axles and coil springs) was replaced by a de Dion construction. The rear wheels with CV-kinetic axles were suspended by a De Dion axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs. The advantages: a low unsprung weight and a largely neutral wheel position. Moreover, the construction was excellent to combine with the Variomatic.

Marathon gets bigger engine

Initially, the 66 was therefore available as L, SL and Marathon. The Coupé had the SL equipment as an entry level. All versions got the 1108 cc engine, but the Marathon engine was stronger. The top version of the DAF 66 series soon got a 1289 cc engine with 57 DIN hp. It was recognizable by the front with double headlights and the special double striping on the sides. Also the nunnery seats (with integrated headrests), the laminated glass windscreen and the console with space for three meters were new. With the takeover of Volvo (to put it simply), the DAF 66 was replaced in 1975 by the Volvo 66 inspired by it, which took extra steps, especially in the field of safety. The DAF 66 and the Volvo 66 were still on the program until the beginning of 1976. Soon we will look more extensively at the history of the DAF 66, of which the DAF YA-66 intended for Dutch defense purposes was also built in an edition of 1201 pieces.

Fiat X1 / 9

Just before the turn of the year 1972/1973 Fiat presented the X1/9. In fact, the illustrious sports car was included in the Fiat 128 family, but in appearance and also constructively it deviated completely. Marcello Gandini had designed something special on behalf of Bertone, and the design actually stemmed from the Runabout prototype, which was drawn by Gandini in 1969 on the basis of the then imminent Autobianchi A112 (also).

Low center of gravity

The X1/9 did not resemble the 128 relatives in the least at all. But it did share the engine (from the 128 rally and the 1300 Sportcoupé) and the transmission with the 128. However, the drive was via the rear wheels, while the engine was placed in the middle (or rather: behind the passenger compartment and in front of the rear axle). posted. The center of gravity was very low on the X1/9 and that was an extra stabilizing factor. Externally, the X1/9 stood out because of its targa bracket and targa roof, the low cut of the monocoque body and the flip-up headlights. It also got disc brakes all around. The 1290 cc engine generated 1 DIN horsepower in the X9/75 and was linked to a four-speed gearbox.

Abarth. Short-term project

A project based on this two-seater was the X1/9 Abarth. It was developed for rally sport. He shared his revamped 1.8 engine with the Fiat Abarth 124 rally. The Italian giant also recorded some victories with the rally X1/9, but in the meantime Fiat had made the choice to continue developing Project X1/20. That eventually resulted in the Lancia Beta Montecarlo. In addition, during the mid-124s, the Fiat rally stable's competition arrows continued to be focused on the Fiat Abarth 1 rally, its successor the Lancia Stratos. The X9/XNUMX also shared many platform features with the latter.

Larger engine, five-speed gearbox, exterior modifications

In 1978 the X1/9 got the larger 1485 cc engine with 85 DIN hp and a five-speed gearbox. Furthermore, the two-seater underwent cosmetic changes, including the bumper section was changed. In addition, the hood underwent a noticeable modification to accommodate the new engine. The interior was radically changed, resulting in new ergonomically adjustable seats and a redesigned dashboard. As far as the Fiat brand name is concerned, the X1/9 story ended in 1982. But the X1/9 remained on the market for years. Until 1989 it was sold under the Bertone brand.

Popular in America

The X1/9 was immensely popular, especially in the United States. The largest part of the production of around 175.000 units was delivered there, as with the Fiat 124 Sport Spider.