Bertone X1/9 cameo on Jay Leno 11/4 epsiode on CNBC

About That X Nineteen........

......I've been meaning to suggest a slight change to your website.:devil:

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Talk about being "snow-blind"...

Me neither... but if Jay calls it an X-19, then we all of us have probably been wrong for these many years!

HA!

Matt... don't change it until I get a confirmation from Jay.
 
Jay's Best X Nineteen Buddy

Papa Tony, haven't I seen a picture with you and Jay yukking it up at a local Cars N Coffee?

If anyone can straighten Jay out regarding the proper enumeration and pronunciation of X1/9, as his BX1/9FF, it's gotta be you!

HA!
 
I don't know....

The rear badges on all six of my 1979 X's showed it was an "X One Nineth". :thumbsup:
 
Got a chance to watch this Leno segment.

No real content other than a mention of the X1/9 and how it's market value has remained flat for the past five years. Really a big why bother. That media exposure is not likely going to change anything market wise for the X1/9.

The Lancia Aurelia B24, another story. That is one of my faves from that era. In every way better than any Ferrari of that time IMO. Difference here is Ferrari went on to make a name and brand identity based on winning races, Lancia simply built and designed motor cars of technical and artistic excellence. Sadly died for trying to achieve this. Another low-moderate cost great classic that the collectors have take to in recent times.


Bernice
 
Flat Market..

I happen to think the "flat market" is one of the big benefits to owning an X-1/9. Let's face it, all the money and time invested in making one road worthy will never be recovered in the pocket. Our investments are rewarded by the experience of maintaining a true Italian mini-exotic. This encourages our cars to be week-end drivers that are modified to suit the owners taste. Add a Japanese motor, 15" rims, clean up the profile with smaller bumpers, add carburation, cams and valves. We make these changes without fear of protecting the "market value". No Lancia or Ferrari owner can say that!

So, Mr. Osborn, drool over your Lan-cha. I'll take my X any day! :thumbsup:
 
Jay didn't seem too enamored with the Bertone styling..:bored:

Still pretty cool to see the X 1/9 get some TV time in 2015.
 
Joe F said:
I happen to think the "flat market" is one of the big benefits to owning an X-1/9. Let's face it, all the money and time invested in making one road worthy will never be recovered in the pocket. Our investments are rewarded by the experience of maintaining a true Italian mini-exotic. This encourages our cars to be week-end drivers that are modified to suit the owners taste. Add a Japanese motor, 15" rims, clean up the profile with smaller bumpers, add carburation, cams and valves. We make these changes without fear of protecting the "market value". No Lancia or Ferrari owner can say that!

So, Mr. Osborn, drool over your Lan-cha. I'll take my X any day! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I agree, if they were valued any higher they'd be out of my reach. Only downside is the low value makes them disposable and that's sad. Oh, and mine is a daily driver, not a weekender!
 
About pronounciation...

I heard both of them (Jay and Donald) pronounce Bertone as "bare tone". I'm pretty sure it should be "bare tone ay". Just sayin... -Darin
 
Over many decades of exxe ownership, none have ever been consider an investment. There was a time not too long ago when all these collectable rides were not considered collectable or desirable.

What has changed are the individual with too much money and no toys to play with. This resulted in some in this group getting interested in tinkering with cars. As with many similar items that touch the lives of many and carries memories and more, it becomes emotional value, social status value and all that which makes many similar items valuable in the eyes of those who choose to see value.

As I have written many, many times in the past, the low market value of the exxe is good and bad, they are low cost to obtain. Few are willing to put forth the required resources and fund to make an exxe all of what it can be... Even if the exxe remains one of the most significant-infulential small mid-engine cars designed to date.

Being branded a Fiat and specifically marketed to America did not help. Yet for those many who understand and appreciates what the exxe offers, it has few peers.

*It was not too long ago when Consumer Reports went all in proclaiming the Tesla S as 103 points and the very best car they have ever tested. Two years of actual ownership, numerous problems and more has soured their experience enough for CD to change their crow about the Tesla S. Similar has happened with Edmunds.com.

Most need to realize the media can be royalty makers due to their public influence and ability to shine the lime-light upon those they choose to bring into their preferred member club. On the flip side, they can decimate members within their club if they choose to. This is the power and influence the media wields upon manufactures and public opinion. Over many years I have taken on more than a few motor journalist about their published articles and more regarding the exxe. Some remain learning resistant (likely against their personal agenda) , a tiny few figure it out what the truth really is about the exxe and learn something that has broader their experience and more.

Know Leno and the media in general is much about appealing to an audience and cultivating a following.. much about ratings and ad dollars. Facts, truth and such are mostly secondary.


Bernice
 
Indeed Dan... Jay and me 5 years ago...



He heard that I would be at Autobooks-Aerobooks that Saturday and ran over to ask my advice on several issues. But the subject of our beloved X-19's hadn't come up as I was driving the Vette that day... and he was just too enamored in it, I guess...





My Vette is the white car behind this Bubble Monster...



Jay brought this monster Topo to BFI one year... it made him feel closer to us REAL enthusiasts so much he spoke of selling off all the other cars in his collection. I had a long talk with him and convinced him otherwise... as his collection is so extensive and eclectic. He could therefore not just tell, but demonstrate how the Fiat Topo and the X-19 was undoubtedly the most advance and finest car in the world!



Here he admires the size of Gary Wale's 666 La France Beast



Jay asks my brother Joe if he has seen me...



He asks a bunch of others too as well. JJ's standing there waiting to tell him where I was...



as well as Rudy back in his younger days...



Who then asked Ross Perot too... But no one knew where I was. Autoweek covered the event fairly well and if ya look at the 77 fotos, #3 was Mark Allison and he knew where I was... #10 is me arriving right on time, #18 is Big Bird and Ed DeCarbo's and others... with a crowd around me in the RH corner of the foto waiting for my autograph...

Rumor has it that Jay arrived in the beautiful Black and Yellow Bugatti in fotos 41 and 42... and I can only guess he was out there looking for me...

http://autoweek.com/article/classic-cars/best-france-and-italy-and-czechoslovakia.

If ya Google Jay and BFI it comes up with these fotos and note the second one is of Jay and Rudy... and still NONE of me 'cause no one appears to know where I am!

https://www.google.com/search?q=bes...ftcPKg&biw=1312&bih=764#imgrc=jZrIjlulUx9MrM:
 
Very well put Bernice...

I couldn't agree with you more. Everything that you say about the media pertaining to cars applies to almost everything else you can think of as well. Glad to see that you have them figured out so well. Too bad that you are among a select few that can see this however.

George
 
Not only are X-19's "significantly-infulential", they're...

"significantly-influential" as well!

HA!

(Like I never violated spellcheck before...)

BTW... what the hell is an "exxe" and who makes then anyway?
 
J's garage

Name dropping here...

Spent an afternoon in J's garage recently.

This was like a gigantic Bill Nye The Science Guy episode. I believe I have a pretty good grasp on lots of things automotive, but was school'd big time by the man on everything from vintage Brit bikes to Alfa's to steam engines and everything in between.

And you are correct. Of all the cars in his "immediate" garage, there were only a couple vehicles (mostly obscure small displacement motorcycles) which looked as if they MIGHT not start. He is a vehicle and engine freak thru-and-thru, and has likely forgotten more about several different marque's than any two of us will ever know about our beloved X's.

Having said all this, I did tell him about my X, and he again referred to it as an X-19. Annoying as S%#T!
 
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