[REVIEW] Tomica Fiat X1/9

Back on track for a normal Tomica review. Today we examine Tomica F28-1, the Fiat X1/9 (three Fiats in a row for me, that’s unrepeatable). This model was noticed by a few people, including jobjoris, when it was included in a Pocket Cars playset I posted some weeks ago. I said I would review it later, and now it’s later. This model is representative of the fine quality of vintage Tomica:

This casting entered the range in September, 1977, and remained until February 1984 - a long run. Due to this, these are not hard to find, This orange variant is less common than the green version. There were also variants in blue, and with black roofs. Scale claims to be 1:59, this appears accurate - marginally larger than some castings, to give it presence, as the real car is pretty small. Of course it has the springy suspension, snappy door action, and crisp glazing we expect from a casting of this era. From all angles, it is a nicely modeled vehicle. Doors open to reveal a detailed interior and accurate steering wheel:

Front and rear also feature good detail, and the cast-in X1/9 logo is a nice touch:

Metal base adds heft, and has ample detail:

This one lives in a nicely illustrated box:

I remember when these weren’t terribly rare sights on the road - when I was a little kid, a neighbor had one, it was green like the more common Tomica/Pocket Cars version. Even when I was maybe 8, it seemed small and loud. These were originally marketed as kind of an afforable exotic with their targa top, mid engine, Bertone styling, etc, and still have a cult following. I’m happy to have this in my collection:

Here’s a 1:1 showing off its targa roof, from fiatlancia.com: