The current rise in Porsche 914 values is primarily a factor of the brand name and the market prices for other models from that manufacturer. For decades the 914 was not even considered to be a Porsche and certainly not respected by the Porsche crowd. However as 911's became unobtainable, buyers wanting a "Porsche" were forced to look at less expensive models (including 924's, 944's, 928's, etc). As those became more sought after, their prices began to rise. For the market to support the same prices for a X, there would need to be the same demand for the brand. Fiats just do not (and I doubt ever will) be as desired as Porsches. Therefore I do not see X's becoming the same value as 914's. Another point that might be a factor in market values between Porsches and Fiat could be quality, but that gets into a sensitive topic here so I won't go any further with it.
Another way to look at this might be the difference between Fiat values and Ferrari values. It could be argued they are related and pretty much the same bones, but their values will never be the same mainly due to the difference in brand name recognition (or lack thereof).
As one of the idiots that molests X1/9s, I do so in part due to the low price (which was the point being made by the other poster). However price is not my only reason; I only molest vehicles that are of no real historical or car-social significance. I realize a statement like that hurts those that feel otherwise about these cars (for which I apologize), but the overall automotive industry as a whole seems to agree with me. There are plenty of vehicles that have significantly more importance to the industry, and those should be preserved. However there are also plenty of vehicles that do not, and those are the ones that can be molested. Not every car ever made needs to be protected in its original state, as the multi billion dollar a year automotive aftermarket industry shows. And it must be said, not keeping a car factory stock original is not necessarily "run into the ground, used up and thrown away". The fact that my cars are major projects that, in addition to being heavily modified/customized, are brought up to excellent condition and kept on the road is in fact preserving the model...just not in the same form as others might want to see.
I am not defending what I do to or how I view the X1/9. Nor am I criticizing those that see it differently; I highly respect the views of others. Please, I do not intend to be argumentative or offend anyone in any way. I'm merely stating my opinion as to why I don't see the X as a high dollar car, nor wish to see it become one.
There is a lot to unpack here, but I agree with nearly all of it.
The price on all things air-cooled (911, 356 models anyway) Porsche pushed the "throwaway" and "unloved" front-engined and water-cooled Porsches up in value. This, in-turn, pushed the "un-Porsche" 914 up in value.
There is really not such upward pressure on the classic Fiats in the States, save for the Dino, which, indirectly, is pushed up by the well-known 246/Ferrari ties all enthusiasts know of.
I look at it this way, and this may be controversial: I believe many classic cars are overpriced due to speculators (which I am fine with existing---just stating what I view as a fact. Media like "Barn Find Hunter" "Barrett-Jackson" "Wheeler Dealers" etc.) driving the prices on many classics up----namely the most popular ones.
There are those classic cars, which are still kind of "undiscovered", or "less hyped up"---yet are really great cars, from what I gather. Many of these are still under 10k for solid, driver-level examples. Some examples would be Opel GTs, MGBs, Midgets, Spitfires, 850 Spiders, 124 Spiders, Kharman Ghias, Beetles, some Alfas...and the Fiat X 1/9.
Everyone has a dream car, or cars, that tick the right boxes of style, heritage, handling, braking, acceleration, audio aural bliss, shift quality, attainability, etc.
All the obvious ones: big block Corvettes, XKEs, XK120s, MB SLs, M3s, Big Healeys, 240Zs, TR6s, are (in many cases) all above the average Joe's ability to attain.
With the X 1/9, where else, can you get an Italian, mid-engined, RWD sports car, with (mostly complete) parts availability, styled by one of the greatest automotive stylists of the 20th Century, Gandini?
Do I see X 1/9s getting pricier? Yes, actually. I have watched them steadily appreciate, and I am not referring to basket cases, but cars that are solid, complete, well-sorted, and very presentable. These are the ones I see going up. 5-6 years ago, people laughed at me when I said '71-74 MG Midgets would follow Bugeye Sprites, and rise in value. They have. Good ones now are fetching very tidy sums, whereas before, they were 1-3k, at most. Is this inflation? Is this hype? I don't know. Perhaps a little of both?
Will my numbers-matching RWA MG Midget ever be worth Ferrari 308 Money? Will an X 1/9? I won't hold my breath.
I don't buy to sell. I buy to enjoy. I buy to drive. I buy to keep.
That's just me.