It seems that the cuddliness factor of the new Fiat Panda is becoming a lot less.
The Fiat Panda has always been a very likeable car. Affordable, functional, but with a certain charm. This actually applied to all generations of the Panda. But will this also apply to the new one?
If you didn’t know yet: a new Panda is on the way, and there will also be a fully electric version. This promises to be an interesting car, because this will be a brother of the Citroën ë-C3. This is the first model on Stellantis’ Smart Car platform, making it one of the cheapest EVs at the moment.
The attractive price tag of the Citroën, combined with the charming design of the Panda, that sounds like a good recipe. Unfortunately, the second seems to end in a deception. Patent pictures have surfaced, which most likely show the new Panda.
Now a car always looks a bit crappy on patent images, but we were still hoping for something nicer. Everything that made the Panda charming has basically disappeared. Instead, we see a generic design, which could have been from any Asian brand. The only thing that gives the car a bit of character are the rear lights.
In terms of size, the new Panda is also less cute. Instead of a city car, it will be a B-segment crossover. Now, a Panda that stands taller is of course historically responsible, but this new Panda will probably not have four-wheel drive.
Regardless of the design: the new Panda promises to be interesting in terms of price. The electric Panda will probably be about the same price as the ë-C3, so count on around 25 grand. This would make the electric Panda cheaper than the entry-level version of the 500e, while giving you much more space and range.
There is good news for fans of the current model: the new Panda is not intended as a replacement for the current one. Fiat plans for the cars to coexist, just like the 500 and the 500e. Although the current generation has been in business for 13 years, it may remain until at least 2026.
Source: Automotive News Europe
Comments
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Johanneke say
Cars are so aerodynamic these days. Model 3 is by far the most economical EV, perhaps you should use that as an example, you might say.
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moveyourmind say
They will certainly have to make some concessions to turn the Centoventi concept car into a production car, but I think that at Stellantis they are smart enough to make use of the strong design of the Centoventi.
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Harry say
Model protection drawings, not patent drawings.
You do not get a patent on a shape, only on a technical solution/innovation. -
PureofPleasure say
Exactly what a modern Panda should look like.
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HZW say
I would say give that thing a different name right away, because this doesn’t look like a Panda at all anymore.
The rumor that the Panda EV would be a kind of retro model with a nod to the original Panda can also be dismissed.They better call this thing UNO, Punto, Ritmo, 127, etc. What an ugly place this is, if it’s going to be like that, then that CentoVenti concept from years ago will look even better, and I don’t like that either.
