First teaser
The proper Panda is of course the first generation. After that, the name has been misused – now it’s happening for the third time.
The original Panda from 1980 was brilliant. All the way a result of a Giorgetto Giugiaro way of thinking, just like his Golf a couple of years earlier.
But while the Golf had every opportunity to develop both in the comfort and hot hatch direction, the Panda was in the borderland, barely above 2 CV. Eminent practicality, fantastic interior space, plenty of room for huge suspension travel, not a hint of what you’d call performance and so ugly you couldn’t help but like it.
It got a little spoiled along the way. Conventional seats for example, instead of elastic bands wrapped around a steel tube frame. A dashboard that became a little more difficult to regulate according to your own needs. A little more power than it really needed. Even four-wheel drive.
A little more pudding, but still a real Panda in the Giugiaro spirit, until the second generation came in 2003.
Far from the origin
The original generation would not at all be able to approve of any alleged family resemblance, and the third generation that has survived to the present day is even more distant from the starting point.
So why also call the fourth generation Panda? This means that you have spoiled all opportunities to find a suitable name if you were to really build a practical, compact, all-purpose car again one day.
Now there is not much I can claim about the new one – which is even called Grande Panda. If there was one thing the Panda never was, it was the Grand.
(case continues)
Well-known platform
It is only shown in pictures, and since Fiat says that it will be built on the STLA Smart platform of Stellantis, it is perfectly fine that the first press release contains almost no concrete information.
Because at least we know that it is the same thing that we find under a couple of Citroën’s C3 models, and Opel’s new Frontera. In other words: In the electric version, 111 hp and 100 in around 11 seconds. and top out at around 140 km/h. And that it will also come as a mild hybrid.
By the way, we have been given a measurement: length of 399 cm.
Otherwise, we have to go back to this year’s Geneva exhibition where Fiat did not exhibit, but which they celebrated by sending out some vague information about five cars. Among other things, the one they called the Concept City Car.
It is probably the one that is most similar to this one. Some box lines, some bole tendencies, some 3D graphics and pixel touch in decorations and lanterns. You get a roof rack and the occasional SUV touch with the purchase.
Centro Stile
It is fortunately clear that the Centro Stile Fiat is allowed to do its own thing, and – perhaps, if we are benevolent enough – we can claim that it is spicy enough to have something Italian about it.
It is probably not that important anyway – it is specified that this is a global platform, that in other words it should give Fiat the opportunity to try to get a global grip again.
Like Opel, the brand has a large export advantage in the context of Stellantis. The name is easy to spell and can be pronounced in any language.
Grande Panda is called the first product in the family and will be followed by a new model every year until 2027.
How many will there be?
This year and then three more?
Then there is one missing – at the Geneva teaser we met five cars.
I expect that more specific information will be forthcoming soon.
