Fiat Panda – four decades and counting
Giant pandas can live up to 30 years in captivity, or up to 20 years in the wild. In this respect, the Fiat Panda is doing very well, as it celebrated its 40th year on sale in Britain in 2021. There have been three generations of the Italian city car, and although the current version is now more than a decade old, its story deserves to be told.
This a potted history of the Fiat Panda.
Panda – born in 1980
In February 1980, Fiat presented the Panda to the then Italian president Sandro Pertini. Less than a week later, the car made its press debut at the Geneva Motor Show (launching in the UK in summer 1981).
“Giugiaro, make a ‘French-style’ utility car which is identical in weight and manufacturing costs to the Fiat 126, but which obviously is larger and more comfortable.” Those were the demands of Carlo De Benedetti, Fiat’s new CEO, at the end of July 1975. He wanted to see initial sketches by mid-August.
The Italian 2CV or Renault 4
Given the French connection, you could argue that the original Fiat Panda was the Italian answer to the Citroen 2CV and Renault 4. It was cheap to buy, affordable to run, spacious and flexible. It was also functional, featuring wrap-around bumpers, flat windows and hard-wearing materials. With space for five, the rear bench could be configured in seven different positions, including a hammock, a cot or a large bed.
Fiat Panda 4×4
Throughout its 14 years on sale, the original Fiat Panda spawned many different versions. Some were special editions, while others were part of the core range. Launched in October 1984, the original Fiat Panda 4×4 became a firm favourite in the hills of Tuscany and the mountains of the Alps. Thanks to its low weight, four-wheel-drive and narrow footprint, it could travel to areas other 4x4s couldn’t reach.
Fiat Panda Italia 90
You might be old enough to remember the Panda Italia 90 (pictured). Launched to celebrate Italy’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup, it featured wheel trims designed to look like footballs.
Fiat Panda Elettra
It might sound like the name of a Bond girl, but the Panda Elettra was a car way ahead of its time – it was a pure EV. Like the Italia 90, it dates back to 1990, but Fiat removed the rear seats to create an electric version.
Unfortunately, it weighed 450kg more than the standard Panda, which meant performance was… limited. It could have been a game-changer for Fiat, but it speaks volumes that the company is now playing catch-up in the field of electrification.
The Panda was cut from the Fiat’s UK range in June 1995, by which time 161,501 units had been sold over here (and millions more across Europe).
Fiat Panda Mk2
The first rule of car design is that you don’t mess with a winning formula. Actually, that might not be the first rule, but given the success of the original Panda, you can hardly blame Fiat for playing it safe. Unveiled in 2003, and launched in the UK in January 2004, Panda II was destined to be named Gingo, but this was changed following protests from Renault. Gingo is a bit close to Twingo, you see. The big change was the move from three doors to five, enhancing the Panda’s practicality.
European Car of the Year 2004
It scooped the European Car of the Year award in 2004, beating the Mazda 3, Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Avensis, Vauxhall Meriva, BMW 5 Series and Nissan Micra. It replaced the Fiat Seicento and remained on sale for eight years.
‘Fiat Mini’
The Panda II sat on a new ‘Fiat Mini’ platform that was also used by the Fiat 500, Ford Ka and Lancia Ypsilon. It launched with 1.1-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines, with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard. A Dualogic sequential transmission was available as an option on 1.2-litre models.
Fiat Panda Mk2
The Panda II wasn’t the most stylish, comfortable or dynamically sorted city car, but it was the perfect vehicle for Europe’s congested streets. Narrow enough for Italy’s tight city centres, chic enough for the cosmopolitan hotspots, and cool enough for all age groups and demographics. Sure, the boot was a tad small, but rear-seat accommodation was excellent.
Fiat Panda 4×4
The Panda 4×4 arrived in July 2004. It picked up where the old 4×4 left off, becoming a firm favourite of hill farmers, ski instructors and your Aunt Mable who lives at the top of a gravel track in the Lake District. Trust us on this: these things are brilliant fun.
Fiat Panda Cross
Despite looking like a Fiat Panda 4×4 wearing a lucha libre mask, the Panda Cross was one of the most economical off-roaders you could buy. It arrived in the UK in 2003, with power sourced from a 1.3-litre Multijet turbodiesel engine. The round front and rear lights, chunky body cladding, two-tone interior and 15-inch alloys set it apart from the regular 4×4, but you’d have to love the styling to spend an extra £2,000 for the privilege.
Fiat Panda 4×4 Rossignol
To highlight the Panda 4×4’s prowess when the going gets white, Fiat teamed up with ski equipment manufacturer Rossignol to create this special edition. Just 200 were made, each one coming with a set of skis, a magnetic carry rack, distinctive grey paint, polished black panels and a red ‘R’ logo on the doors and tailgate. Cool thing.
Fiat Panda Mamy
From skiers to, er… mothers. The Fiat Panda Mamy was “aimed specifically at young mothers”. Don’t have a go at us – that’s a direct quote from the press release. We’re sure young fathers would also appreciate the second rear-view mirror, bag hooks in the boot, washable front and rear upholstery, orange air vents and special carpet mats.
Fiat Panda Alessi
Take one of the coolest Italian homeware brands, add a little city car sparkle, mix things up, and hey presto: the Fiat Panda Alessi. We could mount a strong case for this being one of the best Panda special editions. Google it and you’ll see what we mean. Those wheel trims are delightful.
Fiat Panda 100HP
When it comes to the world of junior hot hatches, the Fiat Panda 100HP is an all-conquering hero. When it was launched in 2007, it came with a sub-£10k price tag, which made it one of the bargains of the new millennium. The name tells you that’s it not packing a huge amount of horsepower, but it harnessed that 100hp to brilliant effect. Find one in 2020, enjoy it, and get used to wearing a cheesy grin whenever you drive.
Fiat Panda 100HP
Look at it. The Panda 100HP is magnificent. Throw this into a track day filled with exotica and 300hp hot hatches, and the Panda will be the veritable wasp at a picnic. It’s also cheap to run, cheap to insure, and small enough for even the tightest garages. Why aren’t you trawling the pages of Auto Trader already?
Fiat Panda Sporting
This isn’t a Fiat Panda 100HP, but it does feature some go-faster stripes. Available in either red or black, the Panda Sporting was the nursery slope to the 100HP’s black run. A total of 400 were registered in 2005 and 2006, so good luck finding one.
Fiat Panda Terramare
The Fiat Panda Terramare was the work of an engineer named Maurizio Zanisi. The Italian fitted a floatation belt and a water jet propulsion kit to create a Panda that wouldn’t look out of place in a Top Gear challenge. Amazingly, this thing travelled from Folkestone to Cap Gris-Nez in just six hours. The Channel Tunnel would have been safer, but not half as much fun.
Fiat Panda 4×4 Dakar
Two factory-built Fiat Panda 4x4s took part in the 2004 Dakar rally. Driven by Miki Biasion and Bruno Saby, the cars were powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine developing 105hp. They also featured an automatic all-wheel-drive system with viscous coupling and locking differential for more grip and traction on rough and soft terrain.
Fiat Panda Mk3
Launched in 2012, the current Fiat Panda has enjoyed a long innings. Despite being based on the same platform as the outgoing car, the new car debuted a new, rounder approach to the styling. Look closely and you’ll spot the ‘squircles’, which give the Panda a unique personality in the city car segment.
Fiat Panda 4×4
The UK press launch of the Fiat Panda 4×4 coincided with heavy snow across many parts of the country. A good opportunity to test the potential of a new 4×4 – not that many journalists could attend the launch! Still, it provided plenty of photo opportunities. Today, the Fiat Panda 4×4 is available for less than £16,000, making it one of the UK’s cheapest off-roaders.
Fiat Panda Cross
Alternatively, for an additional £1,500, you can buy a Fiat Panda Cross. The Panda 4×4 in an outdoor suit comes with 15-inch off-road alloy wheels, roof bars, front and rear skid plates, body cladding and a host of standard equipment. Summer tyres come as standard, so you might need some winter rubber if you want to engage in proper all-weather antics.
Fiat Panda 4×4 Antarctica
If you like penguins and Pandas, the Antarctica special edition is for you. Only available in white with a black roof, orange detailing and diamond-finish alloy wheels, the Panda 4×4 Antarctica also featured bespoke penguin decals. Just 300 were built for the UK market, so it’s a rare thing to find in the wild.
Fiat Panda 4×4 Antarctica
We couldn’t help ourselves, so we had a look on the Auto Trader website. Prices start from £6,000, which isn’t bad for a 4×4 that cost £15,000 in 2014. Just got to love penguins…
Fiat Panda Hawaii
If we told you the press release for the Fiat Panda ‘Hawaii’ came with an embargo of 1 April, you’ll know that this isn’t a special edition to take seriously. Built to mark the tenth anniversary of The Inbetweeners, the Panda paid homage to the Cinquecento that starred in the TV series.
Zero star Euro NCAP crash test
In 2018, the Fiat Panda failed to score a single star in a Euro NCAP crash test, making it one of the worst-performing cars ever tested by the organisation. Particularly shocking was its child occupant protection performance, where it scored just 16 percent. At the time, the average rating for new cars was 79 percent. This highlights why the Panda is in desperate need of a replacement.
Fiat Panda City Cross
It remains successful, particularly in its native Italy. This is the Fiat Panda City Cross, which offers the looks and ground clearance of the 4×4, but is designed to remain on the road rather than off it. It’s like an Italian Suzuki Ignis. Or the Ignis is an Italian Panda City Cross.
Fiat Panda Trussardi
Meet the Fiat Panda Trussardi – the first ‘luxury’ Panda. An attempt to gloss over the safety rating or a successful marriage of two famous Italian brands? You decide.
Keyword: Fiat Panda: history of an Italian icon