The all-new Panda is bigger overall compared to its predecessor, which was launched in 2003, and the new car measures 3,650 mm long, 1,640 mm wide and 1,550 mm tall. As a result, Fiat promises more room for both passengers and their luggage in the new Panda, which is available exclusively as a five-door hatchback only.
Externally, the new Panda looks similar to the outgoing model, with a modern and rounded look all-round. There are also some design cues taken from the 500 city car, as well as classic Panda features such as the large glass area and vertical taillights.
The interior of the new Panda also remains largely unchanged, with its high-placed gear lever and unique layout. There is also a new cubby hole in the passenger side of the dashboard, which was first seen in the original Panda of the 1980s, while Fiat also says that material quality of the interior has been improved. Sliding rear seats, which can also be split and folded, help enhance practicality, as do the folding front passenger chair, while four airbags and standard ABS ensure safety.
The new Panda retains the McPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension of the outgoing model, but features a whole new range of engines, with up to six options available. The two petrol units are 0.9-litre two-cylinder TwinAir powerplants in naturally-aspirated and turbocharged versions, producing 65bhp and 85bhp respectively. The diesel powerplants meanwhile, include a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder with 69bhp, and a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel with auto stop-start technology. The other two options are a petrol/methane version of the 0.9-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and a petrol/LPG version of the 1.2-litre unit.
All engines will be available with a five-speed manual gearbox, with a semiautomatic “Dualogic” transmission to be offered later. Starting from 2012, Fiat will also include an obstacle detection system in the Panda that operates below 30 km/h and can automatically apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t intervene The new Panda will be available in three trim levels, 10 body colours and four different interiors, resulting in 600 possible different combinations. Production will commence in November at Fiat’s Naples factory.
Externally, the new Panda looks similar to the outgoing model, with a modern and rounded look all-round. There are also some design cues taken from the 500 city car, as well as classic Panda features such as the large glass area and vertical taillights.
The interior of the new Panda also remains largely unchanged, with its high-placed gear lever and unique layout. There is also a new cubby hole in the passenger side of the dashboard, which was first seen in the original Panda of the 1980s, while Fiat also says that material quality of the interior has been improved. Sliding rear seats, which can also be split and folded, help enhance practicality, as do the folding front passenger chair, while four airbags and standard ABS ensure safety.
The new Panda retains the McPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension of the outgoing model, but features a whole new range of engines, with up to six options available. The two petrol units are 0.9-litre two-cylinder TwinAir powerplants in naturally-aspirated and turbocharged versions, producing 65bhp and 85bhp respectively. The diesel powerplants meanwhile, include a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder with 69bhp, and a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel with auto stop-start technology. The other two options are a petrol/methane version of the 0.9-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and a petrol/LPG version of the 1.2-litre unit.
All engines will be available with a five-speed manual gearbox, with a semiautomatic “Dualogic” transmission to be offered later. Starting from 2012, Fiat will also include an obstacle detection system in the Panda that operates below 30 km/h and can automatically apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t intervene The new Panda will be available in three trim levels, 10 body colours and four different interiors, resulting in 600 possible different combinations. Production will commence in November at Fiat’s Naples factory.
