RE: Paris 2012: Fiat Panda 4x4

RE: Paris 2012: Fiat Panda 4x4

Author
Discussion

Twincam16

27,646 posts

258 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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WMP said:
Twincam16 said:
I like the Panda 4x4. I often wonder whether Fiat could get away with lowering and stiffening the suspension, fitting a more powerful engine and making it a kind of latter-day mini-Integrale.

Come to think of it, isn't there a Lancia based on the Panda floorplan? They could do it with that and even call it an Integrale. Then enter it in the IRC.
That sounds like a plan! If Fiat made this car as the next 100 hp it would be awesome. Is it too small to comply with the WRC regs though?
That's why I suggested IRC. There are interesting regulation changes coming for IRC next year that'll effectively be the same as the old Group A regulations, requiring a homologation run of 3500, the idea being to use more production cars and keep costs down. I love the idea of a kind of scaled-down modern Integrale. This with the 100HP engine, only tuned to put out much more.

LuS1fer

41,127 posts

245 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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MoelyCrio said:
Is the Suzuki SX4 not 'A' segment then?

They seem to pick up all the "need a small 4x4" sales round here.
The SZ3 and SZ4 are 2WD and seem to represent the bulk of SX4s round here, including my in-laws.

CDP

7,459 posts

254 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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BeirutTaxi said:
The old Panda 4x4 is loveable in many ways.. So dirt cheap and simple!

As an interesting fact of the day.. I think alongside the Defender the really old Panda's are the only production car in the world to have a totally flat windscreen smile
The Lotus Esprit S1/S2/S3 only had flat glass and looked a treat.


Fiat ought to do a variant without the front diff and half shafts as an "up yours" to BMW.




Luke.

10,986 posts

250 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
quotequote all
CDP said:
BeirutTaxi said:
The old Panda 4x4 is loveable in many ways.. So dirt cheap and simple!

As an interesting fact of the day.. I think alongside the Defender the really old Panda's are the only production car in the world to have a totally flat windscreen smile
The Lotus Esprit S1/S2/S3 only had flat glass and looked a treat.


Fiat ought to do a variant without the front diff and half shafts as an "up yours" to BMW.
Was the 2CVs flat?

Twincam16

27,646 posts

258 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
quotequote all
Luke. said:
CDP said:
BeirutTaxi said:
The old Panda 4x4 is loveable in many ways.. So dirt cheap and simple!

As an interesting fact of the day.. I think alongside the Defender the really old Panda's are the only production car in the world to have a totally flat windscreen smile
The Lotus Esprit S1/S2/S3 only had flat glass and looked a treat.


Fiat ought to do a variant without the front diff and half shafts as an "up yours" to BMW.
Was the 2CVs flat?
Pretty sure the Lamborghini Countach was as well.

In fact, there was a time from the dawn of motoring up to the Forties when you could only have a flat windscreen because they didn't know how to curve the glass while making it sufficiently strong or possible to see through.

CDP

7,459 posts

254 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
quotequote all
Twincam16 said:
Pretty sure the Lamborghini Countach was as well.

In fact, there was a time from the dawn of motoring up to the Forties when you could only have a flat windscreen because they didn't know how to curve the glass while making it sufficiently strong or possible to see through.
Then in the fifties they worked it out and went mad with wrap around screens.

BigTom85

1,927 posts

171 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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MoelyCrio said:
Is the Suzuki SX4 not 'A' segment then?

They seem to pick up all the "need a small 4x4" sales round here.
Lets not forget its sister, Fiat's own Sedici.

Gliaviate

23 posts

147 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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I love small cars. If the performance, pricing and towing limits are improved over the old model I'd be seriously interested in this.

DCor

70 posts

215 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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SprintSpeciale said:
These little gems are proof that you can have an interesting, enjoyable, fully warranted car for a relatively small outlay. In their way, they are just as impressive as the more exotic stuff that usually attracts the attention of the PH massive.
Couldn't agree with you more. We have a 2005 1.2 Elegance as our 'city car' that I use every day to work - long overdue a change but I still enjoy driving it as much today as the day we collected it! If it suits your life style the Panda can be a hard car to beat !

Jayfish

6,795 posts

203 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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irish boy said:
Love mine...bought it for the big snow of 2010 and couldn't bring myself to sell so it's a permanent fixture in the garage now.

Had some cracking drives in it....much more capable than people realise.

That's brilliant!







What'd you tow it up there with?

wink

Liking the new version, 85hp with the potentially added weight might be a little low, although I'm sure is ecu will be tweakable.

prg123

1,305 posts

163 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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I like all fiat pandas they are great fun to drive,and very underrated

- Pete

Mouse1903

839 posts

153 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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I'd love a twin air 4x4 for the winter, great little car. I'm a big fan of the old Panda and the new one is definitely improved in and out

ukmike2000

476 posts

168 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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BigTom85 said:
Lets not forget its sister, Fiat's own Sedici.
In the UK at least, the majority of the Sedici's are 4x4 and yet the majority of the Suzuki SX4s are 2wd. A bizarre twist. I believe that Fiat no longer import the Sedici which is available in European markets with the 2.0JTDm diesel and a facelifted nose.

The Panda 4x4 running gear was developed by Steyr-Puch who were also responsible for the Haflinger/Derflinger/Pinzgauer all terrain vehicles, which possibly accounts for the Panda's cross country abilities.

rogerhudson

338 posts

158 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Isn't the Mini countryman in the same 'A'segment ( crap marketing-speak), this Panda looks a better deal on most measures. A friend has had a Dacia Duster in Croatia for a year now and I like it a lot, but this Fiat should be better.

LuS1fer

41,127 posts

245 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Fifth Gear didn't like the Twin Air engine in the Panda and basically said to buy the 4 banger.

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

198 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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you dont get to 60 off road smile

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

204 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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hora said:
How do people cope with the 0-60?
As they can use a thing called a window

McClure

2,173 posts

146 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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prg123 said:
I like all fiat pandas they are great fun to drive,and very underrated

- Pete
yes

But they should remain cheap'n'cheeful utility cars, if Fiat try to take them upmarket they'll ruin them.

McClure

2,173 posts

146 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Evo-Unknown said:
True, this is an unlikely PH Hero for sure; but I enjoyed seeing this here and like the look of the new Panda 4x4.

I'm 'into' Fiat at the moment for probably the first time ever. I'm due to pick up a 100HP in just over a weeks time and have an 80's 4x4 coming my way for the winter months...
You'll love the 100HP, it's a cracking little driver's car.

Have had mine from new in early 2007. Intention was to have that for a couple of years, then move up to (eg) a 5dr Golf GTI. However the Panda has been so good I've not felt the need to change, saving a lot of money in the process, and will now keep it for life. It'll remain my commuting/shopping car, and means I can spend the last three years' "Golf" money on (eg) an Evora to run alongside it, instead of getting a generic all-purpose Golf/1 Series.

I love it so much that hopefully you'll see me in 2032 taking my "classic" 1-owner 100HP to the Italian car day at Brooklands!

prg123

1,305 posts

163 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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McClure said:
yes

But they should remain cheap'n'cheeful utility cars, if Fiat try to take them upmarket they'll ruin them.
Completely agree cheap & cheerful the way to go, I'm very much tempted to get on for a runaround

- Pete