Fiat Panda (2003)

Irish-registered Fiat Panda MultiJet

The Fiat Panda (also known as Fiat Panda Nuova or Panda II) is a 2003 rejuvenation of Fiat's older 1980 car of the same name, the Fiat Panda.

Released as the newest car in their smallest size range, the Panda replaced the Fiat Seicento, and also finally took the old Panda off the market in Italy, the company's home country and the sole location where it was still offered. Panda is manufactured only in Poland in Tychy car factory by Fiat Auto Poland.

It sells well in Italy (over half of the cars produced is sold in Italy), being seen as closer to a spiritual successor to the Fiat 500 than a replacement for either the Seicento or the old Panda. Panda became an European Car of the Year 2004. Over 500 thousand cars were build since May 2003 (beginning of production) until October 2005.

The look

File:Nuova panda.jpg

Fiat Panda Dynamic 1.2L 60 BHp

It's a 5-door versatile small car, with primary use as a city car. Rumours about release of 3-door version are not confirmed and possibly, they won't be. Panda is styled as a small van or SUV. Its tail lights are a bit similiar to those found in SUV and Volvo combi cars. Large, almost square, front-lights throw a nice beam of light in front a car. Front foglights are available as an option.

It's a five-seater with an option for splittable rear seats, which makes Panda a four-seater. All seats have dynamic three-point seat-belts. Since September 2005 all Panda editions are equipped with ABS, EBD and ESP and at least two front airbags.

Gear-lever is located high on the central dashboard, which makes changing the gears very comfortable. Electrical assisted steering (available as an option in Active edition and as standard in Dynamic edition) makes driving this small car even easier.

Technical data

Dimensions
Length	3538 mm (139.29 in)
Width (without external mirrors)	1578 mm (62.13 in)
Height (with roof bars)	1578 mm (62.13 in)
Height (without roof bars)	1540 mm (60.63 in)
Weight
Kerb weight	840 kg with 1.1L petrol engine
	860 kg with 1.2L petrol engine
	935 kg with 1.3L Diesel engine
Gross weight	1255 kg with 1.1L petrol engine
	1305 kg with 1.2L petrol engine
	1380 kg with 1.3L Diesel engine
Top-speed
	150 km/h (94 mph) with 1.1L petrol engine
	155 km/h (97 mph) with 1.2L petrol engine
	160 km/h (100 mph) with 1.3L Diesel engine

Editions and engines

Edition (interior fit version)	Available engines			Notes
	Petrol DOHC (FIRE) 1.1L 54 BHp (from Fiat Seicento)	Petrol DOHC (FIRE) 1.2L 60 BHp	Diesel JTD (MultiJet) 1.3L 75 BHp (from Fiat Punto)
Fresh	since August 2005		since September 2005	Basically the same as Actual edition. Not fitted with full-size spare tire.
Actual	since January 2004		since September 2005	Entry-level edition. Bumpers are black. Lacks electric windows. Full-size spare tire.
Active	since May 2005			Bumpers in the color of a car body, front electric windows, central door locking. Radio, cassette/CD player, ABS, second airbag (for front passenger), assisted steering or manual climate control are available as an option. Since September 2005, ABS and second airbag are a standard.
Active Plus	until December 2003			A slightly better fitted than Active. Cassette/CD player was a standard equippment. Production stopped in the end of 2003.
Dynamic		since May 2003	since May 2005	Best fitted edition. ABS, 2 airbags (for driver and passenger), roof bars, assisted steering and cassette/CD player are a standard. MP3 player, CD changer, HiFi equipment, alloy wheels, manual or automated climate control, glass sunroof and automatic sequential gear-box are available as an option. Since September 2005, 4 airbags are a standard, with an option for additional 2 side air-curtains.
4x4 Climbing		since December 2004	since December 2004	Has higher suspension than other editions. 4x4 drive makes this edition slower than others. Larger wheels and tires. Internal fitting is similar to those found in Dynamic edition. Lacks differential lock and gear-box with reductor.

Actual and Active editions are also a base for Actual Van and Active Van editions, which can be used as small vans (they have additional safety net behind front seats and possibly the rear seats can be removed). These versions can be identified by small "Van" label on the back door.

In some countries (for example, UK), the best equipped cars in Dynamic edition are sold as Eleganza edition. Also Dynamic editions sold in some countries may be equipped with manual climate control in standard.

There were rumours about Sporting edition, with differently shaped bumpers and two new stronger engines (75 BHp and 95 BHp). This edition is to be expected in the end of 2005 or in the beginning of 2006.

During the time, many limited editions of Panda (Active and Dynamic editions only) were produced. Each of them had additional interior fit, differing it from the base model.

The smallest petrol DOHC (FIRE) 1.1L 54 BHp engine which is the best one found in Fiat Seicento seems to be sometimes lacking power with this over 850 kg car. This decreases linear acceleration of the car significantly. However, after several thousand of kilometers, Panda's smallest engine gains more and more flexibility and eventually its acceleration and top speed increases over the time.

The Diesel 1.3L 70 BHp MultiJet engine has 100 Lb/ft of torque on tap and is the most economical of all available engines. However this engine is detuned from the Punto (where it develops 120 Lb/ft) due to the Panda's more fragile transmission. Pandas with Diesel engines can be easily distinguished by "MultiJet" label on the right side of the rear licence plate.

The 4x4 Climbing edition can be distinguished by a bit higher suspension, additional black plastic overlays on the bumpers (which make Panda Climbing look like it's wearing a diaper) and a "Climbing" label just below the "Panda" label on the left side of the rear licence plate.

Usage

Fiat Panda is produced and sold in civilian versions and for the police (Polish police have bought some Panda Actual cars in blue-white painting), military (Italian army have bought several Panda Climbing cars in dark green painting) as well as forest service (Italian forest service also have bought Panda Climbing cars in similiar dark green painting).

Trivia

Internal codename for Panda was Model 169.

Originally Fiat wished to name the new car the 'Gingo' so it would not be associated with the old Panda. However the name suggested was too similar to the Renault Twingo, so Fiat settled with the name Panda.

500.000th Panda was built on October, 5th 2005. It was a light blue Panda Emotions with Diesel MultiJet 1.3L 70 BHp engine and it was sold to Italia. Red Panda 4x4 Climbing with petrol 1.2L 60 BHp engine, sold to Japan, was 499.999th Fiat Panda produced in Polish car factory. 500.001st Panda was pale yellow Panda Active with petrol 1.1L 54 BHp engine stayed in Poland.

External links

• Fiat Panda Club
• Official Nuova Panda Website