Fiat Panda
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The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was made from 1980 to 2003 with only few changes, and is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "new Panda" or "Nuova Panda" (in Italian), and was the European Car of the Year in 2004.
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Original Panda (1980–2003)
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Panda was designed as a modern day "peasant car": A cheap, basic, no-frills utility vehicle that would be easy to use and maintain. The car can be seen as a later approach to the same niche the Citroën 2CV or Renault 4 were designed to serve. Introduced in 1980, the Panda was noted for its box-like styling, which would become the house style for Fiats throughout the 1980s. Mechanically the first Pandas borrowed heavily from the Fiat parts bin. Engines and transmissions came from the Fiat 127 and, in certain territories, the air-cooled 652 cc two-cylinder powerplant from the Fiat 126. The drive for a mechanically simple car was also evident in the rear suspension, which used a dead axle suspended on leaf springs. Later versions of the car added various mechanical improvements but this spirit of robust simplicity was adhered to throughout the life of the model.
Many design features denote the Panda's "utility car" role. Examples include a 7-position adjustable rear seat which could be folded flat to make a bed, or folded into a V shape to support awkward loads, or easily and quickly removed altogether to increase the overall load space. The first Pandas also featured removable, washable seat covers, door trims and dashboard cover, and all the glass panels were flat making replacements easy and cheap to produce. Much like its earlier French counterparts the Panda could be specified with a full-length roll back canvas roof.
The original Panda met with great success across Europe, polling 2nd in the European Car of the Year awards in its first full year of production (pipped to first place by the Mk III Ford Escort) and staying in production in some regions until May 2003.
Mark I Original Panda: 1980-1986
The first Pandas came fitted with either a two cylinder air-cooled 652 cc engine (derived from that in the 126) — the Panda 30; or a four cylinder water cooled engine displacing 903 cc (from the 127) — the Panda 45. Sized to fit between the 126 and 127 in Fiats product line-up, it was designed to be a practical affordable car, mechanically simple and robust. In September 1982 Fiat added more engines to the line-up. The Panda 34 used an 843 cc water-cooled unit derived from that in the 850.
Fiat launched the Panda 45 Super at the Paris Motorshow later in 1982, with existing spec models continuing as the "Comfort" trim. The Super offered numerous improvements, most significant being the availability of a five speed gearbox as well as improved trim. There were minor styling changes to the Super including the introduction of Fiat's new black plastic "corporate" grille with five diagonal silver bars. The earlier grille design (metal with slots on the left for ventilation) continued on the Comfort models until the next major revision of the line-up. A 30 Super was added to the range in February 1983, offering the Super trim but with the smaller engine.
The Panda 4x4 was launched in June 1983, it was powered by a 965 cc engine with Template:Auto bhp derived from that in the Autobianchi A112. Known simply as the Panda 4x4, this model was the first small, transverse-engined production car to have a 4WD system. The system itself was manually selectable, with an ultra-low first gear. Under normal conditions starting was from second, with the fifth having the same ratio as fourth in the normal Panda. Austrian company Steyr-Puch supplied the entire drivetrain (clutch, gearbox, power take-off, three-piece propshaft, rear axle including differential and brakes) to the plant at Termini Imerese where it was fitted to the reinforced bodyshell.
Minor revisions in November 1984 saw the range renamed "L", "CL" and "S". Specifications and detailing were modified across the range including the adoption of the Fiat corporate grille across all versions. Mechanically however the cars remained largely unchanged.
Mark II Original Panda: 1986-2003
In January 1986 the Panda received a series of significant mechanical improvements. The 652 cc air-cooled 2-cyl engine was replaced by a 769 cc (34 bhp) water-cooled 4-cyl unit, and the 903 cc by a 999 cc (45 bhp or Template:Auto bhp in the 4x4) unit. Both new engines were from Fiat's new FIRE family of 4 cylinder water-cooled powerplants with a single overhead camshaft. The rear suspension was also upgraded, the rear leaf springs being replaced by a more modern independent suspension system using a rigid rear axle (known as the 'Omega' axle) with a central mounting and coil springs. The 4x4 retained the old leaf sprung set-up, presumably to avoid having to redesign the entire 4WD system.
Improvements were also made to the interior and the structure. The body was strengthened and fully galvanised on later models, virtually eliminating the earlier car's strong tendency to rust. The rear panel design was also revamped to include flared arches that mirrored those of the front wings, replacing the un-sculpted style seen on earlier models, and the doors received a slight redesign with the earlier car's quarter light windows being removed and replaced by a full width roll-down window. The bottom seam of the Mk II's doors unfortunately retained much the earlier car's susceptibility to rust. The revised range ran in ascending order of specification and cost: 750L, 750CL, 750S, 1000CL, 1000S and 4x4.
April 1986 saw the introduction of a 1301 cc diesel engine with 37 bhp (a detuned 127/Uno unit). Fitted as standard with a five speed gearbox it was only available in the basic "L" trim. A van variant of the Panda was also introduced, with both petrol and diesel engines. The van was basically a standard Panda without rear seats. The rear windows were replaced with plastic blanking panels and a small (always black) plastic extension with side hinged doors was fitted instead of the usual hatchback tailgate. Neither the van nor the diesel were available in right hand drive markets.
In 1987, a new entry level model badged "Panda Young" was added to the range. These were essentially an L spec car with a 769 cc ohv engine based on the old 903 cc push-rod engine and producing the same Template:Auto bhp as the more sophisticated 769 cc FIRE unit. The Panda 4x4 Sisley limited edition was also released, this model was based on standard 4x4 but came with metallic paint, inclinometer, sunroof, white painted wheels, roof rack, headlamp washers, bonnet scoop, "Sisley" badging and trim.
In 1989 the Sisley model became a permanent model due to its popularity. The two-seat Panda Elettra, introduced in 1990, adding an all-electric power-train to the line. Batteries replaced the rear seats and occupied some of the engine bay where the Template:Auto bhp DC motor was also fitted, driving through the normal clutch and gearbox. This increased the weight of the car significantly, to Template:Auto kg, necessitating stiffer suspension and uprated brakes. 1992 revisions to the Ellettra saw the power increased to 23.8 bhp and the weight reduced, though the Elettra remained significantly heavier than the standard Panda.
In 1991 the Mk II received a facelift (most visibly a new front grille with the smaller five-bar corporate badge) and revisions to trim and specifications across range. New arrivals included the ‘Selecta’, which had a continuously variable transmission with an electromagnetic clutch. This advanced transmission was available either with the normal 999 cc FIRE engine (revised with single-point fuel injection and a catalytic converter) or an all new 1108 cc FIRE unit, fitted with electronic fuel injection and a three-way catalytic converter and producing Template:Auto bhp. The new CLX trim also featured a five-speed gearbox as standard. The range now comprised the 750 Young (769 cc ohv), 750 and 750 CLX (both 769 cc FIRE sohc), 900 Dance (903 cc ohv), 1000 Shopping, CLX, CL Selecta and S (all with 999 cc sohc, available with or without SPI and catalytic converter depending on the market), 1100 CL Selecta (1108 cc sohc with SPI and cat) and the 4x4 Trekking (999 cc, again available with and without a cat depending on the market). The Elettra finished up the range.
In 1992, the 1108 cc engine, complete with SPI and catalytic converter, replaced the 999 cc unit in the 4x4 (with 50 bhp) and also in 1992 an 899 cc (with injection and catalyst) became available, in the 'Cafe' special edition. This was a reduced capacity 903 cc unit, designed to meet tax requirements in some markets.
End of production to today
From 1996 onwards, the Panda was gradually phased out across Europe, due to tightening emissions and safety legislation. The car remained in production in Italy until May 2003. Its total production run of 23 years makes the Panda one of Europe's longest lived small cars. Most Mk I models have long since succumbed to rust, but the Mk II variant remains a relatively common sight on the roads of continental Europe, and many are even still in daily use in the UK where the model ceased being available new in 1996. While the original Panda never gained the kind of cult following that similar cars such as the 2CV and VW Beetle enjoy, it nonetheless engendered strong feelings of attachment among many owners for its robustness, affordability, simplicity and astonishing flexibility.
With the end of production, the 4WD version of the Panda acquired a high value among used cars: this is mostly because the 4WD Panda was cheap, sturdy and fit to be used in rural areas, while a 4WD version of the Nuova Panda was not planned and most of the 4WD vehicles on the market were expensive SUVs.
The New Panda 4x4 Climbing version was introduced almost two years later, but didn't conquer the same success, being considered less reliable and too low to be employed in off road duty.
SEAT Panda / Marbella
Spanish car maker SEAT also produced a version of the Panda.
Up to 1983, SEAT only made rebadged versions of Fiat cars through a licence agreement between the two firms. Thus, there existed a Spanish version of the Panda called the SEAT Panda, produced from 1980 to 1986.
After Fiat sold their share in SEAT and the licence agreement ended, the whole Fiat-based line of SEAT cars were quickly given minor facelifts, making just enough changes to ensure that Fiat could not take legal action against SEAT for patent infringement.Template:Fact The SEAT Panda had its bonnet, bumpers and rear tailgate redesigned and from 1987 was known as the SEAT Marbella until the end of production in 1998.
As Fiat and SEAT's licensing agreement had expired in 1986 The Marbella never received the major mechanical upgrades of the 1986 Fiat Panda Mark II, instead continuing with the old pushrod Fiat-based engines, quarter light doors, un-galvanised frame and leaf-sprung suspension from the Fiat Panda Mark I. It was popular in Spain throughout its production life, but was less popular on export markets (where the Fiat version was firm favourite) and by 1996 imports had mostly finished.
