- For the 2003 redesign, see Fiat Panda (2003)
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| Fiat Panda | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Fiat |
| Production: | 1980–2003 |
| Class: | City car |
| Body Styles: | FF 3-door hatchback |
| Predecessors: | None |
| Successors: | Fiat Panda (2003) |
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The Fiat Panda was a car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1980 and 2003. Many people consider the Panda the first city car.
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Panda was intended as a modern day interpretation of the Citroën 2CV, being a basic, simple, no frills utility vehicle that was easy to use and maintain. Introduced in 1980, the Panda was noted for its box-like styling, which would be developed two years later in the design of the supermini Uno. Mechanically, it borrowed heavily from the Fiat parts bin, using engines and transmissions from the Fiat 127 and in certain territories, the air-cooled 652cc 2-cylinder powerplant from the Fiat 126 was also used. The theme of simplicity was also evident in the rear suspension, which used a dead axle suspended on leaf springs.
There were many features which contributed to the Panda's "utility car" role, for example the rear seat could be folded flat to make a bed, or folded up to act as a bottle carrier, or removed altogether to increase the load space. The front seats had removable covers so that they could be washed, the fabric covered dashboard could also be removed, and the Panda could be specified with a full-length roll back canvas roof. In 1983, a four-wheel drive system was developed, and this proved popular in rural Italy, where roads are often very poor. The improved "Panda Super", which featured a full mesh front grille with the new Fiat corporate "five bars" insigina was launched the same year. 1986 saw some major mechanical changes to the Panda, centering around the introduction of the FIRE engines from the Uno, and a new coil sprung rear axle to address the Panda's ride quality, which had come in for intense criticism from the press and customers alike for its harsh, bouncy nature.
The car's popularity remained strong throughout the 1980s and early 90s, despite often questionable build quality. Early cars also suffered from severe bodywork corrosion in the Italian tradition. From 1996 the Panda began to be phased out across Europe, being a victim of tightening safety legislation. The car remained in production in Italy until September 2003, with total production standing at over 4.5 million units over a 23-year period.
However, Fiat introduced a all-new Panda the same year. The new Panda was originally known as Gingo, but Fiat had to change the name because of a possibly conflict with the Renault Twingo. The Panda Nuova was voted European Car of the Year for 2004.
The SEAT twin
Spanish automaker SEAT also produced a version of the Panda. Up to 1983, SEAT lacked their own designs and only made rebadged versions of Fiat cars, through a licence agreement between the two firms. Thus, there exists a Spanish version of the Panda called the SEAT Panda, produced from 1981 to 1986. After Fiat sold their share in SEAT in 1983 and the licence agreement was over, the whole SEAT Fiat-clone model range was quickly given the least possible changes so that Fiat couldn't sue SEAT on the basis of patent infringement. The SEAT Panda had its front and rear lights and panel shapes redesigned and was marketed as a SEAT Marbella from 1986 to 1998.
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