January Canary – Fiat Panda MkII
Yello
This bright yellow little block is a second-generation Fiat Panda, made in Poland from 2005 to 2011. It’s one of the most affordable cars in Europe, with new-car prices for the outgoing model starting at 6990 eur in Germany for example. Named after the classic but quite a bit smaller and more basic Panda built from 1980 to 2003, the second generation is more of a small MPV than the three-door, industrial refrigerator -resembling original one that had what can be considered hammocks for seats.
Despite the temperature being a lowly -15 centigrades today at noon, this Fiat hadn’t been disheartened by the cold. Make the jump, fans of Polish-built cars (that probably means you, Kamil, and a few hundred others)
The Panda is a narrow and tall little car. This makes for an airy cabin with lots of useable upright space if you’re a large-headed individual, but can be a little disconcerting in crosswinds.
Don’t worry, though; if it topples over, there are sturdy handles on the roof for picking it up.
Fiat managed to sell quite a few units of the European Car of the Year award-winning Panda, with the 2 000 000th example rolling out of the factory in July 2011 (incidentally a 4WD version. Sounds like a hoot).
Powerplants for the Panda range from 1.1 litres to 1.4, with a 1.3-litre turbodiesel available. There are a load of special editions, including the kitchen utensil -inspired Alessi – the one for the Fiat driver who’s more interested in his coffeemaker than is strictly necessary. The Panda with the most verve was the 100HP edition, with (you guessed it) 100 hp squeezed of the 16-valve FIRE juicemaker under the hood. The 100HP got a 6-speed manual for stirring the concoction.
The Panda’s also famously endorsed by Top Gear’s James May, who keeps one as company for his Porsche and Ferrari. The narrow Panda does make sense as a city car, and since it’s a Fiat with lots of impact-resisting plastic bits, I wouldn’t feel too bad about banging into things with it. That’s probably why mano of them see usage as rental cars in the Mediterranean.
If you think of the round little nugget that is the 500 and the fact that those have made the journey Stateside (albeit from Mexico), could you imagine the Panda as a town runabout over there as well?
Related posts:
Can you imagine how silly something like a GMC Suburban would seem in urban, continental Europe?
I'm talking a 3/4 ton, 8.1L petrol-powered 9 seater leviathan. No one has big families, wakeboard boats to pull, or a place to park such a beast, let alone the fuel budget for it.
That's how badly a 1.1L Panda would do in the States.
I saw a Ford Excursion (not Expedition) in Paris once. It was ridiculous.
It wouldn't be so bad with a PowerStroke.
You do see big-ass trucks sometimes here, Duramax diesels too. They're usually driven by some US truck enthusiasts with baseball caps, hauling ass around the market square. A truck like that does stand out from the legions of Skodas and Volvos.
When my parents were going through Indoc in Sicily, one of their classmates had an extra-cab, long bed F150. Seeing them try to park that on the streets of Catania was thoroughly laughable.
I'd rock a 100HP Panda all day, every day.
I think both would be out of place, but competent. Then again, I have a desire for a car that is so slow I can drive like a maniac and not even my passengers notice.
There are actually quite a few Chevy/GMC Suburbans in Holland, most of them equipped with an LPG system to keep the fuel costs under control.
Parking of course is a problem!
Are there really that many people in the States that drive a Suburban because of big families? Most people I know in the States with Suburbans don't have more than 3 kids….
I was the oldest of 4 kids and we had a 3/4 Suburban growing up (it replaced a full size van due to snow duty, which replaced a minivan that we outgrew).
I have a relatively skewed perspective on SUVs, on account of the fact that with 4 kids + boat + snow + offroad duty, we actually used (won't really say needed) our 'Burb. It's only in relatively recent time that I've come to recognize that was pretty rare.
I'm from a family with 7 kids (not USA), so we needed large cars. We had a VW T3 Caravelle, but also a 7 seater Citroen CX Break Familiale (before there were 7 kids…)
If a large car is used for what it's meant for (hauling around stuff and people, there's no problem with that, but as you said, that's usually not the case!
You mean big as in fat or big as in # of people. Cause we have a lot of bigger families in Europe. They still see no reason in driving around in a single-digit mpg, 3 ton beast. They usually drive VW T5 vans. With a big Turbodiesel, you can even tow a big boat with it.
I once saw four bald burly guys rolling an early 60's DeVille convertible, top down, through downtown Copenhagen. Bizarre and totally awesome.
I would drive a 1.1L Panda in the US… Much the same as I would drive a quad cab full bed F250 diesel or Fleetwood 75 in Europe.
Because I'm weird.
<img src="http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9655/pickuptruck4.jpg">
I agree that this thing would look out of place in Europe…
But a GMC Suburban is a vehicle you see here, although not often.
You do realise that European cities aren't all ancient Roman cities with narrow streets, yes?
This is a picture of an American car dealer in Paris for example. Oh Skaycog…
<img src="http://www.americancarcity.fr/img/Atelier.jpg">
No one has big families, wakeboard boats to pull, or a place to park such a beast, let alone the fuel budget for it.
Are you talking about Europe or USA? Most of 'em here in 'murika aren't used for those purposes, either.
Make mine a PanDAKAR and I would terrorize a few golf courses.
Now it's time for loosely related thread diversions:
[youtube v5iJPoIynm0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5iJPoIynm0 youtube]
It seems more like a real car than a Smart does. And 4×4, so there's that.
I've seen pics of one of those before. Who could forget that roofline?
I would buy one in a heartbeat so long as it came with the 1.1 liter engine, manual trans and A/C. It's everything I want in a new car and I don't understand why it wouldn't sell well here. When I buy a new car I look for the cheapest to run, easiest to park appliance I can find. This contrasts to my feelings about old cars which I usually want to be interesting to drive and fun to work on. The way I see it, new cars are for transportation and need to be cheap so that you have money left over for interesting projects. This way you can always get to work or the parts store and maintain stability while also having something fun like a Jaguar XJ-S V12 or a Trabant 601 on the side for when you want a dash of style.
The fact that you would list both an XJ and Trabant for cars when you want a dash of style, that it does not seem strange, your comments are perpetually great, thanks!
It really is too bad you don't live in Europe, you would have so much choice!
This is just a small, incomplete, selection of the ones available in France.
<img src="http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3838/classementconsos01.jpg">
A large list that doesn't even include even more awesome voiture sans permis cars. So much awesome little-car-ness over there.
So, the smart isn't the most fuel efficient car in the EU, either?
Had a car
It went where I steered.
It was French and weird.
And it was all yellow.
[youtube 1MwjX4dG72s&feature=player_detailpage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MwjX4dG72s&feature=player_detailpage youtube]
So did I. I once drove 2400km from France to Romania with it in 27 hours…
When you're young you do silly stuff, especially if you are a "cheeky kid"…
I was one, in one! Enfant Terrible roughly translates to cheeky kid…
<img src="http://aebergon.perso.neuf.fr/photos_Peugeot/106_Enfant_Terrible_3.jpg">
A spiritual successor to the Subaru BRAT, then.
Awesome car, and that sounds like one bitchin' road trip. How many countries did you go through on the way? The thought of driving through so many sovereign entities in a single day blows my North American mind, probably in a way similar to how the huge emptiness of the Nevada desert made my French cousin-in-law flip out the first time he went there.
Love the look of that car, and really wish we got a lot more Euro hatchbacks here. I hope you know that my obsession with the weirdness of French automobiles is not at all derogatory, but more like being in high school and falling in love with the girl with spiky purple hair and zombie makeup. It's the differences, the newness that makes her–and to me, French cars–so awesome.
Thanks! The roadtrip went through France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania. It was pretty cool, I must say. I had never been in any of the countries after Germany. Especially driving in the former Eastern Block countries was really something else. At the time (2001), those countries were still very different from Western Europe. I did it again the year afterwards. I must say I loved going to Romania and being in Romania. I also think I would react the same way as your cousin when I will be in the States for the first time.
I can understand your love for the different, I believe that's one of the things that make life great! Vive la différence!
Here's one more pic of the 106 ET, lots of people thought I was mad for buying a new car in yellow…
I thought it looked great and it was an absolutely awesome handling car in the twisties!
<img src="http://bonnetseb.free.fr/divers/dijon/03.jpg">
Some of us on the correct coast can drive to France in 24 hours. Well, drive and ferry…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Pierre_and_Miq…
Hahaha!!! I read about that place here: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/04/for-sale-bra…
I learned about it form this fine gentleman.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/retour-lenvo…
I think I'll have to do it just to try out some Renaults.
Oh, dear God. . . . I can drive to France?
I CAN DRIVE TO FRANCE!
/looks at calendar for next summer, considers condition of current motorcycle. . . .
See above, Hell For Leather had an awesome write up about motorcycling through Labrador while your up there. Probably not a one man trip though.
Damn, I miss Sam. He was too good for that other place, though. And too expensive for this'n, probably.
Here's a kick-ass trip report of a solo trip up to Newfoundland on a Suzuki GS500 (same bike I've got–nice to see others have done trips like this). It's long, and it's a forum report so it's a bit rough, but the trip sounds awesome and amazingly spontaneous. I read it maybe six months past and don't recall him mentioning St Pierre, but he was right there.
Next to frickin' France. http://advrider.com/forums/search.php?do=process
Also, the front page slide show is awesome: http://advrider.com/
DO IT!!! And then post your roadtrip on Hooniverse!
I'm pretty sure they would let you post such an article here!
The gears turning in my head right now are making a noise that sounds like insanity. Mixed with angry bees.
I like what they've done with the new one. So many squares!
<img src="http://www.inotocar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Red-Interior-View-of-2012-Fiat-Panda-the-Frankfurt-Motor-Show-700×466.jpg" width="600"/>
IMG from InOtoCar
Is this yellow Panda a 4WD version (considering the height of the rear suspension and the roof bars) ?
No, the suspension travel is stock. The 4WD is even higher.
This is a Panda 4×4.
<img src="http://www.auto-site.fr/images/vn/vn_simva_fiat_13_3.jpg">
Just did a little Panda research, and there's been a ton of specialty models, derivatives, and designer editions. Like the Swiss postal jeep. Or the locking-diff 4×4 Cross model that some armies use. And police car editions. The Alessi version came with a complimentary can opener, which might not be the best message to associate with your little tin can. Looks like a pretty nice car, though, and a tremendous value.
Bah, I prefer the commie cars not this capitalist pig. it's probably well made and reliable too. Blah.
I thought our Fiat 500 was based on the Euro Panda?
This is correct. You can see the position of the gearstick identically placed on the dashboard and heating controls too. Also have a look at the Ford Ka mk2
All from the same factory.
I saw a lot of these Panda IIs in Italy these summer before last and thought they looked like a great car for there roads but I was more attracted to these first gen Pandas. hope insert link works,
<img src="http://i.pbase.com/o2/21/513721/1/130075404.dj8mowuT.pandabluedoor.jpg">
The original Panda. Especially the interior was great.
<img src="http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/6/7/5/5/1/3/Fiat-Panda-560×373-e60dffe08280643e.jpg">
Off topic, but damn.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/1966_Fiat_Nuova_500F_and_2008_Fiat_500.jpg" width=500>
A 500 and a Panda! Now your post is perfectly on-topic!
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L-XlgbsEZfg/R2lE6jtj6oI/AAAAAAAADXs/hw-uj6Jlo0k/s1600/NewFiat500vsPanda2.jpg">
Abarth versus Panda 100HP…
<img src="http://static.skynetblogs.be/media/66441/dyn009_original_600_400_pjpeg_2668338_c5eda2fb03859ab86567ea996f0cd6e7.jpg">