Most technically complex panda
Fiat Pandina – upgraded special series of the bestseller
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Fiat is launching a special series of the Panda that technically adapts the city hopper to the latest EU regulations. It will be produced in Italy from July. In return, the popular Fiat 500 with a gasoline engine will soon be discontinued, at least for Europe.
Even in year 44 of its construction, the Panda was the best-selling car in Italy last year with 100,000 units sold. Yes, people love the little Fiat south of the Alps. And those who are particularly fond of him affectionately call him Pandina. Under this nickname, Fiat has now launched a special series of the bestseller, as a “bow to the Italians' love of the panda,” as Fiat boss Olivier Francois says.
The Pandina – like the Panda and Panda Cross – only rolls off the assembly line at Fiat's flagship Pomigliano plant. Production in Poland was stopped.
(Photo: Fiat)
With the Pandina, the most technically complex Panda of all time will roll off the production line in Pomigliano near Naples from July. A front camera scans the road, detects the risk of a rear-end collision and independently applies the brakes. The camera, or more precisely the electronics behind it, also controls a lane keeper, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control. And if anyone comes up with the idea of going on a long journey in the tiny car: there is also a fatigue warning system on board.
The standard equipment also includes a central display that, at just seven inches in size, fits the dimensions of the city flea, but is very easy to read. A smartphone can be integrated via USB cable, so that you can now also navigate in the Panda using Apple Car Play or Android Auto.
Enriched variant of the current Panda Cross
Strictly speaking, the Pandina is a variant of the Panda Cross.
(Photo: Fiat)
The whole thing sits in a variant of the current Panda Cross enriched with a few visual gimmicks. For example, the underrun protection is in a contrasting color, the mirror caps are painted yellow and Pandina lettering on the seats, the side and on the rear windows show which car you are sitting in.
Francois is not revealing prices yet. The 70 hp Panda Cross currently costs from 17,990 euros in Germany. But even with the additional technology, the Pandina will certainly not break the psychologically important 20,000 euro mark.
Fiat Panda and Panda Cross are also getting new technology
What the Fiat Pandina will cost has not yet been revealed.
(Photo: Fiat)
In addition to the Pandina, Fiat will also be equipping the two previous models Panda and Panda Cross with the new technology from summer onwards. They will then also become a lot more expensive. So far the little Italian costs at least 14,900 euros.
However, Fiat is not upgrading entirely voluntarily. The strict EU requirements for driving assistance force manufacturers to make expensive investments, even in existing models. This drives the price of small cars to a level that many people, especially in southern countries, can no longer afford.
Fiat 500 only for non-European markets
The standard equipment of the Fiat Pandina includes a seven-inch central display.
(Photo: Fiat)
To ensure that investments do not get out of hand, Fiat will stop producing the 500 for Europe in the summer and will only build it in Algeria for non-European markets.
The Italians will get over it. The knobbly Fiat is almost considered a niche product there; twice as many Pandas as 500 are sold. But in Germany the Cinquecento with mild hybrid drive is still the best seller at Fiat dealers and is ordered six times more often than the Panda. Around 43,000 Fiat 500s were registered in Germany last year. So if you want to stick with the two-door 500 in the future, you will have to invest at least 29,450 euros in the version with electric drive.
Production in Pomigliano instead of Poland
The seat covers on the front seats were also spiced up with Pandina lettering and decorative stitching.
(Photo: Fiat)
Panda, Panda Cross and Pandina only roll off the assembly line at Fiat's flagship Pomigliano plant. However, production in Poland was stopped. CEO Francois now expects increasing demand for the Panda series, which is why production is being increased by 20 percent. In addition, the small four-door car with a gasoline engine will not only be built until 2026 as originally planned, but at least until 2027.
At the same time, on the occasion of the company's 125th anniversary in July 2024, the new Panda Electric will be presented, which will be built in Serbia. The combustion engine and the electric model will therefore be sold in parallel for at least another three years.
