Fiat Panda (2003)

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Fiat Panda
Image:Nuova panda.jpg
Manufacturer:	Fiat
Production:	2003–present
Body Styles:	FF 5-door supermini hatchback
Predecessors:	Fiat Panda
Successors:	Still in production
Image:Fiat Panda.png

The Fiat Panda (also known as Fiat Panda Nuova or Fiat Panda II) is a small automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat since 2003. It is a replacement for the original Fiat Panda, which was discontinued in 2003 after 23 years of production.

The new Panda, codenamed Model 169 in its development phase, was originally intended to be called "Gingo". However, this name was considered to be too similar to the Renault Twingo, so Fiat decided to continue with the Panda name. Like the Fiat Seicento, the Panda is manufactured only in Tychy, Poland by Fiat Auto Poland.

The Panda's primary use is as a city car, despite its 5-door design (the norm for city cars is 3-door). Rumours about the launch of a 3-door version exist but have not been confirmed. The high-bodied Panda takes clear styling queues from minivans and SUVs, with its tail lights in particular reminiscent of much larger cars from the likes of Volvo.

The Panda includes an option for splittable rear seats, which makes Panda a four-seater. Since September 2005 all Panda editions are equipped with ABS, EBD and ESP and at least two front airbags. The gear-lever is located high on the central dashboard, which is designed to make changing gears more comfortable than with a conventional floor-mounted gearshift.

The financially troubled Fiat company badly needed the Panda to be a success, and indeed it was, selling half a million copies by October 2005. It sells particularly well in Italy (over half of the cars produced are 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. The 500,000th new Panda was built on October, 5th 2005, a light blue Panda Emotions with Diesel MultiJet 1.3L 70 BHp engine. The Panda also won the European Car of the Year award in 2004.

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Official usage

Fiat Panda is produced for the police (Polish police have bought some blue-white Panda Actual cars), military (the Italian army have bought several dark green Panda Climbing cars) as well as forest service (the Italian forest service have bought dark green Panda Climbing cars).

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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

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Editions and engines

Edition (interior fit version)	Available engines			Notes
Edition (interior fit version)	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)	Notes
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 passenger airbag are standard.
Active Plus	until December 2003			Slightly better equipped than Active. Cassette/CD player as standard. Production of this specification stopped in late 2003.
Dynamic		since May 2003	since May 2005	ABS, 2 airbags (for driver and passenger), roof bars, assisted steering and cassette player are standard. CD/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 in some countries, with an option for additional 2 side air-curtains.
Emotion (Eleganza)		since ?? 2005	since ?? 2005	Most well-equipped edition. Enhances Dynamic with standard CD player, alloy wheels and automated climate control.
4x4 Climbing		since December 2004		Has a higher ride height and larger wheels and tires than other editions. The 4x4 system also makes this edition slower than others. Internal fitting is similar to those found in Dynamic edition. Lacks differential lock and gear-box with reductor.
4x4 Cross			since December 2005	Differently shaped front and back lights, additional wider protective side shielding. Based on 2002 Simba prototype. Large spectrum of internal fitting. This version does not lack differential lock.

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 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 fittings, differing it from the base model.

The smallest petrol DOHC (FIRE) 1.1L 54 BHp engine found in the Fiat Seicento has been criticised for a lack of power for the Panda, which weighs over 850 kg, and the acceleration in particular was considered to be very slow. However, the engine reportedly gains flexibility and power with use.

The Diesel 1.3L 70 BHp MultiJet engine has 100 ft·lbf 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 ft·lbf) 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.

The 4x4 Cross edition will be available in January 2006 in Italy and September 2006 in Poland, over 9 months after its presentation in December 2005.

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