"FIAT has prepped an all-new
Panda, and the high-riding city car is set to make its world debut at the
2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 2012 Panda represents the current zenith of the four-wheel-drive compact's evolution. This third-generation Panda features a restyled exterior paired with an updated interior design and a handful of engine choices.
Two new engines join the Panda powerplant family, which brings the total number of available mills to six. The new units are both two-cylinder 900-cc engines equipped with Fiat's Start&Stop system to help cut down on emissions while raising fuel economy. Both engines are TwinAir mills, with one breathing naturally and the other utilizing forced induction by way of a single turbocharger. The non-turbo engine produces 65 horsepower while the turbo version pumps out 85 horses.
The rest of the engine lineup doesn't grow larger than 75-horsepower 1.3-liter Multijet II.
New Fiat Panda, international debut
The new Panda has been created drawing inspiration from the most up-to-date trends. It proposes an elegant restyling of the exteriors with smooth and rounded lines on a volume of regular form and of great spatial efficiency. Its front has a strong personality, where the slightly convex bonnet joins with the elegant horizontal grille and the new front headlamps with a rounded shape, underlined by a separate supplementary element with Daytime Running Lights function.
To welcome the new Panda, a new production line in the "Giambattista Vico" plant in Pomigliano D'Arco (Naples) was built. It is an advanced industrial showcase that fully applies World Class Manufacturing principles and methods. This is a series of processes implemented in Fiat Group plants and those of its suppliers that are aimed at reducing inefficiencies and at achieving "zero accidents, zero faults, zero stock, zero break-downs" goals.
In addition to its quality of construction, the new Panda is also distinctive in the care devoted to selecting materials, the matching and choice of colours, and the interior trims. The result is a quality passenger compartment where everything seen and touched is always pleasant to the eye and touch.
Roominess and comfort at the top of the segment
Offered with five doors only and with roominess worthy of a higher segment, the new Panda proves that it is a real super-compact. Its smaller exterior dimensions in relation to its interior volume are an invaluable feature for a car principally intended to be used in urban areas.
But the new Panda is able to do more. In fact it has all the properties of dynamism and comfort that allow it to easily tackle longer and tougher extra urban routes: driving ease, functional and ergonomic layout of controls and furnishings, a large number of storage compartments, and use of seats with "thin" backrests that improve accessibility and comfort for the rear passengers.
Finally, the position of the gear lever in the centre of the dashboard, the raised seat base and the large windows guarantee driver and passengers excellent visibility and mastery of the road.
The diving dynamics are supported by a tried and tested suspension configuration: MacPherson independent wheel up front and interconnected wheels (semi-independent) with a torsion beam in the rear.
Cutting-edge engines and eco-friendly systems
Functional and reliable, the Fiat Panda is a car rich in substance that boasts cutting-edge engines in terms of both performance and fuel consumption and emissions.
Standing out in the range are the brand new two-cylinder engines: the 85 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo, named "International Engine of the Year 2011", and the 65 HP 0.9 Aspirated TwinAir, both equipped with the Start&Stop system as standard, which temporarily cuts out the engine and restarts it in order to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
The renewed 69 HP 1.2 Fire completes the range of petrol engines available at the launch.
The engineering excellence of the new Panda continues with the 75 HP 1.3 Multijet II with Start&Stop supplied as standard. Belonging to the second generation of the MultiJet family, the engine is equipped with faster injectors capable of multiple injections in rapid sequence.
Specifically, the system can now perform a main modulated injection of fuel in several distinct phases and anticipate the ones that follow. The servo valve with balanced plunger of the MultiJet II system enables it to manage up to 8 injections per cycle, offering greater speed, flexibility and precision in the various phases of operation.
Then the bifuel 80 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo Natural Power (petrol/methane) and 69 HP 1.2 EasyPower (petrol/LPG) will follow. They are proof of the constant attention Fiat Automobiles focuses on environmental issues through research and development of easily accessible solutions.
In perfect harmony with the "eco-friendly" spirit, the new Panda also offers the Gear Shift Indicator (GSI), a genuine "co-pilot" that discreetly prompts drivers to change gear, leading to more efficient use of the engine and to reduce fuel consumption.
A Panda for everybody
At its launch, the new model will be available with front-wheel drive - and later the Panda 4x4 will make its debut - and will offer a range made up of: 4 engines, 3 trim levels, 10 body colours, 4 interiors, 2 hub caps and 2 14" and 15" alloy wheels for a total of over 600 combinations.
To ensure the safety of the driver and passengers, the new model has 4 airbags (front and window), ABS complete with BAS (Brake Assist System), front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiter, Isofix attachments for child seats, anti-whiplash front headrests, rear headrests and headlamps with Daytime Running Lights, all supplied as standard.
In addition, the new model offers devices which are exclusive in its category: from the brand new "Blue&Me-TomTom LIVE" and the large transparent electric "Skydome" sun roof to the Hi-Fi system with CD/MP3 player and Dualdrive electric power steering with "City" function as standard.
In particular, to drive in city traffic with total peace of mind the new Panda offers the "Blue&Me TomTom LIVE" device that combines the advantages of an infotainment system which is integrated and connected with those of a portable navigator, opening the doors to connectivity.
"Blue&Me TomTom LIVE" will allow Panda customers to use mobile phones and media players in total safety without ever removing their hands from the steering wheel, and provides an absolutely unique and distinctive navigation experience, built into the dashboard and offering the most accurate traffic information updated in real time.
The automatic Dualogic robotised transmission, in combination with the TwinAir engine, will become available after the launch. In addition, during the first year of sales, an innovative braking system will also become available which, at speeds below 30km/h, is able to detect obstacles at close range and stop automatically.
Lots of versions rich in content will then make it possible for every customer to choose their own made-to-measure Panda, and to then add an additional distinctive and personal touch by choosing packs and Lineaccessori articles from a long list of optional extras.
These features make the new Panda a "big" car that, moreover, has a very high product value thanks to the combination of high contents and reduced running costs."
Fiat previews updated Panda ahead of Frankfurt