● Full details on new Grande Panda to be revealed next month● Hybrid and electric models will be offered from around £18k
Ellis Hyde Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk@EllisDrives
IT’S finally happened: the new Fiat Panda has been revealed – although this time, it’s called the Grande Panda. The name may make it sound like an overly complicated drink from Starbucks, but the design of the just 3.99-metre-long new supermini is clearly inspired by the original Panda from the eighties.
The bold, wedge-like shape of the Grande Panda, its vertical front end and sloped rear windscreen are all nods to its ancestor, which was famously designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. More subtle callbacks you might be able to spot include the X pattern of the 17-inch alloy wheels and ‘Panda’ lettering along the sides – a nod specifically to the classic Panda 4x4.
But the Grande Panda also borrows a lot from the ‘Mega-Panda’ concept that was revealed a few months ago. The square-pixel LEDs and X-shaped daytime-running light signature are among the details carried over, as well as the X-shape taillight design and the Fiat logo being offset on the gloss-black front-grille panel.
Fiat has given the Grande Panda a robust, SUV-like appearance courtesy of pronounced, boxy wheelarches – also borrowed from the Mega-Panda – skid plates on the front and rear bumpers, black cladding and roof rails.
The Italian marque hasn’t released any images of the new car’s interior, but is promising the Grande Panda – which it refers to as a “compact family mover” – can carry five people and will offer “innovative and smart use of the space, a cool personality, and novel features”.
The Grande Panda will be available with a choice of hybrid and pure-electric powertrains. The new offering sits on the Smart Car platform used by the new Citroen C3 and Vauxhall Frontera, so we expect it to feature the same running gear.
That means the EV will probably use the same 44kWh battery as the e-C3. The Citroen offers a range of up to 199 miles, but Fiat has yet to share an official figure for its car.
The mild-hybrid powertrain in the Panda’s Citroen and Vauxhall sister cars is comprised of a three-cylinder petrol engine, mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with a 28bhp electric motor built in. This allows for short periods of pure-electric driving, and helps to improve fuel efficiency.
Pricing remains u
