Fiat Panda 4×4 Makes Attractive Proposition

The Fiat Panda 4×4 has a world debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

The Fiat Panda 4×4 features as a world debut at the Paris Motor Show 2012 – and what an attractive proposition it is! It is now a third generation car and a successor to a motor that first appeared almost thirty years ago. Best of all, it’s being called a ‘Super Panda’ – now if I was a marketing bod at Fiat I’d be using that in everything.

But does it have genuine four wheel drive capability to match challenging conditions? Actually, there’s more here than meets the eye. Firstly, there’s a torque-on-demand transmission system with two differentials and an electronically controlled coupling. Four wheel drive is permanent and an electronic control unit decides where the power is needed to keep this diminutive little car on the move.

Also fitted as standard is Electronic Stability Control and even an Electronic Locking Differential which operates by braking the wheels with poor grip (or those slipping more than the others).

Two engine versions of the Fiat Panda 4×4 will become available, both with Start&Stop: the new 85 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo and the 75 HP 1.3 MultiJet II diesel. Compared with the 1.2 Fire of the previous generation, the TwinAir Turbo has 40% more torque. In combination with a special six-speed gearbox with low-range first gear, it ensures better uphill starts, flexibility and pick-up. A similar improvement is found on the MultiJet II engine.

There is also the new Panda Natural Power equipped with a dual fuel (methane and petrol) 80 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo engine to combine all the low running costs and eco-friendly advantages of methane with Turbo TwinAir technology for excellent fuel consumption, low emissions and optimum performance values.

So what do you think about this new car? It actually sounds like it should shape up to be very capable, if not particularly quick. Combined with the looks, it makes a genuinely attractive proposition which brings me back to the title!