Fiat has not been doing very well in the US lately. In the third quarter of 2023, the Italian brand sold 145 vehicles. It has 359 active dealerships in America, just to put that sales figure better into perspective. But the marque is part of the humongous Stellantis group. It's not ready to call it quits, even though others are already far ahead. Here's what it has in store for the cute yet capable Panda.
Four years ago, Fiat introduced the Centoventi concept. It looked like an evolved 500X from the front, but the side profile reminded us of the third-generation Panda. That's the car that kept those square-ish headlights but debuted a new grille and a better look.
Nowadays, the Panda is a stylish manual crossover that fits the Italian and European lifestyle. It's small, affordable (starting at $14,828 with VAT included in Italy), spacious enough for four adults traveling short distances, and gets a 69-hp mild hybrid drivetrain that powers the front wheels. That's right, there's no all-wheel drive, not even for the Cross version. It was discontinued in 2022. Stellantis blamed it on the semiconductor shortage.
But Fiat did release the 4x40° special edition this summer, which boasted the robust all-wheel-drive system. Sadly, only 1,983 were made. They all ended up in only four European countries.
However, one thing few people remember is that Fiat also made the Panda Elettra, a 12-hp all-electric two-door boxy hatchback. It weighed 2,535 lb and was able to reach 43 mph. But getting near that top speed would have taken an eternity. The Panda Elettra needed 10 seconds to raise the speedometer needle to 25 mph.
The little thing was able to go 62 miles when the 12 6V lead-acid batteries were fully charged. Fiat even kept the gas tank, which was used to power the heating system. In a way, it was an early BMW i3 REx.
It wasn't just a prototype. Fiat upgraded the vehicle after a little while and named it the Panda Elettra 2. The Italian marque kept it in production until 1998.
Thus, Fiat has what it takes to make some great EVs. The 500e is a good example in this regard. It's a stylish hatchback that takes the iconic model into the zero-emission future.
Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink
But the Italians aren't stopping there. The Centovienti concept might see the production line as the next-gen Panda. The gas-powered model will remain on sale until 2026, but the Panda EV is supposed to arrive next year. It will likely debut in the summer and arrive at customers in Q3 of 2024 as a 2025 model-year battery-electric vehicle. It should make use of the Citroen e-C3 underpinnings.
Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed Stellantis would use the Kragujevac plant to manufacture the all-electric Panda but didn't disclose more. That's where the Fiat 500L used to be made. It would make sense to have the Panda EV follow, but not keeping the production in Italy could be met with resistance.
Currently, the Panda is made in Naples. Union representatives have already said they are going to fight to keep the production in Fiat's home country, according to Autonews.
What will happen remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: if you are American and want a Fiat Panda, tough luck. You must make do with the 500X. But don't lose hope. Who knows what will happen after 2026? Maybe Stellantis will decide that Americans might want an affordable, all-electric, slightly high-riding four-door hatchback.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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