Why The Original Fiat Panda Is A Design Masterpiece
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- This video covers the story of the earliest Fiat Panda models, those built between 1980 and 1986.
Giorgetto #Giugiaro is, without a doubt, the most influential car designer in history, with a back catalog that includes the Lotus Esprit and the De Lorean DMC-12. Yet, the great man considers the humble Fiat #Panda his favorite project of all. The charm of the original Panda stems from its pure, single-minded #design approach. One of those rare industrial design objects possessing a unique beauty that originates from their fitness for purpose.
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Definitely one of the most versatile cars ever built. My wife drove a red 45 ( first gen 1981), unbelievable but that little shoebox was our home whilst our roadtrip from Belgium to the Nordkapp( Norwegian) till Pozallo( Sicily) and back to Belgium. Never did we have more fun in life. 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Very cool story! You must have tons of memories from such an epic trip!
@@Matteo_Licata .
Absolutely , a once in a lifetime experience
Ill be buying a Seat Marbella (Spanish Panda) as my first car tomorrow! 900cc 42hp injected engine, with 5 speed manual. FWD only sadly, but it should be cheap and cheerful!
710kg, absolute go kart on turns lol. Or as far as the tiny wheels will allow.
@@BasedMan enjoy!!! So much more fun than a new car
Wow !
Norway to Sicily, that was quite a trek 😅
Back in the days, a friend of mine had a Panda 45 and it was relatively quick in town, much to the frustration of owners of heavier cars that would look down on it.
That was quite typical for Fiats in these days. They may have been limited in top speed, but you never felt slow in them!
I learned to love the Fiat Panda when I visited rural Italy in my childhood years 🇮🇹 you can still find many examples being used and maintained as daily drivers.
Especially the 4x4 models have a purposeful beauty about them.
Two years ago we were at Lake Garda - and we were surprised how many original Pandas we met (of course, not many of the very early series, but anyhow). On one day we decided to count the old and the current ones (and there are plenty of these as well) But between Malcesine and Torri del Benaco the winner was - guess what ;-) . It's obvious that the little box has classic status now (well deserved!).
Today I’m in Italy and I’m 16 for holidays. And I see them all over here. I would like to have one by myself for my first car.😍
A lovely tribute to Giorgetto Giugiaro's finest design*
* and given his portfolio that is remarkable
Thank you so much for this video. So much love for the original Panda. I really wish manufacturers could make basic, cheap, reliable and simple cars like this nowadays, rather than stuffing them full of electronic rubbish that will generally break and stop working after a few years and then cost a fortune to repair.
I'm glad you've enjoyed it! At the moment, a car as basic as the Panda can't even be made, as EU homologation requires a lot of safety-related standard equipment. Probably the most basic car you can get new, nowadays, is a base-model Dacia Sandero.
@@Matteo_Licata I know, I'm going to be interested to see how much the new Dacia electric car is going to be in Ireland....or even if we get it. It looks really cool, like a small SUV. I do want to help the planet and go electric, but I want a Panda 4x4 more - that's probably a bad thing to say these days 😂
@@adarbs6384 You could convert a Panda as an EV: no more CO2 from the tailpipe and keeping an old car on the road saves the resources needed to build a new one. Minimum impact and maximum style :)
@@Matteo_Licata I like that idea! 😁
Yes, a design classic, the minimalist beauty of the Panda lies in the clever simplicity and rationality of Giugiaro's design.
The simply design and function was a gift for a lot of people . still used in wine vineyards for harvest and collecting .
Basic, Reliable, and Charming, what more do you want. Like the Nissan Micra, a true spiritual successor to the Mini.
@@jon-paulfilkins7820 Absolutely!
For my opinion the 1st Gen Twingo is a real the true heiress descendant, concerning modularity, cheap price, and the possibilty to "sleep" into when you are young and no money to invite your GF have a little rest 😜
Great video 😃 Learned some things I didn't know about the wonderful Panda 😃
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Can understand the Panda successfully fulfilling the brief for an updated Italian take on the Citroen 2CV or Renault R2, yet cannot really appreciate it since neither the Panda nor the related Y10 built upon what made the Autobianchi A112 appealing (in terms of driving appeal, etc) and were actually a great step back as far as great driving small Fiats are concerned. Would have actually preferred a Fiat rebadge of the A112 that was sold in RHD markets and equipped with the entry-level Twin followed later by a 750 FIRE (and optional CVT) via an updated A112, which Fiat seemingly contemplated during the development of what became the Y10 as a A112 refresh based on early sketches by Giugiaro.
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According to the needs of the moment.... 😂 I love it!
It's the perfect first car to Lear to drive and the cool thing is THERE IS A 4x4 version
Ah se tivesse o nosso Fiasa 1050! Lambredi history!
Love it!
Thanks!!
I really want it to be my first car 🥺
So funny - i hated the panda as a kid in the UK in the 1980s. It really wasn't cool. Then on holiday in 2019, I was catching a boat from menaqgio, lake como and there was a original 4x4 panda in green. I couldn't stop looking at it while waiting for the boat to arrive! Beautiful car and now very cool 😎
Yeah, it wasn't cool, but when you grow up you start to appreciate its pure utilitarianism.
Fiat's little 🐼 is a true representative of affordable mobility for the masses! ❤️🤍💚
What i like most in Giugiaro is how his life-long sketch concerning cars reached its pinnacle at Brera concept!
This car is simply a wonder on wheels. The history details you add are excellent. I always saw it as the real successor to the A-Series Citroëns. Cheap panels covering a utilitarian minimum of fittings. Even the "deckchair" seating mirrors the 2CV. Likewise the flat glass in every window.
We didn't have the 30 in the UK, but I saw them on my travels. The first ones (half grille) were the purest and thus the best of the 2wd models.
This funny little box on wheels has a place on my very, very short list of cars I would buy today for a "perfect" collection.
Excellent video. Lots of detail. I am now back in nostalgia mode and shall stay here as long as I can... Thanks for posting.
Thank you very much for your appreciation. I agree with you, I'd pick an early 30 like the one in the video, if I had to build a collection. That's why I've kept the video focused on these models... The rest of the Panda's story will duly be featured whenever I'll get to film a more recent example.
Lunga vita al Pandino!
The Panda seems to have pioneered the concept of the compact crossover which is quite popular now 😆
Especially with 4x4 very popular in French Alps after 1500m alt.
Unfortunately...always same story (for 1st Gen) R U S T
There's a weird appeal in minimalist, simple yet functional designs. Some designs, like the Panda, to me also manage to do all of the above while being oddly stylish. I guess that's something only the Italians and French can pull off hahah
Never got the Panda here (at least in relevant numbers), we were stuck with the Fiat 147/Spazio as the entry level Fiat. But it always looked cool to me.
Ps: Was that you drawing the Panda?
Yep, it was me drawing. I used to be a car designer, after all :)
@@Matteo_Licata That's why I asked. Looks great. Wish I could draw like that hahaha
Thanks Matteo, since you stated Panda's ancestor as a concept was the Renault 4 please make a video even for that French masterpiece.
Oh yes please do.
I definitely will, as soon as I'll find a nice one to film :)
By the way... Filming another Italian classic tomorrow... #tease
@@Matteo_Licata Cool my friend.
A mention to Steyr-Puch, as suppliers of the 4x4 drivetrain made in Austria, was warranted and is missing!
The Panda 4x4 is probably the most rational car ever made and its awesome.
Not many similars cars to compare with, first which comes to my mind is suzuki swift/geo metro 4x4 variant sold as subaru justy if I recall correctly
One of the greatest small cars of all time 😉
A box full of emotions. It certainly is!
This is what FIAT is best at, simply a wonderful car, and another wonderful documentary where I learnt new things about one of my all time favourite cars.
Wow, thank you very much for your kind words, I'm glad you've enjoyed it so much!
Used to drive one of these with 1000cc Fire Engine. It was a beast! =)
The asymmetrical grille is on the many charms of the Panda. I did not know the windows were flat glass. Sometimes the lean budget becomes a challenge for the design. And the Panda succeeds on design and the requirements of Fiat.
Yes. Flat glass by the 1970s had fallen out of use on cars, but Giugiaro used it on the Panda as a further way to make production simpler and cheaper.
The Panda owner at the end is so right - this little car has heart and soul, and so much character - 'a box of emotions'.
Love those small cars, had two 4X4.
Very cool! Was it fun to drive around in them?
@@Matteo_Licata Yes, fantastic off roading.
@@Matteo_Licata facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=512275138783287&set=pb.100000024170998.-2207520000..&type=3
Tremendous little car - one that ignited my love of Italian cars (along with the 126 and 127) - my uncle bought an early Panda 45 in the same colour as the example in the video - I thought it was brilliant. I also had a friend who later had a Sisley 4x4, which I listed after! Sadly I never owned one, opting instead for a mk1 Punto 6 speed - another Giugaro masterpiece!
Great car. When i was little, there was this guy, who drove always big American cars, (he was a rock singer) in one day he bought a panda, because the trunk of those American cars were to little. He had always to transport a few big speakers, and it only fits in a panda. The contrast couldn't be bigger. From big americans to panda😂
Ahah that's a cool story :)
Thank you!
How interesting....many years ago I worked for a motor dealership with a company car...while everyone else chose a fancy one I always asked for the Panda 45...as it was the only car that would fit my mobile disco speakers and the rest comfortably...brilliant vehicle and great fun 🤗
Funny, I drove yank tanks for 30 years, but after buying an old Twingo as a stop gap, my big Colony Park is just sitting behind my house waiting to get booted.
Some say you can tell the owner by looking at their car, but not me :)
Great video Matteo! Allways loved the simple, functional, almost industrial, but absolutelly charming design and philosophy, a truly masterpiece!
Couldn't agree more!
A great video and story about that ingenious little Fiat. I drove only later versions but I remember when there was no gen I 4x4 to buy at the market, they were so popular and sought after, and if one came for sale, it was at a premium and was sold within hours. Thank you!
Thank you very much! First-gen 4x4 in good nick are indeed rare, as these cars lived rough lives in places where rust was definitely an issue, like mountains and muddy fields... So the few available do command premium prices.
My sister's first car was a Panda 45. I washed and cleaned her car regularly and was astonished every time I drove it, that it didn't have power brakes - something I needed to adjust to. Since I drove a jeep which in the US Army, I was used to basic vehicles, and the Panda was of similarly spartan design. But the Panda had an effective heater (which seemed to have been deemed sissy on a jeep).
I quite fancied a used post 1986 Panda of these as a replacement to my 1st car (1979 Mini) in the mid 1990s early in my driving career. It didn't happen sadly.
Unsure if it was available in other countries but we Brits could buy the 'Italia 90' limited edition with the ⚽ inspired wheel trims!
The "Italia 90" was of course sold in Italy as well... I've seen a few survivors on the classifieds recently, and those wheel-trims are now a must :)
Excellent and very interesting thank you..there are many still in daily use in Spain, the 4x4 is very desirable and sell well.
A very practical car and almost everything most people need. I'm looking at a 2016 4x4 to buy soon :)
The 2nd or 3rd generation 4x4 will be my next car too. I love the new 3rd generation one, but I don't think I will be able to afford it...but looking at all the videos and reviews I don't think it matters which one, both are fantastic cars and I like them both. Good luck with your search for one 😁
Love the Fiat Panda. Fun iconic car.
I'm so happy people still appreciate this marvelous car. If this car doesn't put a smile on your face in some way, nothing will. I have 3 and looking for a fourth, the Elettra. And to think it started all because I couldn't afford a Lancia Delta. Now I wouldn't trade any of my little friends for one. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed this video! A Panda Elettra would make for an interesting classic indeed these days: given its batteries would long be dead, swapping to a li-ion pack would dramatically boost its range and overall performance
@@Matteo_Licata Exactly what I was thinking
I loved my mk1 panda (1985 45cl in red), still miss it 30 years on.
What a pity they didn't replace 126p with Panda in Poland in 80's. Cinquecento introduced around 1991 is not that cool anymore.
Well, it seems to me that the "frugal countries" have not very clear what the term "frugal" means, judging by the cars they use most.
The Italian small cars and the Panda above all are a good example ... 😉
Big and heavy cars vs small cars are totally different experience. All you need is small car for personal use. Small car is zippy and economical in town, one of Pandas best aspects is off road use in narrow passes in woods.... Panda is her deserving name. One of greatest bears and only one car with bear name. It is not bull or horse. Small classic.
L' auto per tutti giovani ,anziani ,uomini ,donne ,ricchi e non .
Simple, basic, no frills design that is rugged, easy to maintain, 4 wheel drive and seats 4 people - reminds me of my 1981 Subaru Wagon GL - keep including the drawing intercuts with the car slowly taking shape on paper - I like that - Bravo, Matteo!
Thank you! These drawing shots are from my older videos, when sketching was an integral part of the video format. I stopped drawing on camera, as it seemed to me that few people cared for that. But I'll still include it from time to time :)
My first car! A friend of my dad's gave it to me for free since he didn't use it, I've traveled up and down along Italy until it got too old to fix for cheap and I gave it for free to a friend on mine, who's wrecked it around a pole driving while drunk. My friend was ok, but the car got scrapped lol.
Suoer iconic car!! It was the first car I ever drove on the road way back in the early 1980s.
Next door where I lived, they owned a 4x4 Panda, I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, all rugged and jacked up suspension, I thought it must be a special one off, somebody had built.
But I saw others so realised it was a real production car!
I set my heart on owning one but they were out of my price range, I was only an apprentice and not earning enough sadly!
But many years later and 3 generations of Panda, I still had that admiration for them, the simple design, the practicality, the uniqueness, quirkiness and above all their fun to drive charm.
I currently own a Fiat Panda 4x4 Antarctica 0 9 twinair turbo, so it retains the 2 cylinder uniqueness of the original albeit slightly brought more up to date with a little more useful power!......
And power it has in abundance, it really is a very nimble and agile little car, with lots of character and Italian styling! Very quirky, unique and above all lots of fun to drive, that roaring engine note is very grin inducing!! 😁😎👍
Thank you for sharing these memories :)
Yes the Twin Air is a fun engine to have, makes a nice noise and it's got plenty of poke... Not the gas-sipper Fiat tried to convince everyone it was, though, so a lot of people remained disappointed with the mileage they got.
@@Matteo_Licata I'm not sure how Fiat managed to get the +60mpg they quote for this engine!! 😯🤔😁
They are very optimistic figures but I guess all manufacturers do this.
I've managed an indicated 54mpg on a long 90 mile drive without trying hard, just driving normally, loaded up for a camping trip.
I think it's because there isn't much power below 2k revs so you are constantly revving this little twinair between 3k-4k but that roaring engine sound just begs you to give it some more and this is where the fuel consumption suffers!!
The 6 speed gearbox helps to keep the revs in that happy place but it means around the city you rarely get into 6th gear, mostly using 3rd, 4th and 5th gears.
I find mid 40's mpg is more what you will expect to get, which is not too bad really! When you consider it has all the extra 4x4 drive train to turn.
But you can easily get down into the 30mpg range if you drive it through the rev range on the way up through the gears!! 😯😁😎👍
Less is best. Minimalist and rational yet charming. The first compact crossover unrivaled still.
Great design the Panda as a love of small Fiat cars as a youngster I did own the bigger Uno with the 903cc engine and 5 speed gearbox the first 1983 model back in 1992 as an 18 year old
We love Panda!
The closest car that I can think of that I've driven like this here in the States was my sister's 1993 Dodge Shadow. A warmed over Mitsubishi Colt it had that sort of ultra basic approach that per the American market's needs was about as simple as a car could possibly be. I shudder to consider the crash worthiness of such a car. But, I still recall how the next to nothing weight of the car allowed it to float over the road without much in the way of chassis sophistication. Given that the latest Ford Fiesta can seem to crash over the smallest potholes by comparison one wonders how long it will be before carbon fiber finds its way back into making cars actually lightweight and not just appearing as such.
I've never tried a Dodge Shadow but did drive a 1992 Mitsubishi Colt and compared to the Panda it's still quite a heavy car with a decent amount of power. Here in the Netherlands anything over 160 HP would be considered a quick car since the average car on the road here has 117 hp. You should really try something like the Panda one day :)
@@wesselbakker936 Alas, it was never sold here. Fiat pulled out of our market just before it came along. The Colt that the Shadow was based on was the early 80's generation, I believe. Dodge wasn't looking to make a large profit on that particular car and was looking to just use it as a stop gap once their partnership with Mitsubishi had ended in the late 80's. Previously, Dodge's small cars here were imported Mitsus as the company had yet to establish a dealer network until the mid-80's.
@@akr01364 Interesting, thanks for the information about the Shadow. And be sure to drive a panda if you ever visit europe😁
@@wesselbakker936 Hehe, I hope to at some point. Unfortunately, my visits there tend to be to Austria and Ireland where they seldom survive from this era.
cazzo raga, I was about to ask you to do a video on the almighty Panda.
Investment advice: No money for an alfa? Buy a 1st gen Panda 4x4 while you still can. Those things are getting ridiculously expensive.
🎯🎯👍🏽🤣🤣
panda 4x4 prima serie: andava ovunque, era "enorme" dentro, ma appena mettevi le 4x4 beveva come una porsche...
inarrestabile, su fondi a bassa aderenza, neve o fango, non aveva rivali... forse giusto il samurai suzuki.
piccola, leggera, saliva veramente ovunque.
Sistema 4x4 grazie agli austriaci della Steyr-Puch, come da stemma sul portellone posteriore
@@nessuno5403 esatto, tutto meccanico, nulla a che vedere con ste fighettate moderne, che poi non ti tirano fuori da 10cm di neve
Much love for the intro with the accelerating engine! Is it from the Fiat 126? Thanks for the video too!
Thank you! Well... Almost a 126 ;)
The engine noise in the intro is the Panda from the video itself, which was equipped with a two-cylinder engine derived from the 126.
Bello il contenuto, però la pronuncia è così maccheronica che distrae dal discorso. Se hai la possibilità cerca di migliorare sotto questo aspetto; se dà fastidio a me che sono italiano pensa a un madrelingua :(
It’s funny how “Boxy” and “wedge” is becoming very cool in terms classic cars these days where only a couple of decades ago they would be deemed ugly and naff . I don’t think “pretty” is ever a word that would be associated with the Panda but “charming” and “friendly” certainly it is . A Panda 4x4 would be great for getting to work right about now. I remember my Aunty had a Panda Sergio Tacchini edition in metallic grey with a green cloth interior. It was probably one of the most luxurious Pandas of the time. Id imagine it would quite collectible these days
I think it's a generational thing. These cars are now so different and far removed from what we have now, that people who grew up with them are rediscovering them.
I remember very well how all the "origami" cars of the 80s fell hard out of fashion in the 90s, but the Panda never ceased to sell well, at least in Italy, where many would still buy one new today.
@@Matteo_Licata is have to agree with you there . Must mean we’re getting old 😂
My parents went from a Fiat 126 to a Fiat Panda and I remember being so excited at having a proper car. I would like to like the new Fiat Panda but it doesn’t have the same character. Funny I can still remember that car’s registration (ULC84X) but struggle to remember my car’s registration today. Thanks for the video
Thank you! It must have felt great to step from the very, very small 127 to the airy cabin of the Panda, back then. I guess you have already checked that plate out on the DVLA... Just in case ;)
@@Matteo_Licata Yes, sadly all my family’s and my Fiats from 20+ years ago are in the eternal garage in the sky. Ahime
Unfortunately, I can say the same about the two Citroën BX my dad owned. :(
It is the modern version of the 2CV concept and a million times more attractive. Thanks for this interesting video! Ciao 🙋♂️
Well, that's subjective :)
I'm a massive fan of Giugiaro and appreciate the Panda's design... But I'd rather own a 2CV, because I just can't resist old Citroens! Thank you for watching!
And mini ,and "cox" ,and fiat 500 !!!!!!!!
The original Panda actually ended up being restyled by SEAT and renamed Marbella, being produced well into the "90s.
Amazing video, Matteo! Keep the good work
Yes indeed. I’d like to cover the Marbella one day, whenever I’ll find a good one… Which won’t be easy, as nobody kept them. Thank you!!!
I absolutely love the car, a true design masterpiece indeed (although I wouldn't want to try the short overhang crash test in one :-)) Friends liked it so much they went through three 4x4s, and not because they were bad quality, but on the contrary because they could abuse them and the car would keep going. Not many cars from that era can claim as much, apart maybe from the Niva, which was a much different beast altogether.
Viva Panda!
Deze Panda kan zo terug op de markt (vind ik) in retro-design!😀
Dat zou fantastisch zijn! Ik ben verliefd op het ontwerp van deze auto
I think some very dear 1970s-1980s FIAT models tend to lose their unique characters after the "prima serie": 127, Ritmo, Panda.
I also prefer the "prima serie" Lancia Beta, Alfetta, Alfasud, to mention some other favorite Italian models of this Era.
True: the ham-fisted restyling has arguably been part of Fiat’s tradition for longer than I can remember :)
Great video, for a great great car!
The example shown here is fabulous!
Thank you! Yes, it was a straight, largely original car that's been "freshened up" a bit by its current owner, who loves it to bits :)
@@Matteo_Licata trovarne una in qualche paesetto, magari al sud, dove la gente ancora crede sia solo un vecchio rottame...sarebbe bello.
@@TNPTVconnect Il Sud è sicuramente dove è meglio cercare, dato che lì le auto hanno vita più lunga e, solitamente, le Fiat usate un po' più attempate che qui al Nord non hanno più mercato tendono ad essere rivendute lì. Ma non conterei sul trovare chissà che grandi affari: nell'era di Internet le informazioni vanno veloci, e credo nessuno regali più niente. In ogni caso, buona ricerca!
@@Matteo_Licata eh lo so purtroppo è così ormai riguardo a internet.
It says more of the class of a designer that he can make a mass volume car an icon.
The Panda has become a motering icon in Europe.
Giugiaro did also other massvolume cars like the VW Golf MK1 who have also became icons.
And whats not to like about the Panda. In my opnion the humble Panda is the real sucsessor of the original 500.
Just a basic car you HAVE to love.
dont think so. In my opinion pandas sucsessor is seicento
@@petersuchansky6703 I think you ment the seicento was in line with the old 500/600.
The Panda is going for its 4th generation so there is no succesor of the Panda for a long time to come.
The Seicento is a further development of the Cinquecento.
The panda had a brand new platform from the start.
The cinquecento and seicento were based on the older 126 who was based on the 500/600 platform.
I made the comparrison because the original 500 and 1st gen Panda both had a new platform from the start and were designed and produced from the start purely as economical to build and use cars for the masses.
Fiat has always been a master in designing and producing small cars.
So if Stellantis is smart they let the design of the small car platform for the 4th gen Panda, Citroen C1, Peugeot 109, Opel/Vauxhall Karl do by Fiat.
I hired a black one in Greece many moons ago.Was a great wee car!
complimenti, stai facendo un grande lavoro a livello propedeutico, insegnando al mondo la storia del design dell'automobile italiano.!
Grazie mille! I complimenti dai miei compatrioti valgono doppio, visto che me ne fanno pochi :)
L’idea é sempre stata questa infatti: raccontare al mondo la storia dell’automobile Italiana.
@@Matteo_Licata ma no, dai, non direicosì, direi che sei apprezzatissimo
@@studiocalder818 Eheh grazie per ricordarmelo :)
I've learned about all the generations of fiat panda's these last few weeks especially now ive bought a 2014 fiat 🐼 4x4 Antarctica, love it, these cars are legends in the Alps and beyond, Respect to the fiat panda 🐼 4x4.
Indeed they are! Congratulations on your cool purchase!
Certamente una scatola , ma sempre bella e italiane !
My favourite Giuggiaro design has to be the 159. That design, those proportions, those curves... it looks perfect. Timeless design, misunderstood car.
👍🏽
There was also his redesign of the 156 - would have to toss a coin between the two. The Brera was a beauty too.
Newer Alfas have lost something, I feel.
@@Tourist1967 Sorry but to me there is not comparison between the "Centro Stile Alfa Romeo" design of the first 156 and the Giuguaro one of the second one.
I admire ++ Giugiaro, of course (I absolutely love his Alfas from the 2600 sprint to the sporty/elegant 159) but cannot digest as with a few strokes has trivialized the 156. (Every master has some skeleton in the drawer 😉)
Fiat Germany, based back then in my hometown, made really cool fashion magazine style brochures, which advertise the features of the panda. I have two of these brochures and they are really cool
Fantastic! I'd love to see them, do you know where I can find scans of them?
@@Matteo_Licata well, if you could somehow give me your e-mail-adress, i'd scan them and send them to you.
And there was this unforgotten ad battle with German railways :-) (and the entire campaign "Die tolle Kiste" (The terrific box))!
That’s very kind of you, thanks! info@roadster-life.com
Love your content on all these great cars
Glad you like them! Thank you!
What we need today is the electrical equivalent of the Panda!
I agree!
Coming with the new one!
what a fantastic video and a super car!
Glad you liked it!
Italian version of the 2cv: Giugaro made it flat, simpler and more effective. Yes, some years later...
A very cute car ..nice video ..
Thank you 🤗
i have a panda 45 from 82 with 40 thousand km and all original. super fun to drive. i love it
That's a nice little minter you have, congratulations!
I like the sound of the Panda 30!
Otherwise -- design masterpiece yes, wonderful egalitarian transport yes, but in the words of CAR Magazine back in the day, " a strangely unappealing drive". Great video though!
I drove my friend Jim's Panda in another video, and it was fun... But probably because it just feels so different from anything we drive today.
@@Matteo_Licata to be honest, I am just spoiled -- my cheap cars of choice (which I owned in the 1980s) were the 2cyl Citroen LN and Visa.
♥️ 💕💕 1993 replacement of my Scirocco totalised by a girl, I was 22y..too much story. She was red, 1st gen with front little window on front door, I miss her.😪 i remenber, you can remove the front seats too ( need just slide them in front!) and you have 2 seats to picnic..and huuuge place..to " sleep'" 🤫
I was so angry with her during wet winter mornings..refusing to start. I had to use an hair dryer on the Delco head, while my mother laughed about me through the window. 😡 One day I saw an anti-humidity spray product, I sprayed it on all the wires and engine : never had any problem after! I was so angry with myself for not having done it before.
Cool! Love these little memories related with the cars I cover
This car is much more than a car, it's a philosophy of building a car that works in the simplest and most effective way without balloons and whistles. This is sorely lacking nowadays, there are no such simple cars on the market. Perhaps Dacia has borrowed a bit from this philosophy for their cars. I would like to be able to buy a new and cheap basic car, without AC, without navigation system, without android auto or apple car play, and finally without technology... and with metal interiors!!!🐼🐼🐼
Yes, it's a long time since we haven't had a truly basic car available new. Although the increasingly stringent safety requirements do play a role, it's also pretty evident that people do not want truly basic cars anymore. Even Dacias aren't all that basic after all, and the versions they sell the most aren't the "stripper" base ones. I don't think a car like the original Panda will ever be back, honestly.
Yes, it is an unbelievable car. I have a Panda at my place in Italy, but I live abroad. When I come home, sometimes even after a year, it just starts, and it works hassle-free. I go with it anywhere in Italy, also many Kilometers drives. It is a symbol of freedom for me.
Another fantastic video Matteo. My wife and I saw many in Italy in 2019. Many still running around the hills. I would love to import one here to the states one day. CIAO!
Thank you very much! Hope you'll get to import one someday then!
I think you may import the older models than 25 years
I've got a 1992 Panda and I love it.
Love the mk1 panda's great cars I would love to have but would have to have it as a 2nd car as wouldn't sell my fiat cinquecento.
The Cinquecento is a great design too, in its own way
The Cinquecento is to small for me, the panda fits me better. Have fun.
Never had one. Still regret it. But I came close with an Autobianchi 112 that I drove with a friend from Amsterdam to the Russian Norwegian border (even further than the North Cape).
The Fiat Panda was a big impact back to spring 1980; the concept was a must.
However I had myself a hard experience with an 8 years old Seat Panda 45 that I bought in May 1990 to replace another bad experience with my first car, a Seat 850 Spider from 1971 that I bought in March 1989.
The only nice memories with the Panda was the summer of 1991 that I spent in Ibiza.
Once back home the Panda went to a car graveyard and I never had a Seat neither an used car again.
Seat had terrible reputation from early 70s to the first (and boring) SeatToledo from 1991.
For a moment I thought you would be forgetting the 4 x 4 of which the drive train was, if I am correct, developed by Steyer Puch (but that of course is not something an Italian wants to remember :-) ). Again a very lucid memory from our Le Marche holiday: That region is full of banged up examples still being used for everyday transport, preferably 4 by 4's. Since the region only lost the old big landownership system in the 70ties the 80's where probably the last period in which the economy ran on a wave of positivity. This is still reflected in the rural car "fleet": Nothing much of that positivity has lasted but the early Panda's still roll. :-) By the way: Have you ever done the Esprit? Best wedge shaped production sports car design ever. So pure! :-)
I am italian and I perfectly know that. It was Fiat that asked Steyer Puch to develop the transmission based on the idea Fiat had to made a transversal front angine 4x4.
Steyer Puch had already commercial relationships with Fiat. They were manufacturing under license the Fiat 500 as Steyr Puch 500 for austrian market and other markets that had a boxer twin cylinder. If I am not wrong it was manufactured from 1957 to 1975.
Nonthing new for Fiat, since they usually outsourced the design and/or production of "specialty" versions.
Also for design of cars, they for most model used to invite external design companies to present their projects alongside Fiat design center. It was a competiotion.
That changed when german companies strted to only use internal design sources and the "family" style. Very boring in my opinion.
@@donkeymarco Absolutely! I suppose you then also know that Steyr is Austrian? The trend might indeed have been started by the germans. Unlike Japan where outsourced development efforts are still a universal factor, although most often not even mentioned.
@@marcbrasse747 I know that is austrian. Probably Steyr Puch best product, in my opinion, are the Pinzgauer 710 and 712 of the '70 designed for military use. The "problem" for someone willing to get one nowdays, and not with a big wallet, is that they like too much to drink gasoline. For the 712 is that You need the 3500 kg EU weight limit and pratically You need C license.
Also the G wagen drivetrain was designed in Austria (and assembled in Austria). In Mercedes they don't like too much to remember.
As for Fiat Panda 4x4 derivates, there was also one Fiat and Steyr Puch were developing for military and civil use. One of the prototypes I think is displayed in Puch museum in Graz.
Few data are avilable, but it was a likke big bigger, taller, wider track and self locking rear differential. Unfortunately, as had tens of times with Fiat top managers of the time, it was not put into production. It looks like that was called Fiat Panda Torpedo.
In this Autocar article, at slide 13, can be seen what I suppose is one of the prototypes. It is not a civil Panda 4x4 since it has a "military light" in the front (the protusion near the left front headlight).
www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/inside-europes-most-intriguing-car-museum#13
Here can be seen near a Panda 4x4.
www.euro-t-guide.com/See_Coun/Austria/E/A_See_Puch_Museum_Graz_4-1.htm
And this is another of the prototypes. It has the front hook and the doors.
www.dannatavintage.com/2018/06/22/il-pandone-le-mai-nate/
Less is more as the saying goes!
Saw many FIAT Delivery Vans around the World >>> Handsome & Practical Delivery Vans indeed! Many still come with much loved Manual Gear Box! Maybe in the future , we can continue to enjoy FIAT in electric power mode! 🕯🌷🌿🇮🇹🌏
After sitting & driving modern day cars' interior made from toxic plastics , we really appreciate the comfortable & healthy smelling of FIAT cars' cloths upholstery ... FIAT Panda 4X4 Manual ( electric in the Future ) is one Ninja Turtle Car indeed! No complicated & expensive automatic gear problems to deal with! Thank You So Much FIAT for maintaining Italian! 🕯🌷🌿🇮🇹🌏
Thank you and Happy New Year😃
Happy new year to you too, thank you!
At Launch, I Strongly Considered Buying A New One As I Had Already Owned A Fiat 126, But Went For A Used Renault 5, Always Wondered If I Made The Right Decision?
I miss my Pandas more than I miss my ´68 Cadillac, I had one ´85 and one ´86 and they were used and enjoyed until they were beyond repair and salvation, the salty Swedish winter roads being a big part of the passing...
B.M.C s Minis were good, but the Panda was superior, better comfort economy and vision.
It's the car we need today with polution being a problem, forget your giant B.M.W s & Mercedes, often seen with just the driver & no passengers.No- one would object to the original design at an economical price which could , according to specs be between 8,000 & 10,000 €. Go on Fiat make them again please .
Such great car. Only true succesor to the 2CV imo. Real smart super practical design and good looking. The updated one lost quite a bit of the charm however a 4x4 would be very nice
Thanks, really interesting.
My son drives a Cinquecento from the 90s. Lots of similarities. Made in Poland, surprisingly.
Shouldn't surprise you, as Fiat has built cars in Poland since the early 70s. and continues to this day: the petrol 500 and the Lancia Ypsilon are made in Poland. The Cinquecento deserves a video, as it was a brilliant project by the late Ermanno Cressoni.
@@Matteo_Licata thanks, just shows my ignorance.
Thank you kindly
we had panda 1991, 750 fire, for 15 years, great car, usable in winter, for work, such memory for it
I guess this was also Fiat's response to the Golf, if we see the 500 as a kind of Italian Beetle. Is that a stupid comparison?
Throws up Italian hands and shrugs: beh.
1st, Great little video😷👍
Thanks 👍 Glad you like it!
Its hard to visualize, that skillful designer was serious about sketches of the car, that I draw in childhood...
The "italian 80s 2CV": simply but advanced
☑️✅
NEL 1984 COLLA PANDA 30 ANDAI DA GENOVA IN SCOZIA A/R..
COLLA MASCHERINA NOOOO.....LEVATELA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Panda is one of the Cars where the manufactor had the idea to make exactly what the people needed and nothing more. And it's one of the even seldomer cases where the people than bought the car too