Fiat Panda 4x4 is back: Could it be another Italian legend?
Fiat has unveiled its new Grande Panda 4x4 concept that's a 'direct heir of the Panda 4x4 of the '80s', although the Italian car maker is being rather coy about the finer details.
Hailed by Fiat as 'the next chapter in the legacy of the Italian brand' the Grande Panda 4x4 has an exterior design that references both the Panda 4x4 of old and the new Grande Panda which marks a return to Fiat's retro roots.
If the Panda 4x4 does go into production it will be the first Stellantis (the owner of Fiat) four-wheel drive model to be based on its 'Smart Car' platform that the Citroen C3 and Vauxhall Frontera already use.
There's no timeline as to when the Panda 4x4 would go into production or how much it will cost, but head of Fiat for Europe, Gaetano Thorel, told press at the unveiling: 'We knew everyone would love it, we have to do it.'
The 2025 Grande Panda starts at £18,025 for the hybrid – which combines a 1.2-litre turbo petrol and a 21kW e-motor - and £21,000 for the EV, so it's likely the 4x4 would start from somewhere around there. If it does actually arrive that is...
The original Panda 4x4 was designed for Italians that lived in the most rural and least accessible parts of Italy or frequently journeyed there.
Keeping this in mind, Fiat says the new Panda will be 'a symbol of versatility, reliability and freedom on four wheels' and will come with an electrified innovative rear axle that will 'enable the vehicle to deliver impressive performance in urban settings and on more demanding terrain'.
The rear axle is the only electric confirmation we've had so far, but Fiat boss Thorel seemed to reject the idea of it being fully electric, telling Auto Express: 'To me, the 4x4 is meant to be at 2000 metres above sea level, in winter. As far as I remember, batteries in winter are not really too comfortable...'
The original car could scramble up a hillside and provided extraordinary performance on the toughest terrains, and it did so at an affordable price which is why over three generations Fiat sold around 800,000 Panda 4x4s.
It also looked brilliant, and perfected the small on the outside but cleverly spacious on the inside trick.
The original Panda 4x4 was designed for Italians that lived in the most rural and least accessible parts of Italy or frequently journeyed there. It could cross deserts, mountains and rivers
Fiat's Panda is back for a fourth generation in 2025 and is available as a hybrid or EV. Prices will start from under £19k
Building on the 'box on wheels' updated looks of the Grande Panda, the 4x4 concept is beefed up for tricky terrain with a jacked-up ride height, and some seriously cool fitted steel wheels, as well as beige details and bolted on roof rack lamps.
The interior has a brown look to give it a vintage feel as well as an outdoor element to the cabin.
The Dark red concept paint with black bumpers makes it stand out from the crowd.
The original Fiat Panda and the 4x4
Over three generations the Panda became an institution of Italy.
Over 280,000 were sold in the UK alone and almost every village and town in Italy had Panda 4x4s dotted around its streets.
Italy's version of the Renault 4 or Citroen 2CV, it could haul around five passengers and luggage while being fuel efficient and cheap to buy.
It's always been a cheerful car which is both conventional and ingenious, but the 4x4 built on that and made this much-loved car ready for any adventure.
Beaten by the Dacia Duster to the prize of the cheapest 4x4 in the UK in 2012, the third generation was sold until 2023 which saw a limited edition 4x40 model come in to celebrate four decades of the small SUV's history.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
8 minutes ago
- Reuters
US, NATO developing novel funding mechanism for Ukraine weapons transfers
WASHINGTON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The United States and NATO are working on a novel approach to supply Ukraine with weapons using funds from NATO countries to pay for the purchase or transfer of U.S. arms, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The renewed transatlantic cooperation on Ukraine comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Moscow's ongoing attacks on its neighbor. Trump, who initially took a more conciliatory tone toward Russia as he tried to end the more than three-year war in Ukraine, has threatened to start imposing tariffs and other measures if Moscow shows no progress toward ending the conflict by August 8. The president said last month the U.S. would supply weapons to Ukraine, paid for by European allies, but did not indicate how this would be done. NATO countries, Ukraine, and the United States are developing a new mechanism that will focus on getting U.S. weapons to Ukraine from the Priority Ukraine Requirements List, known under the acronym PURL, the sources said. Ukraine would prioritize the weapons it needs in tranches of roughly $500 million, and NATO allies - coordinated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte - would then negotiate among themselves who would donate or pay for items on the list. Through this approach, NATO allies hope to provide $10 billion in arms for Ukraine, said a European official, speaking on condition of anonymity. It was unclear over what timeframe they hope to supply the arms. "That is the starting point, and it's an ambitious target that we're working towards. We're currently on that trajectory. We support the ambition. We need that sort of volume," the European official said. NATO declined to comment. The White House, Pentagon, and Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Russian forces are gradually advancing against Ukraine, and control one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. If a NATO country decides to donate weapons to Ukraine, the mechanism would allow that country to effectively bypass lengthy U.S. arms sales procedures to replenish its own stocks, said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. But the NATO country would have to pay the U.S. up front for the speedier replenishment. The money would be paid into a U.S.-held account, possibly at the U.S. Treasury Department, or to an escrow fund, although the exact structure remains unclear, the official said. NATO countries also have the option of simply paying the United States to send weapons directly to Ukraine. In that case, the payment could be made via NATO or directly to the U.S. Department of Defense, said a second source, speaking on condition of anonymity. This would be in addition to the United States' own effort to identify arms from U.S. stockpiles to send to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the U.S. president to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. At least one tranche of weapons for Ukraine is currently being negotiated under the new mechanism, two sources said, though it was unclear if any money has yet been transferred. Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress have introduced legislation, known as the PEACE Act, that aims to create a fund at the U.S. Treasury in which allies can deposit money that would pay to replenish U.S. military equipment donated to Ukraine. Ukraine's needs remain consistent with previous months - air defenses, interceptors, systems, rockets, and artillery. The last statement of need from Ukraine came at the July 21 Ramstein conference led by EU allies, including Britain.
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Voice notes' are dividing Britain: Gen Z love them… but Boomers HATE them
Voice notes are dividing the nation - Gen Z love them while their parents' and grandparents' generation loathe them, a new study suggests. Research from mobile network operator Talkmobile – who believe conversation is the best communication – reveals a growing trend towards sending audio clips over WhatsApp. The feature was introduced in 2013, and the Meta-owned platform estimates some seven billion voice notes are sent worldwide every day. The Talkmobile study reveals Gen Z - the UK's youngest generation of adults aged 18 to 27 – are the most prolific voice note senders, with nearly eight in 10 (79%) saying they are regular users. Gen Z send an average of 23 voice notes a week, more than three a day. Their main reason for recording audio clips – according to half (48%) of youngsters polled, is they 'save time'. Four in 10 Gen Z Brits prefer voice notes because they are 'easier than typing out a message' (40%) while a third (37%) say they simply 'can't be bothered' to text. Meanwhile, Britain's post-war 'Baby Boom' generation – aged 60 to 78 – are the least likely to send an audio clip of themselves, with fewer than two in 10 (18%) using the feature. A quarter (25%) of Boomers believe voice notes are 'a waste of their time' while two in 10 (19%) 'can't stand them', adding 'if you can't be bothered to text, don't send a voice note'. Gen Z - the UK's youngest generation of adults aged 18 to 27 – are the most prolific voice note senders, with nearly eight in 10 (79%) saying they are regular users. Meanwhile, of Britain's post-war 'Baby Boom' generation – aged 60 to 78 – fewer than two in 10 (18%) use the feature One in 10 Boomers also fumed they can 'read a text in seconds, but instead I have to listen to you waffling on in a voice note'. The older the mobile user, the less likely they are to send a voice note, according to the survey of 2,000 Brits. On average, Boomers send just one voice note per week, Gen X send around one a day and Millennials fire off around 17 every week, or just over two per day. Over half of Brits (57%) are regular voice note senders, with women (65%) – who send an average of 16 per week - being the bigger users than men (48%), who fire-off 13 per week. The biggest reason for sending voice notes is that they 'save time', according to four in 10 (42%) Brits, while three in 10 (32%) say it's 'easier than typing out a message'. Gen Z send the longest voice notes, averaging 12 minutes. The length of clip decreases as users get older, with Boomers recording the shortest audio, at around two minutes. And, four in 10 (41%) Boomers admit they 'never listen to the end' of a voice note, compared to around four in 10 (39%) Gen Z who 'always' listen to the full clip. Talkmobile who offer among the best SIM-only deals and have an industry-leading customer-rated Trustpilot score of 4.7 are committed to giving UK customers a straightforward mobile service with great prices and great coverage. Gen Z send the longest voice notes, averaging 12 minutes. The length of clip decreases as users get older, with Boomers recording the shortest audio, at around two minutes The mobile network operator prides itself in answering customer service calls in 20 seconds and solving any issues promptly. A Talkmobile spokesman said: 'To voice note or not to voice note, that is the question. 'At Talkmobile, we believe conversation is the best form of communication because it connects people in real-time. 'No need to text or send a voice note then await a reply – our advisors jump straight onto solving any issue, meaning customers can soon get back on with their day.'
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Trump says he will fire head of BLS as stocks shudder
US President Donald Trump said he would fire the head of the agency charged with publishing some of America's most closely watched economic data, after a weaker-than-expected jobs report stoked further alarm about his tariff policies. His decision to move forward with plans to sharply raise tariffs on goods from countries around the world had already sent financial markets in the US shuddering. In the US, the three major indexes dropped, with the S&P falling 1.9% by mid-afternoon. That followed earlier sell-offs in Europe and Asia, as investors dumped shares of firms such as South Korean steel manufacturers and German truck-maker Daimler. Trump's plans leave most goods coming into the US facing new taxes of 10% to 50%, depending on their origin, and will lift tariff rates in the US to the highest levels in nearly a says the measures will rebalance global trade and boost US analysts say they will raise prices for businesses and consumers in the US and weigh on the US and global economies, as sales, hiring and investment slow. This week has revived fears about economic damage, as companies update investors on their costs and new data points to slowdown in the US. Employers in the US added just 73,000 jobs in July, according the monthly Labor Department report published on also dramatically revised estimates of job growth in May and June, with far fewer gains than previously thought."The economic data since the Liberation Day announcements did not reflect that sharp deterioration in economic activity, or at least not in obvious ways. This was the week that changed," analysts at Wells Fargo wrote on Friday. The revisions appeared to spur Trump to fire the commissioner of labor statistics, Erika McEntarfer, in a post on social media."We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," he wrote on social media, referring to the large revisions to the May and June jobs numbers. Trump also lashed out at Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, whom he has angrily criticised in recent in the US opened lower in the morning, with losses accelerating over the course of the afternoon. France's CAC 40 closed down 2.9%, while German's DAX fell 2.6%. In the UK, the FTSE fell 0.7%.Earlier the leading index in South Korea fell 3.8%, the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong dropped 1% and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.6%. When Trump first put forward his plans in April, shares in the US tumbled more than 10% in a week, the concerns spreading to the dollar and bond stock market recovered after he suspended some of the most drastic measures, leaving in place a less punishing, more expected 10% levy. In recent weeks, indexes in the US have been trading around all-time highs. "The reality is Trump got emboldened by the fact that markets came right back," Michael Gayed, portfolio manager for The Free Markets ETF told the BBC's Opening Bell. "Now he's going to try his luck again." The latest measures are less extreme than what Trump first put forward in April, when goods from key players in southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, were facing tariff rates of more than 40% and a tit-for-tat exchange with China drove US tariffs on its exports surge to at least 145%.But the tariffs still make for a radical change for the US, for decades a champion of free plans include a minimum 10% tax on most goods entering the US, with major trade partners, including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam face tariffs in the range of 15% to 20%.Goods from China are set to facing new 30% levies, while exports from some other countries, including Switzerland and Laos face even higher changes, which are set to go into effect on 7 August, will lift the average tariff rate to roughly 18%, up from less than 2.5% as recently as had been taking the impact of tariffs in stride, sending shares in the US and elsewhere to new highs in recent weeks. Mr Gayed said markets had become less sensitive to Trump's rapidly changing trade policies, but he saw risks ahead. "The more he just whips around policy, the more the markets will not care, but as the old saying goes, nothing matters 'til it matters and then it's the only thing that matters," he said.
