Fiat has unveiled the first official photos of the Grande Panda, its new versatile city car that will offer an electric version at a low price, under €25,000.
Surprise, the new electric Panda has arrived early! While the car is set to be fully unveiled on July 11, 2024, Fiat’s 125th anniversary, the brand has already revealed the first official images of the exterior on June 14.
It is not the regular Panda, but the Grande Panda. Indeed, it is not the replacement for the familiar small city car, but a new vehicle joining the category of versatile city cars, like the Clio and 208. With the Grande Panda, Fiat finally offers a successor to the discontinued Punto model from several years ago. The manufacturer did not want to bring back that name from the past, opting instead to capitalize on the popularity and affordability of the Panda name and image.
The Grande Panda aims to make a statement with aggressive prices. The target is clearly the Dacia Sandero. This strategy has already been followed by Citroën with its new C3. In fact, the Grande Panda is derived from the French model, using the same Smart Car platform and likely offering a similar range of mechanical options.
Fiat has not yet disclosed the technical details, but the Grande Panda will be launched with a 100% electric option. It is expected to have similar components as the C3: a 113 hp motor, a 44 kWh LFP battery, and an estimated range of around 320 km. For comparison, the ë-C3 starts at €23,300 before incentives. The Fiat is likely to have a similar or slightly lower price.
To reduce costs, following a principle applied to all Stellantis brands and segments, Fiat even borrowed the structure from Citroën. Despite sharing a similar boxy shape, the Italian designers have managed to give the Grande Panda a distinct personality.
They were clearly inspired by the original Panda and its angular forms. Some details pay homage to the first 4×4 model, such as the letters directly printed in three dimensions on the body, on the lower part of the doors. The Grande Panda also adopts a rugged look with its generous raw plastic protections and roof bars.