Fiat does not go so far as to hint at the new Panda’s technical specifications, but like the C3 it is set to be offered with a choice of combustion and electric powertrains as Fiat strives to ensure its products remain accessible to as wide a demographic as possible, and to cater to differing needs in different markets.
Citroën has not yet fully detailed the C3’s combustion offering, but the EV produces 111bhp and is available with two batteries giving a range of either 124 or 199 miles.
Crucially, the electric C3 is expected to be one of the cheapest full-sized electric cars on sale, with a start price of less than €20,000, and the electric Panda is expected to roughly match that. The petrol version could cost as little as £15,000.
The City Car’s design departs radically from the Centoventi concept Fiat unveiled in 2019 as a preview of the Panda’s future. Not only does it sit further from the ground, but it adopts a raft of 1980s-inspired design cues including a pixel-style front light bar, chunky flared wheel arches and even a new interpretation of Fiat’s classic slatted badge.
Fiat’s historic factory in Lingotto, Turin – no longer in use – is said to have been a driving influence on the concept’s design, with designers drawing on the building’s “structural lightness, space optimisation and brightness” as they created the interior. Notably, the factory’s famous roof test track is referenced in the oval steering wheel and dashboard design.
