A new breed of Panda has arrived at Mangoletsi; it is a very dynamic, powerful and ‘sporty’ beast, which goes under the new name of Fiat Panda 100HP. The brand-new Panda 100HP now extends the growing Panda ‘family’ a step further, adding a brand new member that combines the attributes of the model range with a new variable – high performance. 

The Panda 100HP gets its name from the horsepower output of its redeveloped 1.4 litre 16v FIRE engine: 100 bhp. With a sports suspension upgrade, beefed-up brakes and a bigger exhaust, the new Panda 100HP is also wrapped in eye-catching new bodywork. Launched to the world at the Paris Mondial de l’Automobile in late September, this extremely quick and very agile little car has now arrived at Mangoletsi, the UK’s longest established and largest authorised Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealership.

“The new Panda 100HP is the most exciting addition to the range yet,” says Managing Director Fraser Hudson. “It ably backs up its rakish new good looks with blistering performance. With the Panda’s famed handling abilities already combined with its compact dimensions and interior space, and now fused with a powerful engine, the new 100HP is set to be a sure winner." The Panda is in fact one of Fiat’s biggest success stories of this decade. It won the ultimate automotive award: “Car of the Year”, in 204, a prize made doubly special by the fact that it was the first time an A-segment car had ever scooped the award. Building on the heritage of its famous 1980s predecessor, a car that has become an automotive icon, it has spawned a string of ‘niche’ appeal versions, including the practical and versatile 4x4; the Alessi, imbued with very distinctive Italian ‘designer’ styling; a genuine off-road and sporty little SUV; and the aggressive, strictly limited-edition Monster. Alongside the Panda 100HP launch in Paris came the environmentally sustainable ‘Panda Panda’. At the same time there have been a string of one-off ‘specials such as the cute, convertible ‘Capri’, and the ‘Terramare’, a marine version which swum the English Channel in style this summer.

The Panda has been a real hit for Mangoletsi since it padded into the Knutsford, Cheshire-based dealership in January 2004. “The many qualities of the Panda and its niche offspring have been very obvious to customers from the start,” says Fiat Sales Specialist Mike Criscoli. “We have seen strong demand from all the versions and specification levels of the range meaning there is a Panda for everyone. From a practical small inner city transport to the capability of the four-wheel-drive model over rugged of country terrain, it is a car laced with practicality to go with its character. Its cute styling tops off a great package,” adds Mike.
 

Now the Panda 100 HP joins the family. The name tells you this is not just an exterior face-lift. The new car is fitted with a brand new 1.4 16v power unit that develops a power output of 100 bhp at 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 131 Nm at 4250 rpm. When equipped with this engine, the Panda 100 HP reaches a top speed of 185 km/h accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.5 seconds and consumes 6.5 l/100 km or 43.5 mpg over a combined cycle. This performance, attractive by any standards, will satisfy young customers who continually seek performance but at the same time wish to stand out from the crowd. On the outside, the Panda 100 HP therefore reveals itself to be a car with a true sporty vocation with chrome spoiler and exhaust pipes, special bumpers with a sporty grille and new 15” alloys.

The same aggressive stamp is also evident in the passenger compartment, where customers will appreciate a leather steering wheel, new sporty interiors and a black facia with chrome details. The new Panda 100 HP complements the long list of equipment on the Emotion version, from which it is derived, with a foglight, rear disc brakes, special suspension, 195/45-15” tyres, leather steering wheel, 6-speed manual gearbox, split seats and special exterior add-on kit. Customers can use a Sport button on the facia to select the steering setting and accelerator response to enjoy the sporty drive to the full. The Panda 100 HP colour range is also made up of four colours: red, black, blue and grey (the last two are new).

Mangoletsi sell more Pandas than any other dealership, and this allows us to offer unrivalled prices packages and after sales care as well as rapid delivery. Their Panda range starts at £4,995 for the Active version, with the highly regarded 1.3 Multijet 16v coming in at £6,495. “The Panda appeals right across the car buying range,” says Mike, “and as its awareness grows we are seeing the youthful audience seduced by its appeal and low insurance group. “We market the Panda at Mangoletsi with the theme of ‘adopt a Panda’ and this works effectively as customers become familiar with the little cars personality and character traits,” adds Mike. “A number of our customers are now on their second Panda, with many who originally bought the entry-level version Active version moving up to higher-specification niche models such as the 4x4 and SUV." For more information please visit www.mangoletsi.com