Last
week Fiat announced Italian pricing for the new
third-generation Panda, with pricing running from 10,200
to 14,000 euros, including on-road charges. The range is
spread over eight different versions, split between
three trim levels, and equipped with three engines. As
before, the Panda offering just a single – five-door – bodystyle.
The range opens with the entry-level trim, ‘Pop’. This
is available with two engines – the 1.2 69 CV (120 g/km
CO2 and 5.2 l/100 km) and 1.3 Multijet 16V 75 CV (104
g/km CO2 and 3.9 l/100 km). The former version opens the
new Panda’s pricing at 10,200 euros, while the latter
kicks off the diesel range, at 12,400 euros. For now, a
manual transmission is the only option across all
variants.
The Pop version is quite starkly equipped. Standard
safety equipment comprises four airbags (two front and
two curtain), ABS (incorporating brake-assist), ISOFIX
fittings and anti-whiplash headrests. Daytime running
lights are also fitted as standard. Next year,
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) will be fitted as
standard by Fiat, in compliance with EU directives.
Other standard equipment includes central locking,
Dualdrive power steering, and electric front windows.
However, in a few notable omissions, air conditioning is
not included, and nor is a radio (a CD/MP3 radio with 4
speakers is optional for 400 euros) or parcel shelf.
It has been noted that Fiat are pushing at consumers’
wallets with the new Panda’s options, some of which are
quite highly priced for a A-segment car. In particular,
making air conditioning a standard feature only on the
top ‘Lounge’ version – and a steep 850 euro option on
the first two levels – could be regarded as a
questionable move, when the same is standard on the
mid-range version of the outgoing Panda.
(Fully-automatic climate control is optional on all
versions, for 1,250 euros.) Other optional extras
include rear parking sensors (300 euros), cargo box (150
euros) and privacy glass (150 euros), while a Skydome
panoramic sunroof can also be specified – although at
1,000 euros, the take-up rate on this feature is
unlikely to be particularly high. Four different option
‘packs’ are available, including a ‘Techno’ package
which includes Blue&Me Tom Tom 2.
The mid-range level is called ‘Easy’ and comes in three
versions, two petrol and one diesel. The petrols
comprise of the 1.2 69 CV and 0.9 TwinAir 85 CV (99 g/km
CO2 and 4.2 l/100 km). The former is 10,950 euros while
the new two-cylinder unit costs 12,450 euros. The third
engine option on the ‘Easy’ level is the 1.3 Multijet
turbodiesel, which is priced at 13,150 euros. To the
Pop’s specification, the ‘Easy’ adds a remote control
for the central locking, rear headrests, roof bars and
CD/MP3 radio with six speakers.
The range is topped off by the ‘Lounge’ specification
level which shares the same trio of engines as the
‘Easy’ trim. In this application, the 1.2 costs 12,200
euros, the 0.9 TwinAir is listed at 13,700 euros, and
the 1.3 Multijet is the highest-priced model at 14,400
euros. As well as air conditioning, this variant’s
specification includes foglamps, body-colour mirrors and
doorhandles, bumper rubbing strips, and
height-adjustable driver’s seat.
While the Panda’s prices undercut those of its new main
rival, the recently-launched Volkswagen up!, by a few
hundred euros spec-for-spec, equipment levels are
broadly similar. However, this is not the whole story,
since it can be anticipated that the Skoda and SEAT
versions of the up! will undercut the Panda. Given the
group’s stated aim to sell 250,000 units of their city
car across all three brands, it is likely Fiat will need
to either add equipment or cut the price somewhat on the
Panda to keep it competitive in the medium-term.
New Model: New Fiat Panda
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