General 2012 New Panda - all comments here please :)
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General 2012 New Panda - all comments here please :)
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Don't see your reasoning there. The Panda is newer, more useful, and getting rave reviews from all the motoring press. The 500 is now several years old and apart from the pretty dash, there is nothing else to shout about.
babbo_umbro
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I agree with your comments about the 500 - apart from the dash which I think is one of its worst features - I've never liked it and don't understand why anyone would buy it rather than a Panda, with the possible exceptions of the Abarth versions - but it's been a commercial success for Fiat (though outsold by the Panda), so what do I know?
At the end of the day the Panda's starting price is £8900, which is around £1000 more than the VW Up!, which isn't really what i'd call its closest rival, but is what i fear many magazines will compare it to. However, the extra £1000 gets you a 5dr (the £7995 Up! is 3dr) and a more powerful engine. The base model Up! (Take Up!) also does without kit like electric windows (according to the Press), which the Panda Pop (anyone else remember those?) has, so it's fairly easy for Fiat to justify the price. I agree it looks high, but the price for the entire market is too high, not just the Panda.
Mid-Spec Move Up! is £8970, which has similar kit levels to the Panda Easy (ie aircon), costing £9550, so the gap is again pretty reasonable considering the extra doors & 1.2 69bhp engine compared to VWs newer but less powerful 1.0 60bhp unit.
Finally the Panda Lounge, which is £10,050 with the 1.2 69bhp engine. The VW High Up! is £10,390. It has a 1.0 75bhp engine so an extra 6bhp but still has only 3 doors.
Depends what you want i suppose but given the Panda also has other more powerful engines that the Up! doesn't, includes a diesel, and looks like it'll be far more competent at dealing with a variety of roads that can make the Up! look (at least physically) out of its depth (ie motorway), i think it's a pretty good effort & is priced in-line with the market.
Mid-Spec Move Up! is £8970, which has similar kit levels to the Panda Easy (ie aircon), costing £9550, so the gap is again pretty reasonable considering the extra doors & 1.2 69bhp engine compared to VWs newer but less powerful 1.0 60bhp unit.
Finally the Panda Lounge, which is £10,050 with the 1.2 69bhp engine. The VW High Up! is £10,390. It has a 1.0 75bhp engine so an extra 6bhp but still has only 3 doors.
Depends what you want i suppose but given the Panda also has other more powerful engines that the Up! doesn't, includes a diesel, and looks like it'll be far more competent at dealing with a variety of roads that can make the Up! look (at least physically) out of its depth (ie motorway), i think it's a pretty good effort & is priced in-line with the market.
I'm starting to think that the new Mk4 2012 Panda has been priced high to allow the 2012 "Panda Classic" (the continuing Mk3) to sit below it in the price list as the base car without devaluing the stock of 2011 Mk3 Panda.
In RHD you can only get the 2012 "Panda Classic" in basic Active spec, but LHD markets get a full range of 2012 "Panda Classic" (Mk3) including 4x4.
In RHD you can only get the 2012 "Panda Classic" in basic Active spec, but LHD markets get a full range of 2012 "Panda Classic" (Mk3) including 4x4.
Don't forget, the 5dr VW is following a few months after the 3dr launch.
Also, the Panda , at least in the UK has always been many thousands cheaper after discounts than the 500.
The 500 has traditionally been hard to get money off. Dealers here only have about 6% margin on them.
So the Panda is way cheaper, although to be honest, I see many more 500's on the road than Pandas (in the UK)
Also, the Panda , at least in the UK has always been many thousands cheaper after discounts than the 500.
The 500 has traditionally been hard to get money off. Dealers here only have about 6% margin on them.
So the Panda is way cheaper, although to be honest, I see many more 500's on the road than Pandas (in the UK)
pandissimo
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Top Gear review latest the Panda
James May drove it around the test track. He said " Lots of fun... engine goes grrrrr grrrrrrr, brrrrrmm brmmm, hahahaha, grrrrr.. brrrmmm brmmmm grrr grrrr hahahahah". Then Stig loaded the car up with three Very Fat People to demonstrate Newton's Second Law of Motion (F=MA) and May summed up by saying the New New Panda was more fun than a souped up Corsa covered in NerdBerg Ring decals.
Car looked great I thought, in a similar Asbo Orange to mine. New dash seems attractive, as does growly TwinAir.
James May drove it around the test track. He said " Lots of fun... engine goes grrrrr grrrrrrr, brrrrrmm brmmm, hahahaha, grrrrr.. brrrmmm brmmmm grrr grrrr hahahahah". Then Stig loaded the car up with three Very Fat People to demonstrate Newton's Second Law of Motion (F=MA) and May summed up by saying the New New Panda was more fun than a souped up Corsa covered in NerdBerg Ring decals.
Car looked great I thought, in a similar Asbo Orange to mine. New dash seems attractive, as does growly TwinAir.
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
It was a shame it wasn't a more in depth review but thats not 'Top gear' is it!
The new car looked good, shame James quoted a price of a higher spec one, to me the huge apeal of the Panda is the value of the basic models.
That twin air looks like a great little engine, I wonder how that Corsa would have coped with the fat people on board?? Did you see the guy eating crisps whilst James did a 'peice to camera' after the run LOL!!
It was a shame it wasn't a more in depth review but thats not 'Top gear' is it!
The new car looked good, shame James quoted a price of a higher spec one, to me the huge apeal of the Panda is the value of the basic models.
That twin air looks like a great little engine, I wonder how that Corsa would have coped with the fat people on board?? Did you see the guy eating crisps whilst James did a 'peice to camera' after the run LOL!!
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
Loved the review of the new Panda. The sound of that engine! Twin air one is the one to have, obviously. If they make one with 110bhp then it could be a go-er. Who cares about the boring basic models?
Pandissimo, never, ever blaspheme about the Nurburgring.
The EVO review was similar, said that at last they have sorted out the ride/handling issues and gave it 4 stars. Sounds promising.
Loved the review of the new Panda. The sound of that engine! Twin air one is the one to have, obviously. If they make one with 110bhp then it could be a go-er. Who cares about the boring basic models?
Pandissimo, never, ever blaspheme about the Nurburgring.
The EVO review was similar, said that at last they have sorted out the ride/handling issues and gave it 4 stars. Sounds promising.
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I quite agree with you here.
The one lesson Fiat will have learnt from the 500 is not to set the opening price too low. When the 500 first came out four years ago you could get a 1.2 Pop for £7900. Since then we've seen increase after increase year after year in line with demand - good for Fiat perhaps but not so good for customers. I wouldn't say people on the 500 forum are disillusioned by any means, but there is an element of "Oh here we go again, another price rise".
At least if you set your prices high rather than low then you will have room to manoevure later down the line if the car doesn't sell. And I agree with others on here that there probably will be discounts on the Panda (still don't know how the 500 manages to escape this but there you go).
My one criticism of the new range probably is the Panda Pop (name aside!
). Despite the marketing bumf it really doesn't appear to come with a great deal for £8900. The Easy and Lounge trims seem to offer quite a bit more for relatively small price increases.pandissimo
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Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
"Pandissimo, never, ever blaspheme about the Nurburgring. "
Haha. I worked nearby for some years.The lunchtime occupation was to stand outside the office watching the recovery services dragging the remains of mangled Brit rent-a-wreck hatchbacks back to the docks.
To this day, there is no more giggle-inspiring sight than pulling up behind a purple Vauxhall Corsa with an Ebay NerdBerg sticker on the back. Anyone taken a 1.1 Eco round there yet?
I like the up-spec Pandas, and the re-style of the New New Panda, air-con I can live without, but the split rear seat is a must have. I hope the New New (New2) Pandas have them .
"Pandissimo, never, ever blaspheme about the Nurburgring. "
Haha. I worked nearby for some years.The lunchtime occupation was to stand outside the office watching the recovery services dragging the remains of mangled Brit rent-a-wreck hatchbacks back to the docks.
To this day, there is no more giggle-inspiring sight than pulling up behind a purple Vauxhall Corsa with an Ebay NerdBerg sticker on the back. Anyone taken a 1.1 Eco round there yet?
I like the up-spec Pandas, and the re-style of the New New Panda, air-con I can live without, but the split rear seat is a must have. I hope the New New (New2) Pandas have them .
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
I loved that review - top marks to James May - he is the only one to 'get' the less-is-more approach to motoring. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to a TopGear filming a few years ago and he is a genuinely lovely bloke and in my view keeps the show (relatively) grounded.
His views on the Ring have a lot of truth in them and it's a shame that the place has lost all its stealthy cloak-and-dagger existance - 20 years ago it was genuinely the worlds best kept secret. My track car at the time evolved almost to Ring perfection - stiffer shell, stiffer suspension, better balanced, more powerful, biger brakes, stickier tyres, faster, lighter etc etc - and very effective it was too. But I had to sell it eventually as it was such a pain in the ar$e on the roads in the UK and our visits to the Ring became far less frequent as the place become mobbed by herberts.
I was one of those questioning the new Panda a few months ago, worried that it was too big, too pricey and might lose that muckabout appeal. Having seen it in action last night for the first time however, I think I need not worry. All very good news. And in fact on a wet day on an empty Ring, the new Panda would be a hoot too....
I loved that review - top marks to James May - he is the only one to 'get' the less-is-more approach to motoring. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to a TopGear filming a few years ago and he is a genuinely lovely bloke and in my view keeps the show (relatively) grounded.
His views on the Ring have a lot of truth in them and it's a shame that the place has lost all its stealthy cloak-and-dagger existance - 20 years ago it was genuinely the worlds best kept secret. My track car at the time evolved almost to Ring perfection - stiffer shell, stiffer suspension, better balanced, more powerful, biger brakes, stickier tyres, faster, lighter etc etc - and very effective it was too. But I had to sell it eventually as it was such a pain in the ar$e on the roads in the UK and our visits to the Ring became far less frequent as the place become mobbed by herberts.
I was one of those questioning the new Panda a few months ago, worried that it was too big, too pricey and might lose that muckabout appeal. Having seen it in action last night for the first time however, I think I need not worry. All very good news. And in fact on a wet day on an empty Ring, the new Panda would be a hoot too....
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
Agree will all here - Top Gear mostly resembles 'The Banana Splits' most of the time and only James May has any kind of real appreciation of motoring. A latter day LJK Setright but without the beard and fingernails.
Panda looks are yet to grow on me, but like TDQ said, that engine note is a marvel. Stick a pancake filter and tube exhaust on it and you're away!
I'm not chucking 11 grand at one though. Wait and see I guess..........
Agree will all here - Top Gear mostly resembles 'The Banana Splits' most of the time and only James May has any kind of real appreciation of motoring. A latter day LJK Setright but without the beard and fingernails.
Panda looks are yet to grow on me, but like TDQ said, that engine note is a marvel. Stick a pancake filter and tube exhaust on it and you're away!
I'm not chucking 11 grand at one though. Wait and see I guess..........
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
"Who cares about the boring basic models?
"
Erm , people like us who's only way into a new car is via a basic one!
"Who cares about the boring basic models?
Erm , people like us who's only way into a new car is via a basic one!
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
I do like the new Panda a lot, and might consider one if I get bored of mine in a couple of years time. That said at £11k it is just too expensive, but I am guessing you can get big discounts on it.
I think the new Panda is trying to be a slightly premium city car, which will be of better quality than the i10, C1 etc.
I am imagine the new VW up will be its biggest threat.
I do like the new Panda a lot, and might consider one if I get bored of mine in a couple of years time. That said at £11k it is just too expensive, but I am guessing you can get big discounts on it.
I think the new Panda is trying to be a slightly premium city car, which will be of better quality than the i10, C1 etc.
I am imagine the new VW up will be its biggest threat.
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
There's a place in the market for the sub-£6k new car and FIAT will be turning its back on its roots if it walks away from it.
IMHO they would do well to maintain production of the current model in basic form at Tychy so that they still have an offering for 'people like us' who just want a cheap to buy & run new car without the frills. They can even paint 'em all white for all I care...
"Who cares about the boring basic models?"
Erm , people like us who's only way into a new car is via a basic one!
There's a place in the market for the sub-£6k new car and FIAT will be turning its back on its roots if it walks away from it.
IMHO they would do well to maintain production of the current model in basic form at Tychy so that they still have an offering for 'people like us' who just want a cheap to buy & run new car without the frills. They can even paint 'em all white for all I care...
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paul100hp
Member
Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
I guess they will have a Basic Pop version, an Easy and a Lounge just like the new Punto and the 500 before that. I would expect the Pop to be just under 8K, otherwise they will be missing out on sales to the likes of Hyundai and Kia etc.
Although i wont be getting one, I thing it looks disgusting . :yuck:
I guess they will have a Basic Pop version, an Easy and a Lounge just like the new Punto and the 500 before that. I would expect the Pop to be just under 8K, otherwise they will be missing out on sales to the likes of Hyundai and Kia etc.
Although i wont be getting one, I thing it looks disgusting . :yuck:
paul100hp
Member
New panda prices
New panda prices are on the fiat website. from £8,990, to £12,250
New panda prices are on the fiat website. from £8,990, to £12,250
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Re: Top Gear review latest the Panda
The stickied thread, curiously named 2011 Panda has all the price details in, that i posted yesterday.
However, the £11k (approx) is for the TwinAir & Multijet engines. The 1.2 starts at £8900 for the Pop but rises in fairly small increments to £9550 for the Easy (with AirCon) and £10,050 for top spec Lounge (alloys & more), which compares fairly with the VW Up! I don't think the Up! is really like the Panda (the Panda is more like a Suzuki Splash/Hyundai I10) but it's the VW & Fiat that i fear will be compared most.
For info & those who don't wanna read the other thread, the full prices are here:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/278437/fiat_panda_prices_announced.html
The stickied thread, curiously named 2011 Panda has all the price details in, that i posted yesterday.
However, the £11k (approx) is for the TwinAir & Multijet engines. The 1.2 starts at £8900 for the Pop but rises in fairly small increments to £9550 for the Easy (with AirCon) and £10,050 for top spec Lounge (alloys & more), which compares fairly with the VW Up! I don't think the Up! is really like the Panda (the Panda is more like a Suzuki Splash/Hyundai I10) but it's the VW & Fiat that i fear will be compared most.
For info & those who don't wanna read the other thread, the full prices are here:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/278437/fiat_panda_prices_announced.html
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