General New Grande Panda

[JTD_Liam]

Im looking strongly at the La Prima Hybrid, just hope the 1.2 engine is powerful enough. The 1.2 hybrid is not that strong on motorways, though it will go on forever!

We've got the last generation equivalent...1.2 T puretech none hybrid. In terms of performance they seem about similar i.e. 0-60 between 9-10 seconds.

Although the newer version with the pesky mods to make it not explode in an expensive manner are less powerful in BHP terms (99 Vs 108) the torque which is the defining characteristic of the engine remains unchanged at 151lb/ft and I seem to recall the electricity is worth 12bhp on top.

They seem to gear the Puretech long as peak torque is low so motorways have never bothered it..a friend assures me 95 miles an hour is about 3500rpm and it could hold that all day...of course they may change the gear ratios for the automatic dual clutch but usually they seem to gear them long.

I've not driven the Hybrid, but I have driven the 100bhp 1.2 pure petrol in the Jeep Avenger, which has a 6 speed manual gearbox & that felt as nippy pulling away & on the move as my current 1.4 T-Jet 120 Tipo, including on the motorway. My only reservations were that the Avenger felt very light & twitchy at motorway speed, but the Panda could be a totally different ball game owing to the different platform.

The T-Jet in my Tipo has more 'shove' which is to be expected as it's got 20 more bhp & an extra cylinder, but I'd have no qualms going for the 1.2 100bhp from a performance perspective. It sounds quite fun because of the 3 cylinder thrum, too. And now they've done away with the stupid wet belt system & use a regular cam chain, it hopefully won't self destruct after a few years. Obviously the Grande Panda has the auto gearbox, but from what I've read they're pretty smooth & a far cry from the awful Dualogic boxes from older Fiat's. Offering it as a manual wouldn't hurt though.

 

[JayAre]

someone on YT pointed out no front fog lights on the Grande Panda

or can LEDs do pixie tricks?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

someone on YT pointed out no front fog lights on the Grande Panda

or can LEDs do pixie tricks?

Must be - regs say they must be there, shirley?

 

[JayAre]

Must be - regs say they must be there, shirley?

rears yes, fronts no