Next Generation Fiat Panda to Be Introduced at Frankfurt

The first generation Fiat Panda was made for 23 years. The second generation made it for 8 years. Fiat announced today that the third generation Panda will debut in a few weeks at the Frankfurt Motor Show featuring a slightly larger, redesigned body and double the engine options. 

Fiat knows that the Panda is its bread and butter people's car and that it needs to be inexpensive and versatile. The Panda has grown slightly for its new generation. The third generation is about 100mm longer, about 60mm wider and about 20mm shorter. 

The front end is totally new with a higher, blunter nose and headlights set higher. The sides are an evolution of the previous Panda retaining the smaller third window in the back, but it is better integrated into the total styling and sculpted into the tail lights. The tail lights now just use the area adjacent to the rear glass. You can still see the old Panda in the new generation, but it has been pleasantly modernized. 

The interior sees a major upgrade thanks to contrasting details that make it look more light and airy. The instrument panel is also significantly better. It does away with the previous single, large group of gauges for two pods containing the speedometer and tachometer with an information display in the middle. All around it looks like a much better place to spend your driving time. 

Fiat will offer the Blue&Me TomTom Live device that combines navigation, Bluetooth and infotainment into one portable unit. 

The other major news for the third-gen Panda is the large range of engines doubling what was previously available. The three versions of Fiat's 900cc Twinair engine are new for the Panda. Initially, only the Twinair Turbo making 85hp and the normally aspirated version making 65hp will be available. Later, Fiat will introduce  the Twinair Turbo Natural Power that makes 80hp and can be fueled with either petrol or methane. The Panda continues to be available with the 1.2 liter engine making 69hp and a version of the engine that can be fueled with either petrol or natural gas will come later. Finally, the 1.3 liter diesel is also still available making 75hp. 

Fiat already has plans for the future of the new Panda. The 4x4 version will come later, as will an automatic transmission for the Twinair engines. Fiat also has an adaptive braking system coming sometime in the first year of sales that can detect hazards when traveling under 30km/h and will brake the car automatically. 

Production of the third generation Panda will begin in the fourth quarter of 2011, but Fiat did not announce when the car will find its way into dealers or if there will be any changes to the car's price. Expect more information from Frankfurt starting September 13.