I'm on the verge of getting rid of my Sporting. Considering buying a low mileage 100HP. How does the handling of the 100HP differ compared to likes of my current Panda? The worst thing about the Sporting is the feeling that it wants to roll over when you go round a roundabout!

That is one feeling you will not get out of the 100HP. It will go round RAB's at silly speeds but will understeer and slide rather than roll if you come in too quick.

On my winters (60 series and too high offset) it's not perfect but no rolling.
On summertires (195/50's) from a reputable brand it will go round roundabouts at the mentioned silly speed and hardly understeer. Downside are speedbumps.

gr J

buttonsandzips said:

I'm on the verge of getting rid of my Sporting. Considering buying a low mileage 100HP. How does the handling of the 100HP differ compared to likes of my current Panda? The worst thing about the Sporting is the feeling that it wants to roll over when you go round a roundabout!

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My Dynamic with 500 rear axle corners like a go-kart.

Check your tyre clearance to inside of wheel arch. I used a piece of planed 35 x 19 mm timber held vertical against the tyre. It showed there was still a good clearance so in went the wider axle.

The only thing limiting the grip going round corners in the 100HP seems to be the drivers nerve - in the dry! I love this car, its grip is totally bonkers!!!

when the panda lets go, its a bit viscious.

i prefer the handling of my cinq sporting personally. i wouldnt trust the panda on the limit, the cinq is more predictable.

The standard Panda rolls a lot which will peel the tyre reads off the road and then you are on your way to the scene of the crash.

If you have the skills a 500 axle could be modified to have the same track as a Panda 169. The axle is a heavily over specced steel fabrication with no fancy technology. Cutting the welding the bracket would be much easier than trying to transplant a 500 ARB into a 169 axle. These axles are not the height of precision manufacturing, so (while I'm not suggesting it should be done in a clumsy way), its likely the wheels are not ideally aligned from the factory and could be improved with shims under the hub carrier. The same applies to a modified axle.

This is the 169 Panda wheel hub carrier bracket (rust wasn't as bad as it looks).



This is the 500 axle wheel hub carrier - identical except for the wider overhang and more importantly the built in anti roll bar. The 500 runs 30% softer springs than the Panda but I doubt the car is any lighter weight.

In 60K miles and not without some severe provocaiton I have never ever felt the car feel like letting go. Occasionally on slippery roads it will under steer if driving in an insane manner. I suspect if anything untoward occurs its because something is mechanically wrong. Tyres will of course have a severe impact.

My 1200 Dynamic handles MUCH better with it's 500 rear axle. Also much less body roll and with the 500 springs a smoother ride.

The good news is I bought a 100hp today. Test drive was great, so much nicer to drive than my sporting.

Next mission - sell the Sporting!