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General Panda Cross on new Fifth Gear

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General Panda Cross on new Fifth Gear

Great review of the FIAT Panda Cross Twinair on Fifth Gear.

Driven by Tiff, I feared the worst as he usually hates cheaper Italian stuff but against a Defender 90 being driven through a challenging off road quarry course by a off road instructor, the Panda easily won.

Lots of positives & didn't say anything negative. Gobsmaked!
 
Squadrone Rosso said:
Great review of the FIAT Panda Cross Twinair on Fifth Gear.

Driven by Tiff, I feared the worst as he usually hates cheaper Italian stuff but against a Defender 90 being driven through a challenging off road quarry course by a off road instructor, the Panda easily won.

Lots of positives & didn't say anything negative. Gobsmaked!
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Agreed - a very nice review. Good to see that car scampering around the place in a very Tread Lightly kinda way (which was always the Land Rover mission statement ironically). I suspect that final knock-out blow when the Defender sank up to its axles in gloop was partially staged, but it did make a very good point indeed!

Still prefer the slightly less Tonka-Toy looks of my normal 4x4 in Tuscany Green, but what a great advert all round for the car (y)
 
AB100 said:
I'd rather the BBC made a proper motoring programme rather than that light entertainment tat - let ITV/Sky pay for the silly wages it requires. It's barely different to Last of the summer wine - three old(ish) blokes makes ****s of themselves.

I'd also rather they dumped Clarkson and bought someone unknown and knowledgable at less money. But they won't. It's all very tired.
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Serendipity? I wrote that note a week ago.............


At least 5th Gear is a motoring programme. Good to see the Panda getting respect.
 
That review (and many others) is actually slightly misleading.

Yes, the Cross has more ground clearance than the 'normal' 4x4, but only by a couple of millimenters, and that is entirely owing to the 185/65x15 tyres being slightly bigger diameter than the 175/65x15 on the normal 4x4. (159mm normal and 161 Cross). The suspension etc is identical.

And then the 'hype' about the Terrain Control... that too is misleading. All Panda 4x4's have that 'auto' setting (the normal car simply doesn't have a light to show you - that's the 'standard' set-up anyway). The 'offroad' setting on the Cross's dial has exactly the same effect as pressing the 'ELD' button on the 4x4 - providing full time 4x4 and ELD as required (up to 31mph)

Its only the hill descent control that is unique to the Cross.

So, in theory, at least on the uphill parts of that course, the 'normal' 4x4 would do just as well. And with the diesel engine's engine braking, similar results going down to, I'd suggest.

Still - it's impressive stuff! (on YouTube here; )
 
Yes, OK, but the Cross has got a knob, whereas the 4x4 only has a button.

Speaking personally, I'd rather have a knob (y)

(And you can get a Cross in Yellow :D)
 
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gar074 said:
Yes, OK, but the Cross has got a knob, whereas the 4x4 only has a button.

Speaking personally, I'd rather have a knob (y)

(And you can get a Cross in Yellow :D)
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There lies the crux. I'd take the yellow, not fussed about the rest.
 
Cant get a new car till june. I cant wait as it has to be a panda cross in either red or yellow. Saw a yellow cross on the cat and fiddle road (think its called that) it looked awesome.
 
Can't get over how mental they look in yellow :slayer:

That's the colour they're using for all the advertising too (although that newspaper ad featuring a yellow Cross perched on four bollards is pretty pants tbh).

Looking forward to getting mine really muddy! (y)
 
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Herts Hillhopper said:
That review (and many others) is actually slightly misleading.

Yes, the Cross has more ground clearance than the 'normal' 4x4, but only by a couple of millimenters, and that is entirely owing to the 185/65x15 tyres being slightly bigger diameter than the 175/65x15 on the normal 4x4. (159mm normal and 161 Cross). The suspension etc is identical.

And then the 'hype' about the Terrain Control... that too is misleading. All Panda 4x4's have that 'auto' setting (the normal car simply doesn't have a light to show you - that's the 'standard' set-up anyway). The 'offroad' setting on the Cross's dial has exactly the same effect as pressing the 'ELD' button on the 4x4 - providing full time 4x4 and ELD as required (up to 31mph)

Its only the hill descent control that is unique to the Cross.

So, in theory, at least on the uphill parts of that course, the 'normal' 4x4 would do just as well. And with the diesel engine's engine braking, similar results going down to, I'd suggest.

Still - it's impressive stuff!
Click to expand...

Agreed Pete - well put! And with downhill power-braking (it works, as I tried it the other day), you can have the same control on the way down too. I did like the way that the Defender sank up to its axles in the good though - very good point, well made I think :)
 
I do wonder if the defender getting stuck was staged but i have to admit, that video has made my mind up, as soon as i can get out of the finance deal, im getting a cross, i love the silver bits, god nows what my grandad will say when i take him church lol
 
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