Was supposed to restart on Monday, now postponed indefinitely.

Too few posts to enable me to insert a link, but the story is on the Italian site automoto.it

The story link is here:
https://www.automoto.it/news/fiat-panda-la-produzione-a-pomigliano-non-riparte.html

Does it mean not going to restart 'ever' or only 'for a while yet', if there's a backlog of existing stock?

Here's Google's attempt to translate the story:

The production of the Fiat Panda in Pomigliano d'Arco will not resume as expected on June 8th: due to the contraction in volumes due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic of COVID-19, the restart of the lines in Pomigliano is postponed to a date to be destined . Even the queen of the Italian car market, therefore, must prostrate herself to the collapse of demand in recent months.

The auto market in Italy, after the vertical drop in April, in which registrations fell by 97%, still showed difficulties in May, recording a decrease of 50% compared to the same period last year. Hence the decision by Fiat not to resume production of the Panda in the set times.

Of the 4,485 workers at the Pomigliano d'Arco plant, most will remain on layoffs; the rest, however, will work in the Sevel plant in Atessa, in Abruzzo, where commercial vehicles are produced. "The signals launched by the market are still too weak to allow continuity", the union unions explain, which have been advised by FCA that at the moment it is not possible to establish a precise date for the resumption of production activities in Pomigliano: it is too much uncertainty about the market trend to decide.

I read that as, not going to restart yet.

I suspect they cannot get all their 'just in time' deliveries to the line organised

The Govt bail out was aimed at @140 supplier companies.. only takes 1 issue to stop production..

Given how long must be left on panda production it may not ever start back up it's the current form the fire engine series are dead or winding up production the 1.2 has finished and I bet the 1.4 won't be far behind
No diesel's car engine's after this year either

so it's only current stockpiles of those engines then will need to be re tooled

I suspect most of Fiat's lines up will be tweaked this year or early next year for the newer firefly engines

Where is the hybrid being built?

varesecrazy said:

Where is the hybrid being built?

Click to expand...

Hybrid panda?
Or the firefly hybrid engine that's in the 500 and the non hybrid engine that's in the 500x




If so I think these engines are made in Poland

Looking back at my first up close view of the Panda 11 months after launched here (a red Pop) though I'd seen a blue liveried Lounge 6 months ago elsewhere, I thought "what a great car". Looked far better built and not much more expensive. Owned 5 now. Not sure I'd own another if specs hadn't changed for the worse. But will miss model when it's gone. Always been a bit different.

The article states "postponed till a date to be decided".

chris3234 said:

Hybrid panda?
Or the firefly hybrid engine that's in the 500 and the non hybrid engine that's in the 500x
If so I think these engines are made in Poland

Click to expand...

This one - https://www.fiat.co.uk/hybrid-cars/panda-hybrid-launch-edition

Herts Hillhopper said:

This one - https://www.fiat.co.uk/hybrid-cars/panda-hybrid-launch-edition

Click to expand...

Ah hadn't seen the panda hybrid been announced before

Why launch a hybrid then it's demise is sealed a few weeks later....... Makes no economic sense. The way things are now no factory will retool for new models as they have no idea if sales will improve. My feel is the current production is on hold till things get better. The present Panda in my opinion will still be with us for some time to come.

I don’t think the article should be taken to say ‘stopping for ever’, just says ‘they’re not restarting yet’. Same with many car plants (and indeed several other factory types too) at the moment.

murphyv310 said:

Why launch a hybrid then it's demise is sealed a few weeks later....... Makes no economic sense. The way things are now no factory will retool for new models as they have no idea if sales will improve. My feel is the current production is on hold till things get better. The present Panda in my opinion will still be with us for some time to come.

Click to expand...

The panda it's current bodywork ect Will be
The engine will likely be changing as soon as the stock Poole of 1.2 engine's has run out

1.2 FIRE engine production has already been stopt, and the factory is in the process to be retooled for 1.0 Firefly engine production.
Sadly the 1.0 Hybrid 70 hp engined Panda is very slow.

I’ve had a 4x4 on order since March. I’m reconciled to not getting it.

Fiat trailed a number of dates for restarting the Panda line, the most recent one of which was Monday. Now they’re saying they can’t even give a date.

It’s a model that was long in the tooth, and not selling terribly well even its domestic market. I think we have to accept it’s had its day. The focus will now be on its PSA-derived successor.

Out of interest .. what small 4x4 are they producing...
Chevrons..Griffin..or Lion

My in laws Griffin was ordered same week as my punto.. arrived 5 months later.. from Korea

Remember it's not just Fiat that have halted production of some models. Why produce vehicles when no one or very few are buying. It makes no sense in this difficult time. Also there will be many absentees from work due to Covid-19 and of course those that have concerns of returning to work, Italy was hard hit remember.
Let's not paint a bleak picture about the Panda, don't be negative and let's not be like FB and start rumours when we don't have the full facts.

From 2017 to Present there are rumors and stories of a facelift for the Panda.
Till to date there has been nothing except for Cross models and now with the 1.0 Firefly Hybrid engine.
I don't see high sales of that t.b.h.
But it would be wise for FIAT to develop the Peugeot 208 Based Centoventi, Panda replacement ASAP.
It would mean, ICE, ICE Hybrid, and EV, Panda versions available.

I think now with almost no production going on, it is the best time to retool the factories for new products.

It cost to much money to start up old Panda Production, and then in less then 2 years stop production again and retool for the new Panda production, i.m.h.o.
Al the facelift development can be implemented in the New (Peugeot 208 based) Panda.

Panda sales in 2019 were over 9% higher than in 2018 - so the idea that it's in decline is not borne out by the numbers.