I've just posted this in the 4x4 thread but thought it maybe of interest to others (including those thinking of the Trekking). I found this link to the Italian Panda brochure hopefully the UK version will be around any day now.

http://www.fiat.it/it/PublishingImages/e-brochure/319/files/assets/downloads/publication.pdf

I've also attached it to the posting in the 4x4 thread.

Phil

Interesting.
And it seems the Italians lack their own words to express the concepts simply, more, design, quality, genius, everywhere, respect and creativity. Or does it just look better in English?

Thanks for that. It's good to see some printed figures of fuel consumption of all the models.

So will the Twin Air Trekking still emit less than 100 so that it gets in the London congestion charge zone for nothing ? even if it's got power windows and aircon ?

Fiat Lux said:

So will the Twin Air Trekking still emit less than 100 so that it gets in the London congestion charge zone for nothing ? even if it's got power windows and aircon ?

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Have a look at this thread.... Sorry....

homeward said:

Have a look at this thread.... Sorry....

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Beat me too it. Lol.

Fiat Lux said:

So will the Twin Air Trekking still emit less than 100 so that it gets in the London congestion charge zone for nothing ? even if it's got power windows and aircon ?

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the trekking TA emits 105 g/km so was outside of the current limit never mind the new limit. You'll have to pay or get an electric car.

There's a fair bit of marketing hyperbole oozing across the pages - as you'd expect, but a bit worse than usual - largely trying to plug the designed for function theme, but including interesting references to (what I see as) the two most glaring external styling weaknesses, declaring them both to be strengths, of course - the "smiley" frontal aspect and the continuity in the line of the side windows so that it looks like one single piece of glass - unfortunately, unlike the Mk3, that is precisely what the new side aspect does not do. Methinks they do protest too much.

The 4x4 and Trekking have the Lounge list of features, including the height-adjustable driver's seat, plus heated external mirrors and all the transmission gizmos as standard, but without the option of upgrading the air con to climate control, which seems a weird and retrograde step.

The poor sod sitting in the back, using a laptop with his legs stretched out on the folded-forward front passenger seat would surely be excruciatingly uncomfortable and could suffer permanent knee ligament damage. It also looks as though that front seat could prevent (or at least doesn't help with) long thin items going through the hatch and forward into the passenger footwell, as discussed in another thread.

There's a lot of techie detail, including the effect of the ECO option on TwinAir engine output.

I'd like the fold down passenger seat, though I don't think that is an option on the 4x4 or Trekking? Other than that, I'm looking to tick all the boxes, with the exception of side airbags as that prevents selecting the 5-seat option. I don't really need the 5 seats most of the time, however it will come in very handy every now and again.

4x4Panda said:

I'd like the fold down passenger seat, though I don't think that is an option on the 4x4 or Trekking? Other than that, I'm looking to tick all the boxes, with the exception of side airbags as that prevents selecting the 5-seat option. I don't really need the 5 seats most of the time, however it will come in very handy every now and again.

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No - the Pack Flex 4 Posti - foldable into table passenger seat and split and to and fro movable rear seat is an option in the 4x4 and Trekking in the Italian brochure.

Sorry - as is the 5 seat flexible set up - table front seat 60/40 split rear seat cargo box

Hi - thanks very much for clarifying.

Happy New Year

babbo_umbro said:

Sorry - as is the 5 seat flexible set up - table front seat 60/40 split rear seat cargo box

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Thanks for the info there.

Word of advice for 4x4 Panda - when you come to order this, make sure you have a look at the prices for each individual component of the Flex Pack. In our Panda the 60/40 split rear seats, 5 seatbelts, cargo box and passenger table were all ordered as separate items. When I looked at the items included in the Flex Pack (at the time at least), it was actually cheaper to order the items separately.

Not sure if they have sorted this out or not but it might save you a bit of wedge!

Note: just checked the standard Panda and the Flex Pack is £500 with what looks like no more than £350 worth of individual options. Great work Fiat!

Further to my post above, I thought I would try and have a look at the FIAT UK website for both the Trekking and 4x4 versions.

The Trekking content doesn't appear to be available at all; it is listed under the New Panda section below the Lounge, but whatever I tried doesn't work (I am using Google Chrome by the way).

The 4x4 section does seem to work, and there are two Flex options available at£500.

5-SEAT FLEX PACK - comes with 5 seat 60/40 split rear seats (£50), 3 rear seatbelts (£50), height adjustable drivers seat (£50), smoking kit (£50) and comfort kit (£100) = £300 worth of options.

FLEX PACK 1 - 4 seats with 50/50 sliding rear seat (£200), height adjustable drivers seat (£50), smoking kit (£50) and comfort kit (£100) = £400 worth of options.

What an utter shambles...

Is the 'fold to table' passenger seat mentioned?

All these little idiosyncrasies are why i want to see FIAT actually commit themselves to a printed brochure BEFORE I place an order...

I'm guessing that will be 6 months away, as they have rather missed out on this winter!

4x4Panda said:

Is the 'fold to table' passenger seat mentioned?

All these little idiosyncrasies are why i want to see FIAT actually commit themselves to a printed brochure BEFORE I place an order...

I'm guessing that will be 6 months away, as they have rather missed out on this winter!

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It doesn't appear to be on the UK configurator for the 4x4 version, no. But I think my "research" demonstrates that the UK configurator is about as useful as a chocolate teapot, so maybe it's not worth worrying after all!

I just checked my sales documents and the code for the passenger seat table is 295. I had a look at the Italian PDF brochure quoted at the top of this thread and the same option is available. More importantly, it's available for both the Trekking and 4x4 versions according to the Italian PDF.

In short - ask your dealer to check by code number and that will confirm whether the option is available. I'd just forget about the marketing bumf as it's obviously a load of cack.

babbo_umbro said:

The poor sod sitting in the back, using a laptop with his legs stretched out on the folded-forward front passenger seat would surely be excruciatingly uncomfortable and could suffer permanent knee ligament damage. It also looks as though that front seat could prevent (or at least doesn't help with) long thin items going through the hatch and forward into the passenger footwell, as discussed in another thread.

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I've actually sat in the back of ours for a short journey and stretched my legs out over the passenger table; it's not brilliant in terms of comfort but if you used some pillows to support your knees and back then it's a lot better. That said, I don't think many people will be doing it!

Also - you seem obsessed with getting your timber in the footwell, lol! If you desperately need to wedge the wood in, you could use the passenger bin along with a bit of cloth? Otherwise it will just lay flat on top of the seats which is pretty much the easiest way you could wish to do it. Or am I missing a trick here?

Super Uwe said:

I've actually sat in the back of ours for a short journey and stretched my legs out over the passenger table; it's not brilliant in terms of comfort but if you used some pillows to support your knees and back then it's a lot better. That said, I don't think many people will be doing it!

Also - you seem obsessed with getting your timber in the footwell, lol! If you desperately need to wedge the wood in, you could use the passenger bin along with a bit of cloth? Otherwise it will just lay flat on top of the seats which is pretty much the easiest way you could wish to do it. Or am I missing a trick here?

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"Getting my timber in the footwell" is not a euphemism, I assure you. I make wooden flutes and the critical length for pairs of flutes is 4 feet long (some just over two feet, some just under), section is normally 2 x 8 inches. Despite sealing the end grain, each exposed end can dry out too quickly, causing cracking and unnecessary wastage, which I am obsessed about - so 8 feet is by far the best length - wood has almost doubled in price in last 18 months as the Chinese are buying it all - to get an eight foot length I have to feed through the hatch and put other end in the footwell. Sorry for lengthy (!) explanation. According to the brochure, the maximum you can get in resting on the back of the fold-forward passenger seat is 2.3 metres - 7 feet - not long enough (same old story).

How much does one of your flutes cost just out of curiosity?

306maxi said:

How much does one of your flutes cost just out of curiosity?

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From 60 quid for a little high D "Bumblebee" that would fit in your pocket and is ideal for taking on walks etc - to 130 or so for a commissioned one in lower pitch and made from Eastern Red Cedar. (See www.ugunaflutes.co.uk - end of commercial break.)