General Clarkson's Praise

[ruinin]

All new Panda enthusiasts should know what Jeremy Clarkson wrote and my ego is bursting with pride after reading his comments. I knew Panda was quick and fun, but to hear it from someone who looks down on Gallardo, says BMW 1 is crap etc. is very ego-boosting. This one is about 1.2 or basically it could be also about 1.1 cause they are basically same, I drove both and the performance felt the same.

Here goes what Jeremy wrote in his book Don't Stop Me Now about Panda, among other things:

"However I don't want you to be put off by the lack of performance, because, being Italian, it never feels underpowered or lethargic. In fact, I have to say it feels like the fastest car I've ever driven.

... I couldn't believe how much fun the Fiat was. Panda? Grizzly more like.

... there's a huge amount of feedback from the road. It doesn't whisper or mumble; it shouts at you through a megaphone. I've driven sports car that are less communicative.

... put simply, I loved it. When it was here, I drove nothing else. The Mercedes SL, the Volvo XC90, all the other test cars , all the other test cars they all just sat on the drive as I bombed hither and thither in my new best friend. "

 

[Ffoxy]

But JC is a recognised knob, along with his buddy May?

 

[Captain Mike]

i like all the top gear lot every1 on here seems to hate them.

then again i dnt care about the cars much i just like the comedy value

 

[a_shippen]

He hates the 100hp... its in his 25 worst cars list on the times website

just goes to show even the funniest reviewers can get it wrong sometimes

Long live the 100hp

ALan

 

[ruinin]

But JC is a recognised knob, along with his buddy May?

well, i have read almost three books by him and he is definitely not stupid and definitely knows a lot about cars and has driven just about everything that has a steering wheel

i like that he does not care about political correctness and does not care if he makes car manufacturers furious - i hear he is not allowed to test drive BMW any more

the car he does appreciate and his reasons make sense to me - as far as i know the problem he has with 100 HP is that it does not feel safe and comfortable at 180 kph and that its suspension is maybe too stiff on bumpy roads

 

[Ffoxy]

well, i have read almost three books by him and he is definitely not stupid and definitely knows a lot about cars and has driven just about everything that has a steering wheel

i like that he does not care about political correctness and does not care if he makes car manufacturers furious - i hear he is not allowed to test drive BMW any more

the car he does appreciate and his reasons make sense to me - as far as i know the problem he has with 100 HP is that it does not feel safe and comfortable at 180 kph and that its suspension is maybe too stiff on bumpy roads

He just doesnt like, see the reason for or appreciate anything with less than 400Bhp and costing less than 40 grand. The Hamster is fine... but then he IS a biker!

 

[ScoobyChris]

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article1524371.ece

is his full review of the 100. His problem seemed to be down to cabin noise at motorway speeds and he does make a very good point - at 80mph, the revs are around 3.5k rpm. However, that's like me saying that the Golf GTi is rubbish because it can't carry a fridge freezer.

I suspect that he also doesn't like it because Mr May has one and to admit to liking it would be deeply uncool

Chris

 

[ruinin]

Who cares about 100 HP Panda, I mean Panda 1.2 and that is a gem according to him. I would be surprised if people here who own 1.1 or 1.2 hated Clarkson if he shares their love for their little Panda.

 

[Iorek]

Ahhh this fellow. Personally I prefer his program for the entertainment value behind it rather than the motoring knowledge it is attempting to impart. As they say one person's meat can be another's poison.

 

[rbrian]

As they say one person's meat can be another's poison.

When did you try my cooking?!

As for Clarkson - he's very entertaining to watch, but speaks rubbish a lot of the time. Very funny rubbish, but rubbish none the less.

 

[Sam87]

I can see why your pleased he liked the car but tbh i read his reviews for a laugh more than an opinion!!

Cars are a personal thing and so long as you like it it really doesnt matter!!

 

[100hpJames]

he's great at causing a stir, which upsets the odd few on here, comical to watch though as long as he's slating something else

 

[ruinin]

well, it seems I hit 100 HP forum instead of New Panda forum, the people who actually own a 1.2 don't seem to come here

as for May, Clarkson is just making fun of him, not being serious, they must be good friends working together and making fun of each other

i read both 1.2 and 100 HP reviews and the thing is that when Clarkson likes something, he ends up loving it, being crazy about it, losing his mind etc...
so as he likes Panda 1.2 and as it is realistically fun to drive, Clarkson states it feels the fastest and the steering the most communicative thing in the world

once he sat in 100 HP and noticed it is a bit noisy, which probably is, 1.2 is a bit noisy at speeds too, so 100 Hp probably even more, so he talks about headache and exaggerates everything he does not like

but the message seems to be very valuable for a potential buyer - once i read about Sport Ka and for three pages he criticizes just about everything
and then in once sentence he write that it is loads of fun to drive the car

so you can soberly expect that the car might disappoint you in many respects and still enjoy the drive and choose which is more impotant to you personally

when he writes about a big powerful mercedes AMG, and I have never driven one, it is great info for me as it makes sense absolutely what he says - the car is fast like a rocket, silent at the same time but everything feels like Matrix, it is not a real car feeling, as you are so isolated from the machine - seems like the exact opposite from Panda 1.2

so reading his reviews you can filter the exaggeration and get the gist and decide yourself - because his arguments are based on his feelings and observation of those cars, not just random rants or random romantic sighs

 

[shortie]

So I wander if the 1.3 diesel is the best Panda. Its torquer and slightly quicker than the 1.1 + 1.2, has better fuel economy but is more forgiving than the mental 100hp.

 

[rbrian]

So I wander if the 1.3 diesel is the best Panda. Its torquer and slightly quicker than the 1.1 + 1.2, has better fuel economy but is more forgiving than the mental 100hp.

Yep!

 

[PNL]

well, i have read almost three books by him and he is definitely not stupid and definitely knows a lot about cars

You could teach a parrot as much as he knows if the parrot were in the game as long as he has been ..dont know about a parrot driving though :chin: they dont issue bird brains a driving licence in this country .. hang on .. so how did JC pass his test then :spin:

 

[ruinin]

So I wander if the 1.3 diesel is the best Panda. Its torquer and slightly quicker than the 1.1 + 1.2, has better fuel economy but is more forgiving than the mental 100hp.

well, some people don't like diesel and it is much more expensive than 1.2

 

[StevenRB45]

TBF 100hp has suspension that has seen it ostracised from many peoples car lists (including my own) and a fuel range best described as comedy and it still looks like a panda which can be a problem when you are making such blatant compromises for a sports vehicle....the 1.2 is too slow for my personal taste but makes sense as at least that way the tank gets you 300 miles....and you don't have compressed vertibrae afterwards...diesel is...dont get me started on how wrong small diesel fiats are...

 

[shortie]

well, some people don't like diesel and it is much more expensive than 1.2

Its only a little more expensive but in the long run its running costs will be less. And with the whole world going co2 crazy the diesel will only become more and more popular. Its just a shame we get robbed for the price of diesel and petrol. Btw i've never owned a diesel and i'll only be covering 6-7000 miles a year

 

[ThisBitterPill]

TBF 100hp has suspension that has seen it ostracised from many peoples car lists (including my own)....

What exactly is a car list?....Should I have one?

....and a fuel range best described as comedy....

But it gets there so quickly that you have plenty of time to fill up....

....and it still looks like a panda which can be a problem when you are making such blatant compromises for a sports vehicle....

The fact that it looks like a Panda (and that btw, is because it is a Panda!) is exactly what shocks most drivers that you leave behind....:slayer: