Im with minnnt all the way. There are too many people that are in stone age still and cant except diesels for being even remotely quick.
You say you will challenge a GP owner, i certainly fancy my chances. Im not being critical of the Panda because i do like it as a car, i think it was a great move from Fiat but how you can call your car "Hot" because its petrol is beyond me.
Some people need to wake up and realise that diesels are very good cars. Everyone who has been in my car with an attitude like yours has come out the other side with a very different one.
My old SportKa is comparable to your Panda in almost every sense and that has no chance with my GP whatsoever, even with my mums partner driving who has raced for Formula Ford.
I think you need to go for a spin in one with someone who drives it properly.
Rich
auto express had a write up with the new 100hp and sportka and the panda won, but they said it was very close.
i'm not knocking the panda at all, i love the little things, they're funky and fun and stylish and different to the norm, and i would love to own one but they're not hot, no hotter than what the GP is imo...
in fact i would say that the little bugger could possibly beat the GP Sporting in a traffic light drag race, but in reality the GP is and will be quicker.
all imo of course, i'm sure your group will feel differently though!
i have always had petrols, started off with a 1.2 corsa sxi, and then moved onto a suzuki ignis sport, which would leave the 100hp and any GP for standing from a 0-whatever race, then a megane 225. they were all easy cars to drive, the ignis was probably the easiest and best to drive, but the megane would leave you breathless, that was seriously quick! so the GP is my first diesel, and if i'm honest, i'm still getting used to it, ive only done 2,800ish miles in it, and its a very different drive to any other car i have had, but its great, its fun, and very good on the motorway, around town i find it hard to drive it fast like the others, i.e. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th gears, how far to rev up the range, how and when to change gear, when to change up, when to change down, etc etc etc but i can tell that it can be quick if in the right hands. but then once you get into some b roads and country lanes its away and i can easily drive it quick and be quicker than alot more powerful cars. as i said, the motorway it is great, and i would imagine with the mao even more so!
the abarth will be the top of the range no doubt, a mapped one should see of a mapped sporting, but i still think the sporting will be the all round best package to buy and run, and still has the ability to shock and suprise.
i would imagine that the abarth will be a very easy car to drive with it being a petrol turbo, and it should be quicker, but i bet inreality it's going to be closer than people think!