General Panda 4x4

[Palio]

People are obsessed with free paint! All paint should be included free, but if you're spending £14k on a car then settling for a colour that you don't want just because it's free seems plain daft.

I'd have the Orange. I'd imagine it's the same orange as Funky Orange on the Fiat Qubo, so if you can find one of them then that'd be good to go on - whilst Qubo's are pretty rare, Funky Orange is one of the most common colours i've seen so there's a decent chance a dealer will have one.

Stoneacre in Rochdale had their Panda 4x4 (and a 500L) in white when i stopped to look last night, incase anyone's in Manchester or West Yorkshire & wants to look.

Couldn't agree more about the cost - just had that debate with Mum!

Thames thought that the Sicilian orange is lighter than the Qubo one - based on the paint code as it's lower which = lighter in Fiat speak apparently.

Yes Thames in Slough also have both the 4x4 and 500L in white if anyone is looking for dealers with one available (Thames also have a shed load of Panda's on order including all the colours people are wanting to see - they have 1 green on order and 4/5 orange which is interesting in terms of what they expect to sell well).

Perrys in Aylesbury haven't got a 4x4 yet and don't know when it will arrive, but said it's on the dock when I rang earlier - which dock they didn't specify!

 

[deeyup]

People are obsessed with free paint! All paint should be included free, but if you're spending £14k on a car then settling for a colour that you don't want just because it's free seems plain daft.

I'd have the Orange. I'd imagine it's the same orange as Funky Orange on the Fiat Qubo, so if you can find one of them then that'd be good to go on - whilst Qubo's are pretty rare, Funky Orange is one of the most common colours i've seen so there's a decent chance a dealer will have one.

Stoneacre in Rochdale had their Panda 4x4 (and a 500L) in white when i stopped to look last night, incase anyone's in Manchester or West Yorkshire & wants to look.

What I meant was, if you can't decide between white or black for instance based entirely on looks then save £400 odd and get the white. You could have seat height adjuster, leather steering wheel and gear knob, fifth split fold rear seat, climate control for the price of metallic paint.

I would put the orange of the qubo the same as the old panda cross. The sicilian orange looks different to me. Not so bright.

 

[deeyup]

Red looks nice I think

There's a load of pics here. Red, black and white
http://www.quattroruote.it/parigi2012/immaginebig_articolo.cfm?codiceimg=459242&codedicola=445007&codice=394742&codarticolo=394742&tornaa=/speciale/parigi2012/fiat-panda-le-nuove-4x4-natural-gas-e-trekking-live

 

[4x4Panda]

thanks deeyup - those are really helpful pics and agreed the red is nice (assume it's the flat red?)

unfortunately the ultimate colour decision goes to my Mrs: she has decreed either white or any colour (except active grey) from the bottom row.

 

[trevorwat]

S.G Petch in Middlesbrough (Skippers Lane) have got a white Panda 4x4 twinair in. I took it out for a run yesterday. Bags of poke compared to my 4x4 1.2 petrol. The seats seemed more comfortable but I wasn't keen on the dash - the radio looks to be taking over the whole car and looks built-in so not sure how easy it would be to change if you wanted a 'better' radio. It has the same lack of rear legroom behind the driver's seat when I have the seat set for me (6'.0")

I couldn't figure out how to see how many miles on the clock (too excited to be driving it!!) but it can't be many as they only got it the day before. The average mpg on my 20 mile run was 25mpg but clearly would improve as the engine loosens up...

Interestingly, the sales person, Rebecca, and the manager were both very honest about the twinair engine and its lack of real economy. Apparently, they didn't order this 4x4 but is has arrived anyway. They have ordered a diesel as their demonstrator and are waiting for it to arrive.

We were debating whether I could convert a twinair to lpg as I have with my current Panda 4x4 - anyone any thoughts?

 

[4x4Panda]

having spent way too long now browsing the Panda config site, there are some features / options that need explaining. Does anyone know exactly what these are:

eco-leather (is that real leather or not?)
natural power (I'm guessing LPG?)
city brake control
PREDISPOSITION FOR BLUE&ME TOMTOM
Ciao Fiat Sticker on dash
Refrigerated Storage Unit
Complete Cellophane

cheers

(edited to add some other oddities!)

 

[philboo]

Has anyone noticed that if you pick the diesel version on the Configurator you get the option to have the city stop option but not for the twin air. I can't believe the twin air can't have that.

Is that a mistake ? any dealer able to check ?

Phil

 

[deeyup]

having spent way too long now browsing the Panda config site, there are some features / options that need explaining. Does anyone know exactly what these are:

eco-leather (is that real leather or not?)
natural power (I'm guessing LPG?)
city brake control
PREDISPOSITION FOR BLUE&ME TOMTOM
Ciao Fiat Sticker on dash
Refrigerated Storage Unit
Complete Cellophane

cheers

(edited to add some other oddities!)

Eco leather is like the faux leather in the 500. It's ok to be honest, I like it.
Natural power is gas, not available in UK.
City brake control is automatic brakes up to a certain speed (12-20 mph maybe, unsure of the exact speed. It slams on your brakes if your going to crash into a stationary object)
Predisposition is a port on top of the dash to plug in the tomtom 2 sat nav, so you don't have cables draped over your dash. you can see it on my 500 in this pic. It's on top of the dash top left of steering wheel.

Ciao sticker is just a sticker with emergency tel numbers on it. Mine is on my sunvisor.
Refrigerated storage, Pass, maybe a coolbox??
Complete celophane will be the wrapping on the roof/bonnet etc applied to protect the car during transit from factory. like this

 

[homeward]

Red looks nice I think...

Just seen my first red one; and very nice it was, too!

Having been a postman in a past life, I have to say that it would look perfect with a black-and-white cat asleep on the front passenger seat: and would therefore suit me very well....

Honestly, the Mk4 Panda looks really good in this; and, I think, the turquoise.... :chin:

 

[Ulpian]

S.G Petch in Middlesbrough (Skippers Lane) have got a white Panda 4x4 twinair in. I took it out for a run yesterday. Bags of poke compared to my 4x4 1.2 petrol. The seats seemed more comfortable but I wasn't keen on the dash - the radio looks to be taking over the whole car and looks built-in so not sure how easy it would be to change if you wanted a 'better' radio. It has the same lack of rear legroom behind the driver's seat when I have the seat set for me (6'.0")

I think the standard radio is fine. The car is built on exactly the same wheelbase as the previous Panda so there is no more rear room - this is effectively a 2+2 unless you are short.

All the tests I have read say the Diesel is rough and noisy and that the TA is the far better engine for this car. The economy can be maximised by driving it like a Diesel and relying on the very good low end torque, but people seem to think it is struggling and so they rev it, and lose economy.

That an adjustable driver's seat is an extra is a scandal.

If you want to run on LPG get the natural power one, in Italy. Shame.

City Brake will save on insurance premiums, but is it really available yet?

It seems to look best in white, but I don't like red cars, and green is the most unsafe car (invisible) statistically: so white then

PS. The jacked up VW Up, coming next year, will give the Trekking at least real competition as it will doubtless cost a lot less, and be bigger...

 

[homeward]

City Brake will save on insurance premiums, but is it really available yet?

Back in July, I was informed that the "Low Speed Collision Mitigation" system was due to be launched in November, in the UK. But, as we know, FIAT's definition of a length of string is very flexible....

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Has anyone noticed that if you pick the diesel version on the Configurator you get the option to have the city stop option but not for the twin air. I can't believe the twin air can't have that.

Is that a mistake ? any dealer able to check ?

Phil

Probably find its due to the TA tax band, so not a mistake.

 

[philboo]

Probably find its due to the TA tax band, so not a mistake.

What difference would the ability for the car to apply the brakes make to the tax band ?? It isn't adding weight (it already has brakes) I'm assuming it uses a simple camera or ultra-sonics and they don't affect the tax band for rear parking sensors !

I think a space saver spare would weigh more.

It isn't like that on the Italian config site even my dealer said he thinks it's wrong but needs to try and really build a car to see if he can add it.

I may well be adding it if I order one.

Can't decide on colour. None are actually that good. My silver choice is so safe and boring (I could be buying a VW zzZZZZzz)

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Was the question not referring to start stop

 

[homeward]

Was the question not referring to start stop

I thought so, too... -- which had me even more confused: as I had believed that actually having it was one of the reasons the TA Panda came in so low, emissions-wise....

PS: The "City Brake", referred to above, I had thus assumed was the collision-avoidance gizmo... -- which I believe has a laser mounted in front of the rearview mirror (James Bond stylee...).

 

[4x4Panda]

Interestingly City Brake Control IS selectable on a TA lhd panda - check www.FIAT.it

I will ask the dealer next Saturday, as I can see no reason why this should not be an option on a rhd TA panda??

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I thought so, too... -- which had me even more confused: as I had believed that actually having it was one of the reasons the TA Panda came in so low, emissions-wise....

PS: The "City Brake", referred to above, I had thus assumed was the collision-avoidance gizmo... -- which I believe has a laser mounted in front of the rearview mirror (James Bond stylee...).

I think it's people trying to refer to one thing by any old name. What's is it Fiat call it?

 

[homeward]

I think it's people trying to refer to one thing by any old name. What's is it Fiat call it?

City Brake = Low Speed Collision Mitigation system.
City Stop = Start&Stop (I think).​

I think the problems stem from peeps using the Italian configurator; plus the fact the UK one still seems to be using very strange/direct translations of the Italian terms....

 

[Palio]

City Brake = Low Speed Collision Mitigation system.
City Stop = Start&Stop (I think).​

I think the problems stem from peeps using the Italian configurator; plus the fact the UK one still seems to be using very strange/direct translations of the Italian terms....

Fiat call it City Brake Control on their UK website - it's meant to brake automatically if you are about to hit something at speeds of less than 30kph. Meant to, but I saw a Volvo demonstration of something similar - good viewing but it didn't work!!

Don't know where the phrase city stop came from - it confused me too for a minute. It's Start & Stop and I can confirm that is definitely on the t/a 4x4 as I drove it yesterday.

 

[Ulpian]

And we are people who care, imagine what the casual car researcher must think!