Technical Panda Active Eco?

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Technical Panda Active Eco?

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Just visited the Fiat showroom and "configured" a Panda and was surprised to see there is a choice of a 1.1 Active or a 1.1 Active "Eco". Not noticed this before and just wondered what the difference was (besides the £100). I'm guessing quite possibly the tires? I understand most Pandas have the Eco tires as standard now. Maybe it's just a mistake on their website, i notice the stupidest things...

http://www.fiat.co.uk/showroom/?id=3500#showroom/panda/configurator
 
There's a dynamic version as well.

Think they have low rolling resistance tyres, less viscous engine oil, different/reprogrammed ecu and different gear ratios.
 
There's a dynamic version as well.

Think they have low rolling resistance tyres, less viscous engine oil, different/reprogrammed ecu and different gear ratios.
Yes you were correct (mostly). Saw this piece in the Sun this morning. Special oil and eco tires but the best bit is that it jumps down to tax band B meaning only £35 a year or £30 next year etc. Even more appealing now.
 

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It's interesting that you can get an Eco and then spec it up with emissions unfriendly things like roof bars, climate control, etc. Is the tax band decided by the standard model, rather than by the options which are added?

Chris
 
What oil does it use? I think I'll convert my 1.2 to an "Eco" if it's that simple :D
 
I don't think these cars would be much fun to drive.

The ECU reprogram will take all the joy out of the car. My Panda is already on Continential Eco Contact low rolling resistance tyres from the factory so going for even lower rolling resistance is not going to do much for the handling.
The low viscosity oil was the final item which probably just got it over the 120g/km finish line.

They needed to do this as the Panda was becoming less competitve all the time.
The Hyundai i10 although not as nice a car is a better package and gets under 120g/km.
In London you need a 120g/km car to avoid congestion charging and here in Ireland a 120g/km car pays 100 Euro road tax and VRT rate is 14% rather than 16% saving about 300 quid on the retail price of the car.
 
Smart move by Fiat though - the extra cost will pay for itself very quickly, and the mpg and emissions are very respectable for the now aging 8v engines :)
 
What do you mean mostly.....?
when i said mostly right, basicaly you were right but according to the article i found, there is no change to the CPU programming. Maybe there is but they didn't quote it in the sun. Either way it means the 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 multijet are all £35 a year tax now so should attract more buyers.
 
when i said mostly right, basicaly you were right but according to the article i found, there is no change to the CPU programming. Maybe there is but they didn't quote it in the sun. Either way it means the 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 multijet are all £35 a year tax now so should attract more buyers.

Yeah, I take everything printed in the sun as gospel..........:rolleyes:
 
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