Panda Cross in Pearlescent White *scoop*

[DickiePanda]

This is my first post - don't know if my attachment is working. I've attached a picture of a pearlescent white metallic PANDA CROSS that I have in my possession for the week. It's a press car and I'm a car journo - but also a Panda nut & 56 plate Eleganza owner (seen behind the Cross).

The only reason for the post is cause this colour doesn't officially exist, and Fiat confirmed today that there's only one in the UK (their's, of course, mine for 7 days) but confirmed that this colour "will be available in the near future."

I got alot of admiring glances driving home from work. In some lights (evening) it looks like the palest ghostly silver. It's the best combo of paint and side strips I've seen for this model, although I'm a fan of the Goa Orange with grey plastic body armour, which is extrovert and suits the nature of the beast. I asked Fiat to fess up how many people really bought a Cumbria Beige metallic one and no answer. I mean c'mon. Black looks horrid with beige plastic. Raindance metallic is gorgeous but wrecked by the beige plastic. The best ever resolved version was LHD only, when Fiat did a limited edition black on black version linked to Ducati.

Also, as far as pearl white goes, that's reminiscent of Fiat's Panda 4x4 (not cross version) which in Italy only they issued as a 'Glam' version two years ago.

Would welcome views. Two things I note about the cross so far. You can wang it over speed bumps and the suspension soaks it up beautifully (unlike the 100HP); and I reckon the 1.3 M-Jet would be perfect if you could chip it to make it the 90hp version you get in the Grande Puntos and Bravos. I'd really recommend advice on that in case I get one. I've been in the 90hp unit in a Doblo taxi cab in Istanbul and it goes really well. It would bring the 0-60 time down to something I'd consider reasonable in the cross. I think the What Car time recorded was 17 seconds. It does not feel that slow - I wonder if they confused it with the petrol 4x4 which really is slow.

Dickie

 

[DraigFlag87]

Looks pretty cool in that colour, though you say it's pearlescent, which means that it will cost a lot (this colour on the 500 costs over £700 iirc, so it will be a similar price for the Panda i would bet) I like the Green and Orange too. I've never seen a Cross with twin sun roofs either. What interior does it have? Black and sand I'm guessing.

 

[stephenbeetleman]

Hi Dickie Panda and welcome to the forum! I quite like the pearlescent colour in the cross it looks interesting although i always will love the goa orange over anything else. + yea the monster cross only producing 695 of them when the black looked the business ..what were Fiat thinking of??

Theres been quite a few threads on chipping the cross over the last while but i think the general consensus seems to be that the clutch could'nt hack the extra torque. Apparently, correct me if i'm wrong but Fiat did not go to the extra bother of designing a more rugged clutch to the multijet engines so therefore the clutch is the first to retire when the going gets tough.

I like the twin sunroof idea too instead of the extra plastic bits that dont do anything. Thats a special little car you've got there, make the most of your time test driving it ... and get it mucked it to we see how macho the pearlescent looks when its been off roaded a few times!

 

[DickiePanda]

Hi there thanks very much for writing. I'm sure you're right about the cost of the paint; I also wonder how it'd look once it had been offroad a few times. Anyway, if I ever get one it will be the goa orange. I've yet to see one in the UK...have you seen any yet?

 

[DickiePanda]

Thanks very much for writing...that's a useful comment about the clutch too. It might last OK if you didn't off road it, but a typically Fiat solution just to stick with one clutch and let the customer find out how much life it has. To be honest, I'd get the Goa Orange if I bought this car. Somehow it suits its character - cheerful but not outlandish, a bit like some Rangies you see on the greenlaning circuit, like the Camel trophy ones and mustard ones of yesteryear. The orange is also the only way to make the plastic cladding look like a good idea instead of a hideous error. Well, I'll report back once I've driven it a bit more this weekend. I am assuming they beefed up the suspension for this vehicle but maybe you know. It's never mentioned even in the detailed press kits. Dickie

 

[DraigFlag87]

I took a Green 08 reg Panda Cross for a 24 hour, 340 mile test drive last year, both on and off road. Performed well, you may benefit from reading my review (link below) although i was comparing it to my Panda multijet which i owned at the time. Cheers
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-new/161060-i-did-24-hour-panda-cross-test-drive.html

 

[deeyup]

Thanks,

Glad to clear up the confusion over the colour. I think it looks great in white, but would stop short paying an extra £700 for it. Plain solid white at £0 is more my cup of tea

Deeyup

UH? where's the thanks button gone, was going to thank you for this post Dickie