General student redesigns panda.....

[Xen]

Hi everybody,

Glad to see the general feeling on railways has changed.

I am the student who is designing a facelift for the Panda at Huddersfield university. I origninally posted my queary on RMweb really because i wanted an un biased view, and also i was logged onto rmweb at the time and i couldn't really be bothered signing up to another forum

However, It would be very interesting to hear what you all think would improve the appearance of the panda. My current ideas are to make it look more youthful, as it seems to be a bit of an old folks car at the moment. It is also going to look more like the original 80s panda, which i think is something the 2003 rebuild lacks really.

your opinions would be greatly apreciated.

BTW, i don't reeeealllly hate pandas, but after a few weeks drawing the damn things over and over, im starting to change my mind!

how far are you wanting to go with it? Are you simply designing it or modifying an actual car (just so we could give you ideas that arn't stupidly impossible to manufacture in the real world ?

 

[Jai]

if anything, the fact it moved away from the utalitarian looks of the original is one of the great thing things about the design. coupled with a bit of cheeky good looks. the overall shape and dimensions of the nuovo are what fiat is all about, compact, tall, spacious, and some nice touches that stand it apart (the third square window, the arching roof over the straight edge).

what it does need, imho, and the 100hp has gone some was to addressing, is a tougher look for what we hope will be the abarth models. lower and a bit meaner, a touch of attitude, if you will.

the europe only "monster" version had a good stab at it, but thats more the rugged 4x4 look. if you have a hunt around in this section, some of our more photoshop talented members have mocked up 3 door versions, as well as their interpretations of the car.

 

[I hate pandas]

We have been limited to modifying the bumpers, headlights, bonnet, wings, fog lights, side trim, rear door and bolt on bits like the wing mirrors. we cannot change things that would alter the structure of the main bodyshell, such as changing the shape of the windows and whatnot (which is a shame, cos i hate that random dead square window in the sides)

At the moment, i am considering introducing Punto style pointy headlights, which would make it look more youthful and make it (i think) fit better amongst the rest of the fiat range, which all seem to have pointy headlights as well. I am also considering bringing back the offset front grille that the original 80s version had. so far it looks quite good. i'll try and post a picture of my final design.

 

[Xen]

wait im lost now, are we redesigning the new or classic panda :yum:

 

[Jai]

wait im lost now, are we redesigning the new or classic panda :yum:

new, but i think he wants to add some of the classics touches

 

[Xen]

ahhh lol, i should read things properly

so yeh as has been mentioned, the "monster" version may get some ideas going

 

[I hate pandas]

Yep, post 2003 panda. your thoughts please. Also, we are not looking at the technical aspects or the interior, just the styling of the outside.

 

[Jai]

square off the foggies,

 

[I hate pandas]

Yeah, I've done that as well.

 

[100hpJames]

I quite like the lights, but angled front lights would look brill, as in the normal ones but sloped, none of these lights that peugeot use going up the bonnet they look rubbish

 

[PekingPanda]

So let me get this right, you want it to have a hint of old Panda, but you're thinking "pointy" headlights?" Hmmm

The obvious thing to do about the rear quarter window if you don't like it would be to tint it to body colour 'you get those films they smother estate agents' Minis with).

Personally I'd go for two options, a sporty Abarth version and a more chunky 4x4 (but not the Cross which is oddly ugly in the metal). So the abarth would be dropped, smoothed and possibly have that third window tinted like I said. the 4x4 I'd make more 4x4, rear hanger for the spare wheel, butcher front bumper with auxilliary spots, you get the picture.

Oh and this for a laugh

 

[I hate pandas]

Have you also seen that monster 500 thats on the web somewhere?

http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/fiat500canada/img/monster-500.jpg

If i was going uber 4x4, im afraid i certainly wouldn't start with a panda. not when anything that has a land rover badge is a million times better to be honest. We've got to consider the target buyers, and to be honest the panda is driven by old people and women mostly. however i want to make it more youthful to fulfill the market for new, young drivers.

it now has pointed, punto style headlights and offset grilles on the front. i'll try and put up a pic on here when i've done my photoshop rendering of it.

 

[Jai]

We've got to consider the target buyers, and to be honest the panda is driven by old people and women mostly

you mean "misinformed", as a little background reading through just this one section would reveal a wide cross section of age and type of driver......

perhaps this is why hack designers are quite reviled as they don't bother to make even the slightlest effort to research what it is they are doing, who is using it, or how.....

 

[ThisBitterPill]

perhaps this is why hack designers are quite reviled as they don't bother to make even the slightlest effort to research what it is they are doing, who is using it, or how.....

Well said....

I reckon I could do a better job myself....

OOPS!....I already did....

Daz

 

[MHRAR]

I presume that the 'student' redesigning the Panda visited his local FIAT dealer, sat in various specifications to establish the different market sectors covered by the model range and then had a test drive as part of his research? (And reads EVO, Auto Express etc on-line etc?)

 

[ThisBitterPill]

I presume that the 'student' redesigning the Panda visited his local FIAT dealer, sat in various specifications to establish the different market sectors covered by the model range and then had a test drive as part of his research? (And reads EVO, Auto Express etc on-line etc?)

I expect so....Either that, or sat around watching Countdown eating beans on toast

 

[Gary]

So does he want it like this:

coloured arches
GP Headlamps
Abarth graphics

Here is a quick artists impression

 

[Andy Panda]

Euewww! that's nasty:yuck:

 

[Jai]

might be onto something there.....needs a little tidy up, and may be.....slightly squared blistered arches like the delta? a bit more of a drop, squared or rectangular foggies, and of course make it a two door, with the b pillar moved back a bit.

 

[4RL]

http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/fiat500canada/img/monster-500.jpg

.

That never get through a MOT.....

Quiet like that white PS panda!