This appeared on one my FB groups today..
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It is highly likely this will transfer to the Panda..so turbo 100bhp manual no hybrid and same engine with automatic dual clutch, hybrid with 21bhp motor.
It's also highly likely this will be the lower powered variant of this power train.
Electrified: New petrol engines, 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, 21 kW electric motor Benefits: Reduced CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, electric driving up to 30 km/h User-friendly: Seamless operation of engine and e-motor, recharging not necessary
www.media.stellantis.com
Unfortunately it'll still look like a JLR product..it's not unpleasant but it doesn't look like a Panda to me. However it is at least very distinct to the C3...and if you think about it the mk2 Panda looked f'all like the mk1.
Stellantis is very VERY smart by continuing to invest in its petrol engines to appeal to mass real people. Not just YouTubers and Mat Watson.
EV, well, they sort of have to as an EU corporation given the current legislation roadmap.
Hybrid / thermal engines - very wise as I reckon until at least 2050… legislation may be pushed back again and again, with the ‘Only new hybrids’ section being the only real change we see happen to new car sales. Look at Toyota’s current hybrids 57mpg and near 200hp… Still a technology worth being good at and investing in. Can even apply to true performance cars with Ferrari even implementing it in a different way for sheer instant gains.
Stellantis could have a real leg up on VAG and others who have made huge premature investments and strategy shifts into only EVs… especially if the legislation moves back. They will have modern, appealing hopefully reliable petrol engines and hybrids at practical price points.
True about the 1980s to 2003 Panda but then, in the 80s it looked very much like a normal car back then with lots of quirks and practical features. It was hit.
Come 2003, it again looked like a normal enough car for the era, with lots of modern quirks and practical things. It was a hit.
For once, they refreshed it in a normal time frame in 2011 so it still looked like a fairly normal car for the time, the goalpost hadn’t changed as much in that time.
Given we’re talking about a 2026 new Panda, and the EV evolution / new style Kia like sharp lines everywhere styling, I’d say the goal post has moved monumentally again warranting a totally different redesign.
I don’t like that it doesn’t look like a Panda either. But maybe it’s just time for that again for the next two decades.
In a dream world… in a decade it’d be nice if Fiat could go independent again. Shed its American brands and keep the Italian ones. Keep ties with Stellantis in a Toyota / Mazda / Suzuki way or Renault / Nissan way for the big long term R&D….