Fiat will unveil the third generation Panda at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show. The replacement for the Italian firm's popular hatchback has been a long time coming, having suffered numerous setbacks due to financial constraints during development.
Three petrol engines will be available from the off, two of which will be two-cylinder 875cc units. The more powerful of the two is an 85bhp turbocharged TwinAir unit, while the least powerful is a naturally aspirated 65bhp version.
A more conventional 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine will also be on offer, as will a 1.3-litre 75bhp MultiJet turbodiesel with stop-start as standard. Fiat claims that more variants will follow in future and petrol/methane and petrol/LPG versions will also be available in some markets.
The Panda will be a five-door model only and feature more space inside and in the boot than before. Split folding and sliding rear seats are the order of the day in the rear, while the front passenger seat can be folded down to make a table.
A performance flagship Abarth version is believed to be on the cards. It will feature a tuned version of the 875cc turbo engine and is expected to pack just over 100bhp.
There's no word yet on performance or fuel economy figures. Prices have also yet to be announced but the Panda is expected to start at around £8,500 when it hits UK showrooms in April next year.
Frankfurt Motor Show
Jack Carfrae - 30 Aug 2011