Grande Panda highlights Fiat’s 125th anniversary

One of the big stars of Fiat’s 125th birthday event was the new Grande Panda. It’s a small hatchback with rugged crossover styling that will be the first of a new generation of models for the Stellantis brand. Fiat CEO Olivier François said it will debut as a sub-€25,000 EV.

The Grande Panda was recently revealed and had a big role in the festive anniversary event. It is built on Stellantis’ global Smart Car platform, underpinning 13 lower-cost models from the group’s various brands to be launched by 2026.

In part, a response to China’s threat of low-cost EVs, the Smart Car architecture was first used in Europe on the new Citroen C3 earlier this year. It can accommodate internal combustion and full-electric drivetrains, including a 48-volt hybrid.

The Grande Panda is the first of four models Fiat will launch on the platform, including one for South America. It was officially revealed at the event on July 11 in Turin to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Fiat brand, now part of Stellantis.

Less than €25,000

CEO Olivier François said the electric version of the Grande Panda would cost less than €25,000, a price point also met by the Citroen ë-C3. He added that internal combustion 48-volt hybrid versions will start at about €19,000, and Europe will not have a ‘normal’ ICE powertrain. The EV will be launched in autumn, starting in France and Italy.

The Grande Panda will be built at the Stellantis plant in Kragujevac, Serbia. Production will start in the second half of July. The ‘big Panda’ will coexist with the current Panda minicar, which will continue in production until at least 2027.

The design was inspired by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s first Fiat Panda from the 1980s. As a tribute to the classic Panda, the Grande Panda is equipped with 3D-branded, low-relief letters on the doors. The interior features a 10-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central display with oval shapes as an homage to the rooftop test track at Fiat’s historic Lingotto building in Turin.

320 km range, integrated charging cable

The Grande Panda will be available in both electric and hybrid versions. With a 44 kWh battery and a strong 83kW/113 hp motor, the electric Grande Panda has an estimated WLTP range of 320 km. The battery-electric version of the Grande Panda will be available first, as it was for the Citroen C3, the Fiat 600, and the Jeep Avenger. ICE versions will follow.

The Grande Panda is 3990 mm long (25 mm shorter than its Citroen sibling), 1570 mm high, and 1760 mm wide. It has a 361-liter trunk, and the total capacity of the front passenger’s storage compartments is 13 liters.

The Grande Panda features an integrated charging cable that works in AC up to 7 kW. The spiral cable is housed under the hood, which saves space in the trunk.

Anniversary event

At the Turin anniversary event, Fiat also showed a video glimpse of two further models in the new global family: an SUV and a fastback, which were introduced in a video last February as concepts. Both are now at a more advanced stage of development and will be launched in the coming years, Fiat said.

François also showed the Abarth version of the new 600 compact EV due in Autumn. He also said the hybrid version of the 500e would be arriving in about 18 months, with an edition called Torino.

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and Chairman John Elkann also attended the event, as did Italy’s Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, who was a surprise guest following government criticism that strained relations with the automaker.

“The Smart Car platform under the Grande Panda can underpin small and compact cars with an SUV attitude,” Stellantis says. “It features higher ground clearance and room for up to seven passengers.” Stellantis said in June that the platform will cover 55% of the global profit pool.