Fiat’s new Grande Panda – set to arrive in the UK in the next couple of months – is set to get a 4×4 version, just like the iconic original Panda in the 1980s.
Although officially just a concept, the new baby off-roader is likely to get the green light from Fiat bosses. It keeps the clever retro-futuristic looks of the standard Grande Panda, but with a raised ride height, some clever tech underneath and beefier bodywork as befits a serious 4×4 – which is exactly what the original was.
Not much detail is known about the 4×4 tech, other than Fiat saying there is an innovative additional electric motor on the rear axle which will boost grip and performance in and around town, and over much rougher terrain. Fiat says the technology ‘preserves the adventurous spirit and everyday practicality that have always defined the Panda 4×4.’
The concept features a new Dark Red colour scheme that references a limited-edition version of the original Panda 4×4 with black stickers along the sides that highlight the name Panda that is stamped into the metalwork. The rugged-looking steel wheels are beige in colour with a large FIAT logo on the centre caps, there are front and rear skid plates and a roof rack with LED spot lights on the front and a spare wheel strapped to it.
There’s no word on battery tech in any future Grande Panda 4×4. The standard car uses a 44kWh battery as with other models from Vauxhall and Citroen that use that use the Stellantis Smart Car platform. However, it’s understood that a larger battery will be on offer in some Smart Car models, with up to 82kWh available, which would give a Grande Panda 4×4 considerably more power, but at considerably more cost.
With the Grande Panda costing £24,035 in La Prima trim, we’d expect a 4×4 version with an additional motor and raised ride height to come in at around £28,000. It could even be seen before the end of the year.
The original Panda 4×4 was launched in 1983, while a four-wheel drive version of the current smaller third generation Panda was on sale in the UK until 2023.