Fiat has delayed the launch of the third-generation Panda following CEO Sergio Marchionne's latest investment freeze. The new Panda will now not be launched until 2012, according to Automotive News Europe.
The model was originally slated to arrive this summer, but has now been delayed twice. It was first put back to September 2011 after Marchionne initiated a 15-month spending freeze.
Read more about the first spending freeze
The first freeze ran from October 2008 to December 2009 and saw the delay of the new Panda, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and a replacement for the Lancia Ypsilon.
In a telephone conference with financial analysts at the time, Marchionne said launching any major new models last year in the middle of the global financial downturn would have been a “waste”.
Read Autocar’s first drive of the Fiat Panda 100HP
“That's the reason why I think we intelligently postponed a number of our programmes to make sure that it coincided with what I consider to be a structural recovery in demand in 2011 and later years,” he said.
The Lancia Ypsilon supermini will also be delayed again, as will replacements for the Fiat Musa and Multipla MPVs.
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Re: Fiat Panda delayed until 2012
I'll declare an interest my better half drives a basic Fiat 1.1 Panda Active, I think that it's still an excellent vehicle very well designed and even in entry level an excellent drive, I would think that the "new "Panda like it's original predecessor has a long production life ahead of it without unnessecary updating.
Two things about the relating to the Panda, Jeep have a concept vehicle called the Phoenix which is the Panda Cross rebadged and Fiat of Brazil have a new small car the Uno is this what we can expect the next generation Panda to look like.
Re: Fiat Panda delayed until 2012
Definitely - this is the one major area which put the Panda off my short-list. Its not that I'm not a safe driver, or had a lack of confidence in my driving ability (I'm mint!!), but with only a three star crash rating the Panda didn't look too good even way back in 2004 when it was tested. Personally I was concerned that another driver (in undoubtedly a bigger/heavier car) could impact the Panda and I wouldn't stand too good a chance of still having use of all my limbs.
Thankfully the 500 (sharing essentially the same chassis) has a great 5 star rating (possibly due to the addition of side, curtain and dashboard airbags?!), so it would suggest that minimal work would be required to reinforce the current Panda.
I'm sure the current one has plenty of years in it if a mild refresh of engines and equipment was undertaken. No need for the current one to be replaced... just revised!
Re: Fiat Panda delayed until 2012
Great!! Hopefully with the delay of the new version, Fiat could also look at the diesel - 69bhp in the Panda, 75 bhp or 90 bhp with a 6 speed manual in the 500. Heck, whilst they're at it, bring in the option of the twin-air as well!!! :-)