Giugiaro’s genius city car
The request that Fiat made to the Italian design studio Italdesign in the 1970s was as clear as it was ambitious: a user car had to be designed that could be as successful as the Topolino, 500 and 600. That the car born from that briefing was the most would ever become an iconic Fiat, even designer Giugiaro would not have dared to dream. Car designer Niels van Roij looks in the rear-view mirror and sees the driving design icon that was built for 23 years.
Giorgetto Giugiaro designed a simple car, intended for a young audience. Many smart discoveries made the Panda affordable, spacious and practical. This project is a design masterclass about simplicity and devising smart packaging, the shape of a car that is strongly influenced by both the people who sit in it and all the drivetrain parts used.
Shield bumpers: useful in the city, easy to shape
From the outside we see the precise proportions and hard, geometric lines. They give the Panda a utilitarian look. Plastic shield bumpers were mounted at the front and rear: not only handy for the city, but also easy to form in production and to mount during assembly. The lower half of the body was painted in the same gray color in the early years; so this is not plastic plating. These interventions make the city car both sturdy and functional, because it is a cost-effective way to protect the lower half of the door.
Plastic was used on all four corners of the car. This allowed the sheet metal to be made cheaply and straight, while the plastic indicators at the front and the taillights at the rear ensured the transition between the different body sides.
The unique offset grille, with the cooling slots on the left or right depending on the motorization, makes a unique statement in the world of automotive design, which above all strives for symmetry.
The completely flat windows all around, at a time when curved windows had been used for many years, provide insight into Giugiaro’s tenacity in striving for simplicity in the design of the Panda. In addition, the left and right side windows are interchangeable, so that half of the mold costs could be saved.
The high cabin, especially for a car from the 80s, makes room to place the passengers in the car not horizontally, but vertically. This allows much more passenger space to be created on the small platform.
Inside, the Panda offers a new use of space through its unique design packaging. In addition, the interior has a large amount of innovative ideas. For example, the design of the originally installed front seats is minimalist: in fact, it was nothing more than a metal frame with a hammock in between. The rear seat could be folded or removed within 15 seconds, but the seat itself could also be raised. The first Panda brochures proudly stated that in the resulting V-shape, not only vases could be safely transported, but also babies…
In all production cars, the dashboard is hung on the so-called cross-beam. This crossbar provides rigidity to the entire unit and forms the physical basis for the dashboard. Normally, the crossbar is completely concealed from view, while in the Panda it is not only clearly visible, but is even put to good use: with a piece of fabric over the crossbar, one of the widest storage spaces in the automotive industry is created. This concept is ideal in a small family car and is also cheap to build. The textiles on the seat covers, door panels and the dashboard cover could not only be easily removed, but even washed.
Perfect proportions, simple surfacing and minimalist jewelery in the form of badges. The first Panda succeeded on all levels. Compliments!
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl