Made in Italy
The high word is out: the next Fiat Panda will make its appearance next year and it will simply be available again with fuel engines. An electric variant is logically also included. Fiat’s parent company Stellantis also announces that it is investing heavily in Italian car production.
More than a year ago it became clear that the Fiat Panda is starting a new chapter this decade. The fourth generation of the small Italian is expected next year and it will again be a compact but somewhat higher model, interspersed with influences from the 2019 Centoventi Concept. With all EV plans at the moment, you might expect that an electric powertrain would be the only choice, but that turns out to be something different.
Although Fiat says it wants to become the ‘Tesla of the people’, the new Fiat Panda will still be available with fuel engines. This is evident from Stellantis’ future plans for its Italian production. It talks about keeping a close eye on ‘the impact of Euro 7 on the Fiat Panda’. So there are some concerns about the fuel future of the Panda, but an electric version is also in the pipeline. The new Fiat Panda will then logically be on the same basis as group members Peugeot (e)-208 and Opel Corsa Electric. After all, that e-CMP platform is suitable for fuel and electrical power. So count on mild-hybrid 1.2 PureTech petrol power sources for the new Panda, but also a 156 hp electric powertrain.
Bet on Italian production
The new Panda will roll off the line in Italy and that is certainly not the only new model that can carry the label ‘Made in Italy’. Stellantis now announces that, contrary to previous plans, it wants to build not four but five models in Italy. Four of them are ‘premium models’ for ‘foreign brands’, so not for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati or Lancia, the fifth is from one of those brands and is on Stellantis’ new STLA Medium base. The latter may be the successor to the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Stellantis is putting an unspecified amount (at least €100 million) into its Italian Melfi factory. A new ‘Gigafactory of Stellantis’ is being built in Termoli and Stellantis will also start developing batteries in Italy this year. Next year, a new factory will begin production of eDCT transmissions.
Finally, there is another interesting commercial vehicle news: Stellantis and Toyota are joining forces for the production of a new large van that will also be available with an electric powertrain. Probably the successor to the recently renewed Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroën Jumper/Opel Movano.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl