History of the Fiat Panda - Part 3: Special Versions

Over the course of its 23-years long life, the Fiat Panda has had its share amount of special or derived versions.

SEAT Panda / Marbella

Between 1980 and 1986, Spanish car maker SEAT built a licensed version of the Panda, thanks to its partnership with Fiat, called the SEAT Panda. It was identical in every single aspect to the original Panda, with no differences whatsoever.
In 1986, howewer, the SEAT-Fiat partnership came to an end, and as a result the Panda (as well as other licensed Fiat vehicles) had to be restyled and renamed, thus transforming into the SEAT Marbella.

The Marbella had only two petrol engines available until 1992: a 843 cm³ 34 hp engine, derived from the Fiat 850 and the Fiat Panda 34 / Seat Panda 35, and another 903 cm³ with 39 hp, derived from that of the Fiat 127 and the Seat Panda 40. The car was able to reach a speed of about 135 km / h thanks to its low weight (about 700 kg). The Marbella 850 had a 4-speed gearbox, while the Marbella 903 was equipped, depending on the version, with a 4- or 5-speed gearbox.
In 1992, following the imminent Euro 1 anti-pollution regulations that made the catalyst mandatory, the 850 was taken off production, while the 903 was updated. The gearbox became a 5-speed and the power increased to 41 hp.
In 1997 the last important mechanical modification took place: with the arrival of the Euro 2 anti-pollution regulations, the previous 903 was replaced by an 899 with electronic ignition and automatic starter. The transmission was completely revised, with a 5-speed transmission of Volkswagen derivation to reverse forward, significantly improved in the softness and precision of the grafts.

Fiat Panda Elettra

Between 1990 and 1998, Fiat built a fully electric version of the Panda, called the Panda Elettra.
It was a normal Panda converted to an electric motor powered by lead batteries; A Panda 750 Fire panda was taken as a model, with the 4-speed transmission and, of all the features typical of that version, only the engine block and the relative accessories removed to make room for the electric motor transplant and part of the battery pack on in front, leaving instead the clutch bell and the pedal of the same that was used to change the gears (but not at the start), and also the gearbox and the lever of the same; since there was no tachometer, and being the electric motor extremely quiet compared to that of the petrol versions, indications were inserted on the speedometer to know when to change gear. The car had only two seats, being the rear bench and part of the trunk occupied by 10 of the 12 batteries, hidden under a platform on which they could rest loads up to 150 kg. Even the petrol tank was maintained to offer the possibility, by means of a special additional button on the dashboard, to activate a “burner” to heat the passenger compartment and defrost the windscreen.
The car, howewer, had serious limitations linked to a technology that was still embryonic. It guaranteed 100 km of autonomy in ideal conditions that were reduced by half in practice, its maximum speed was 70 km / h and was originally fitted with lead batteries, replaced in 1992 with nickel-cadmium accumulators. It never really became popular, probably due to the price of 25.600.000 lire (over twice as much as that of the normal Panda) and its electrical-vehicle-related limits, despite the good reception by the public and critics.
However, thinking about it, the Panda arrived 25 years ahead of the current electric cars, it marked an era, and was one of the very first steps in the world of elctric citycars, a world that is getting bigger each day.

Fiat Panda Torpedo

The Fiat Panda Torpedo was a prototype made in the early 90s on behalf of the Italian Army, in only two examples, as a light vehicle with high mobility, on a Panda 4x4 basis.
The development never exceeded the prototype phase because it was not financed by the Army. Also known as “Pandone” due to its slightly bigger dimensions than the common road version, it had iron bumpers, round lights similar to those of the Defender, canvas hood and side mirrors wider than those fitted on the standard models.
One of the two examples, whose traces have now been lost, has long been parked in a courtyard of the Fiat plant in Turin.
End of Part 3. The History of the Fiat Panda will continue tomorrow with Part 4: Rebirth of the Panda.
Stay tuned!

<<Click here for Part 1: The Origins!<<
<<Click here for Part 2: First Series!<<

>>Click here for Part 4: Rebirth of the Panda!>>
>>Click here for Part 5: Special Versions vol. 2!>>
>>Click here for Part 6: Special Versions Vol. 3 and Racing Panda!>>
>>Click here for Part 7: New Generation!>>