Tag Archives: Fiat

News

2026 Fiat Grande Panda 4×4

In June 2024, Fiat announced the arrival of a new version of its small city car, the Grande Panda, and now company CEO Olivier François has also announced a 4×4 version, but also spoke about the technical problems the company is facing.

The arrival of the Grande Panda 4×4 is not in doubt, but it is still being considered whether it will be offered with a hybrid or electric drive or both options. “We are looking for solutions, but we got the point and we would like to do something soon,” said CEO François.

François also spoke about the possibility of a seven-seat version, which he said would not be on offer. When it comes to design, Fiat does not abandon the standard box-design characteristic of the first generation. Protective elements have been added in the lower part of the front and rear bumpers emphasizing the SUV style, while the headlights are made of opal cubes and refer to the style of windows on the facade of the Lingot factory, and the daytime running lights and indicators are integrated into the same light block.

Although Fiat has not decided on the powertrain of the new Grande Panda 4×4, some information says that the hybrid option could be a 1.2-L turbo gasoline engine combined with an electric motor with a total power of 128 hp (95 kW), while the all-electric Grande Panda would be powered by a single electric motor with 113 hp (84 kW), and will be equipped with a 44 kWh LFP battery that provides a range of 320 km. François also confirmed that the offer will include a version with a combustion engine paired with a manual gearbox.

Grande Panda will be 3.99 meters long and will be positioned in the compact B segment, unlike its smaller brother (Panda), which is an A segment model.

Source: Fiat

EV

2026 Nio Firefly EV

Chinese multinational automobile manufacturer Nio has unveiled its new car, the Firefly. It is an all-electric city hatchback designed by former BMW and Ford designer Kris Tomasson.

Nio’s plan is to produce small electric cars that are affordable to a wider range of users, as shown by its price of $20,400. It will officially hit the market in April 2025, and the order book is open. It will also arrive in Europe at the beginning of next year and is expected to cost around 30,000 euros.

At first glance, the three-piece round LED headlights, as well as the taillights, attract the most attention, while some parts such as the glass, black roof and pillars are reminiscent of Honda cars. The size of the car is not known, but everything indicates that its main rivals could be models like Fiat Grande Panda, BYD Dolphin or Renault 5.

Firefly is designed to achieve five stars in C-NCAP and Euro-NCAP tests, which is made possible by the use of high-strength steel and aluminum, which make up 83.4 percent of the body structure, as well as double anti-collision beams in the front doors. The car has nine airbags as standard, as well as the best torsional stiffness in its segment (37,700 Nm).

Photos of the interior have not yet been released, but spy photos reveal a minimalistic dashboard, digital instrument panel and a touchscreen infotainment system, similar to that found in Tesla cars. What is known for now is that the car offers a lot of luggage space, which could please families as well as singles who travel with a lot of bags. The front luggage compartment has a volume of 92 litres, which is more than most electric models offer, while the rear luggage compartment offers an additional 1250 litres, when the rear seats are folded down.

When it comes to the powertrain, Nio has yet to release technical details, so more will be known after the car hits the market next year.

Source: Nio

Gallery:

2026 Nio Firefly EV
News

Stellantis is stopping production of the Fiat 500e at the Mirafiori plant

At the end of 2023, Fiat announced the temporary halt of production of the all-electric 500e at the Mirafiori plant due to low demand, and the same problems continued in 2024. According to the latest information, Stellantis announced that it would suspend operations from December 2, 2024 to January 5, 2025.

Stellantis confirmed that production at the Turin plant will be temporarily halted due to the decline in sales of electric cars in several European markets. This means that this decision affects not only the Fiat 500e but also Maserati cars, which are also experiencing poor demand in the US and China.

The company’s management is trying to find a way out of this situation, and Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares blames bad marketing for the poor sales results. The company is turning to selling the new Fiat 500 powered by a consumption engine, and the plan is to offer a hybrid version of the Fiat 500 from 2026.

The first generation Fiat 500 Hybrid will be produced in Poland, with an annual production plan of up to 100,000 units.

Source: Stellantis