FIAT Celebrates 125 Anniversary With Its New 2025 Grande Panda

FIAT Celebrates 125 Anniversary With Its New 2025 Grande Panda​

Next-Gen B-Segment SUV Shows Promise, Shares Commonalities with Next-Gen Renegade...​

Today marks the 125th Anniversary for the FIAT brand. And while Stellantis held a lackluster press conference about its Italian marque brand featuring John Elkann, Chairman of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and Stellantis CMO, we did get some new images and information on the upcoming 2025 Fiat Grande Panda.

FIAT Celebrates 125 Anniversary With Its New 2025 Grande Panda

Today marks the 125th Anniversary for the FIAT brand. And while Stellantis held a lackluster press conference about its Italian marque brand featuring John Elkann, Chairman of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and Stellantis CMO, we did get some new...

moparinsiders.com

 

[redriderbob]

 

[TripleT]

Hit this one out of the park, especially after the Junior. You can tell this was conceived as a Fiat Panda from the start.

The profile will fit Jeep as the Panda was always sort of a Mini Jeep... so Grand Mini Jeep just makes a Small Jeep.

I like the front charging,

 

[bill burke]

The spin off of the Panda to a next generation Jeep Renegade is what the Stellantis merger was suppose to be about. The problem here is will a clearly European focused product resonate in North America? Let’s look to the Dodge Hornet for predictability on that question. A Jeep is not a Fiat in most people’s minds, I would argue and the price point decided by the pricing of the upscale Alfa Romeo Tonale might have destroyed what on paper anyway, should have been a home run for Dodge. Still can be.
Not arguing against the spin off strategy, actually think it is a sound business case and very possibly a great strategy for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep, but the spin off must capture the essence, chemistry, personality, brand pricing expectations and the hearts of customers to succeed. A test to that will be the repositioning and repricing of the Hornet. The styling of that Dodge does capture the performance Dodge personality, but that alone can not and should not ignore the targeted market and it’s economy minded expectations and pricing needs that underpin and define the market segment. Targeting three essentials in the next generation Renegade is the key to success. Price point, Jeep styling and a choice of power trains and I insist they be ICE, Hybrid and Electric, to be successful.
Essentially that formula will determine the future of this strategy in North America as Chrysler needs to marry with other Stellantis brands like Maserati and Dodge with others like Alfa Romeo or why continue with the Stellantis merger philosophy, that if unsustainable, will likely doom Chrysler and Dodge.
Get it right guys. It an’t just a grill, hood scoops and badges.

 

[patfromigh]

What size will the next Jeep Renegade be ? The newest Citroen C3 Aircross uses the same platform and is a foot longer than the Grade Panda.

Which IC engine will be used with the hybrid option ? The Grande Panda's Smart platform mates, as well as few of the CMP based vehicles, use the PSA 3 cylinder Pure Tech. This PSA engine is used by Stellantis no matter what the brand. The Fiat and Alfa brands should use engines from the FCA side of the house. The 3 cylinder Pure Tech uses a wet belt cam drive setup and has a terrible reputation for self destruction. The questionable French engines and transmissions should not be used Stateside in any Stellantis vehicle. The Dundee built 1.6 liter four cylinder comes from the Pure Tech family, but will use a chain for the cam-drive when it arrives.

 

[TripleT]

Assume if there is an ICE version it should be NA compatiable.... I had a Horizon with Peugeot engine.... not horrible

 

[patfromigh]

GM was pretty sure the 2300 cc, Vega four cylinder engine was NA compatible. I had the 1700 Rabbit motor in my Omni.

 

[bill burke]

Assume if there is an ICE version it should be NA compatiable.... I had a Horizon with Peugeot engine.... not horrible

Agree.

 

[bill burke]

What size will the next Jeep Renegade be ? The newest Citroen C3 Aircross uses the same platform and is a foot longer than the Grade Panda.

Which IC engine will be used with the hybrid option ? The Grande Panda's Smart platform mates, as well as few of the CMP based vehicles, use the PSA 3 cylinder Pure Tech. This PSA engine is used by Stellantis no matter what the brand. The Fiat and Alfa brands should use engines from the FCA side of the house. The 3 cylinder Pure Tech uses a wet belt cam drive setup and has a terrible reputation for self destruction. The questionable French engines and transmissions should not be used Stateside in any Stellantis vehicle. The Dundee built 1.6 liter four cylinder comes from the Pure Tech family, but will use a chain for the cam-drive when it arrives.

Agree, must be a gas option and it must be a North American spec engine.

 

[patfromigh]

FCA was sending the 2.4 liter Tigershark to Turkey to be installed into the Ram ProMaster City, being built there for our market. The Pure Tech four and three cylinder engines share the same architecture with each other. If Stellantis insists on using that engine on B-segment products sent Stateside, why not also build the 1.2 liter three cylinder here, but with some endurance enhancements for our market. The FCA GSE engine series, on the other hand, has already proven itself on our continent's highways and in hybrid power trains.

The remaining SUSW platform vehicles marketed overseas offer a 1500 GSE turbo running on a Miller cycle paired with a 7-speed hybrid transmission for a mild hybrid setup. That should be offered in the G Panda and Jeep Renegade for our market.