They don't make pocket rockets like the Panda anymore - pity 😞
The conventional city car is a dying breed. Without the demand , the enthusiasm from manufacturers for making small, simple, cheap cars just isn’t there. Why make cars that customers aren’t as keen on for less profit than those more popular ones with greater margins? It would make no sense. Especially with the rise of electric making small combustion engines hard to justify.
And that’s a shame, because there’s no joy quite like the small, light, uncomplicated fast car. Launched back in 2006, the Panda 100HP was the perfect example of the breed. It took a bigger engine from a larger car , lowered and stiffened the suspension, added a Sport mode to sharpen the throttle, fitted some stylish new alloy wheels and offered really keen buyers the option of stickers as well. It was a textbook pocket rocket overhaul.
A very good one, too. The Panda 100HP won over fans with its revvy engine, short ratio gearbox and wheel-at-each-corner agility. Oh sure, it was stiff, but better a junior hot hatch that’s a bit too up for fun than not interested enough. And stiff by the standards of the mid-2000s is most likely plush nowadays. Add that enticing list price and perfectly judged styling refresh and the appeal of the 100HP in a simpler car buying time is plain to see.
Even today, there’s plenty going for the Panda. What was designed to be small and cheap will still be small and cheap; that’ll mean a less refined, busier experience than a more modern hatch, but not much to go wrong as well. Confounding the stereotypes, the 100HP has proven pretty mechanically tough as well - even with fairly regular cambelt changes necessary. And it’ll still do 40mpg.
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