Goodbye TJ, Hello Panda?

[x32792]

New Cape Town to London Record Set in Fiat Panda 4x4

http://www.expeditionportal.com/news/1915-new-cape-town-to-london-record-set.html

Fiat Panda 4x4 review -- 47.9mpg/57.7mpg (EU Urban/Combined)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/fiat/9696277/Fiat-Panda-4x4-review.html

While figuring out how much gas I'd burn going from Central Florida to the end of South America AND back in my beloved and almost stock 2001 Wrangler TJ, I sighed and brushed away my bitter tears...But wait! What's that I see blazing a trail from Cape Town to London in record time...A 875cc Fiat Panda 4x4?

 

[Haf-E]

I am pretty sure they didn't have 4wd on their fiat.... just front wheel drive.

 

[Bodo]

Thought that all of the Pandas were AWD...

 

[x32792]

If this little Panda AWD (4X4) can run from Cape Town, South Africa to London in record time, it should be good enough to drive slowly from Central Florida to the tip of South America. That said, my local Fiat dealership says it is not available in the USA. For all but a few, poor gas mileage and the price of fuel is putting going long on the Endangered Species List.

 

[Septu]

If this little Panda AWD (4X4) can run from Cape Town, South Africa to London in record time, it should be good enough to drive slowly from Central Florida to the tip of South America. That said, my local Fiat dealership says it is not available in the USA. For all but a few, poor gas mileage and the price of fuel is putting going long on the Endangered Species List.

Just don't leave Venezuela. Price of gas there is dirt cheap. Like a few dollars to fill your jeep.

 

[x32792]

Just don't leave Venezuela. Price of gas there is dirt cheap. Like a few dollars to fill your jeep.

Hmmmm...Sounds like a plan. Ship my trusty TJ to Venezuela from Tampa by ship and drive around burning cheap gas. Very good idea.

 

[hansonian]

I'd be up for a AWD Panda for my daily commute and weekend trips if it gets better gas mileage than my LJ. I think I'll bug the Fiat dealer over in Clearwater and see what they have to say about getting one in.

 

[ihatemybike]

Fiat Panda 4x4 review -- 47.9mpg/57.7mpg (EU Urban/Combined)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/fiat/9696277/Fiat-Panda-4x4-review.html

39.9mpg/48mpg (US Urban/Combined)

Not bad and there have been rumors of a Jeep version.

 

[x32792]

Thought that all of the Pandas were AWD...

“The Panda 4×4 is equipped with a torque-on-demand transmission system with two differentials and an electronically controlled coupling. This is a permanent four-wheel drive system managed by an electronic control unit which, by analysing vehicle signals, distributes traction on the front and rear axle homogenously and proportionally according to road grip conditions. The advantages of this system are that it is entirely automatic in operation and requires no maintenance.

The Panda 4×4 features an ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system with an ELD (Electronic Locking Differential) function as standard. This system provides additional assistance while driving and setting-off uphill on slippery terrain (snow, ice, mud etc.). More specifically, the ELD acts by braking the wheels with poor grip (or those slipping more than the others), thereby transferring the drive force to those which have more grip on the ground. This function can be activated manually by pressing a button behind the gear lever and operates below 30mph.” – - FIAT SpA"

 

[Pushrod]

Sounds good at the onset of the conversation but after a Google search I really think it would not serve to do any serious offroading and only very short stints of overlanding. I have seen skateboards with bigger wheels and more ground clearance. A small motorcycle would probably be as comfortable and get better fuel consumption, you'd just have to bring a pack of toothpicks to keep the bugs cleared out of your teeth. The AWD on these vehicles is best suited for snow and wet grass. You are much better off with your TJ and vacationing closer to home.

 

[Haf-E]

Thought that all of the Pandas were AWD...

Nope - maybe initially they were (years ago) but an article said only 15% of them were sold as AWD last year.

Here is a photo of the rear suspension of the car that was used for cape town to london from their website: http://www.africarecordrun.com/team.html#car



They did upgrade the springs and shocks and put on bigger rims and tires (commercial van rated tires) but did little else to it for the trip.

 

[x32792]

Pushrod, About mid way down the page at http://www.africarecordrun.com/ are some actual video clips of the Cape Town to London run in the Mighty Panda. Except for the wild life and men with automatic weapons, it looks similar to the eastern portion of the TAT, John

 

[Pushrod]

To me the most impressive part of the trip was that they survived passage through Lybia without getting killed.