"Jeep Panda" coming in mid-2011?
- Thread starter haven
- Start date
CLK Foxhall
Adventurer
I like it!
Cheers!
~CLK
Cheers!
~CLK
Warn Industries
Supporting Vendor
Personally, I'd love to see the Panda in the U.S. I always thought they were cool little 4x4s for what they are.
- Andy
- Andy
ReconH3
Heavy Duty Adventurer
The Fiat Panda is smaller than a Suzuki Samurai. Fiat is also synonymous with cheap quality. Like the Yugo of European cars. The modern ones only look good, but are still low quality. It does allow people that can't afford more expensive vehicles to have something they wouldn't otherwise. The one advantage they have over any other 4x4, is that you don't need a winch. Just a good strong friend. I've seen 3 people pick the thing out of a ditch. 
"Ex Umbris Venimus"
Sent from my iPhone
"Ex Umbris Venimus"
Sent from my iPhone
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Almost all of our family in Brasil drives FIAT products; they've never complained of poor quality.
Quite the opposite; they are very economical and drive whatever will last the longest and cost the least to maintain.
My nephew loves his Panda.
Quite the opposite; they are very economical and drive whatever will last the longest and cost the least to maintain.
My nephew loves his Panda.
Here's the third generation Panda. It's 5 inches longer, 2 inches wider and about an inch taller than the earlier models. European customers will choose from a two cylinder gas engine, a four cylinder gas engine, and a four cylinder diesel engine, none of which has more than 1.3L displacement.
I drove a Panda in Mexico a few months ago. Cool little car, very peppy w/ a manual tranny. But I wonder how well it would do here in highway traffic with speeds of 70mph. One drawback was the fuel tank was very very small - prob around 8 gallons or so. We actually ran out of gas in Mexico on a toll road.
I dunno, the Panda is a dinky 4x4 for sure. But so is an MB, and they both have about the same horsepower. Maybe Jeep is trying to get back to its roots and move away from the bloated behemoths that the Wranglers have become. Of course, I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek here. The point is: change is inevitable. When AMC released the Eagles under the stewardship of Renault, they were pretty stout 4x4 cars, much beefier than the Subarus (their only competition) of September 1979 (1980 model year). Jeep traditionalists predicted wholesale wussification of the CJ. Instead, the lessons learned from building unibody-platform 4x4s helped make the XJ series wildly popular (and profitable). "Wait! A unibody Jeep? And the drivetrains are so weak and unreliable!" Once again, Jeep purists predicted automotive apocalypse. The XJ platform was soon sorted out and they sold several thousand boatloads of 'em from 1984 to 2001. Yet the CJ soldiered on...until 1987 when the YJ Wrangler was introduced. "Square headlights? As God is my witness, I will never buy another Jeep!!" Yeah, for the first couple of years, YJ drivetrains kinda sucked, but before their curtain call in 1995, they had a 4.0 HO and AX15 running gear available--not too shabby. Why is Jeep considering a move like this when it will surely dilute the Jeep bloodline? Well, in Colorado at least, I can count about 5 Outbacks/Forresters for every Jeep JK/JKU I see. For most people, the Subarus are exactly what they need. My girlfriend owns a 2011 Outback, and I like it (it reminds me of an Eagle wagon, only it's faster and gets about twice the mileage). I've owned Jeeps continuously since 1981, but at 10mpg, I don't drive my J10 much anymore. Am I that much of a Jeep stalwart that I'm willing to spend my entire retirement savings on gas? Nope. I will drive what suits my needs the best, just like everyone else. Rest assured; the Jeep "heritage"" will survive. It's called branding.
Harmgrissom
Observer
Not to mention - there is a HUGE untapped market for Jeep in competing directly with Subaru. Sorry but thats something the Patriot and Compass never did. Now I liked the Compass badging and it seemed JEEP appropriate - but maybe if they're going to go smallish it'll be more in line with taking the Subes head on. I know I'd love to have a reason to get my wife to change her mind (she really wants another Outback).
that said there have been rumors of a new Wagoneer and the return of the Cherokee. If the Cherokee comes back - I hope its more than just a rebadged Liberty.
And a well built Wagoneer would be sweet. So I'm not opposed to any new builds from Jeep - regardless of size - as long as they are capable within their planned missions.
ETA: Mbogo beat me to it. Lets be honest - aside from the Jeep badge the Compass and Patriot are POS's. My wife has been begging for a Subaru Forester to trade in her MINI-VAN. Yes my wife wants to get rid of her full size mini-van for a 5 passenger capable little thing that we could run all over the state in for half the gas. Shocker. In fact most of the actual driving we'd do, even off highway could EASILY be handled by either an Outback or Forester. Now thats not going to get me to give up my Jeeps for the other times when we NEED a rough trail vehicle. But for a quick weekend camping trip, dirt track and forest roads or even a weekend at the lake - the Subarus fit the bill handily. Why all the this love for them? Because they are everything the littlest Jeeps have NOT been.
And to add more to that - I live in Arizona - where I see far more Jeeps that Subarus - but that number of the little things on the road is growing. Add in their variable mileage and they are quite attractive. Also my wife is from New England - take Mbogo's statistic of 5-1 and it becomes compounded to more like 9-1. Thats a serious market to be tapped. People with disposable income for dependable vehicles.
that said there have been rumors of a new Wagoneer and the return of the Cherokee. If the Cherokee comes back - I hope its more than just a rebadged Liberty.
And a well built Wagoneer would be sweet. So I'm not opposed to any new builds from Jeep - regardless of size - as long as they are capable within their planned missions.
ETA: Mbogo beat me to it. Lets be honest - aside from the Jeep badge the Compass and Patriot are POS's. My wife has been begging for a Subaru Forester to trade in her MINI-VAN. Yes my wife wants to get rid of her full size mini-van for a 5 passenger capable little thing that we could run all over the state in for half the gas. Shocker. In fact most of the actual driving we'd do, even off highway could EASILY be handled by either an Outback or Forester. Now thats not going to get me to give up my Jeeps for the other times when we NEED a rough trail vehicle. But for a quick weekend camping trip, dirt track and forest roads or even a weekend at the lake - the Subarus fit the bill handily. Why all the this love for them? Because they are everything the littlest Jeeps have NOT been.
And to add more to that - I live in Arizona - where I see far more Jeeps that Subarus - but that number of the little things on the road is growing. Add in their variable mileage and they are quite attractive. Also my wife is from New England - take Mbogo's statistic of 5-1 and it becomes compounded to more like 9-1. Thats a serious market to be tapped. People with disposable income for dependable vehicles.
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ihatemybike
Explorer
I've been saying this since the Jeep CUVs fraternal twins came out. If Jeep is going to have something car based it should be going head to head with Subaru, and they should sponsor a driver like Block, Pastrana or Mirra and have someone racing them in WRC.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Jeep does not, and has never had a vehicle that is remotely possible for WRC racing. You're talking about turbo 4-cylinders with AWD and 400+ HP.
Never going to happen.
-Dan
ihatemybike
Explorer
It could totally happen if Jeep were to attack the Subaru market. No Subarus come with 400+HP stock. Heck if they can AWD and up the HP on a Ford Fiesta for WRC then a Jeep branded AWD CUV or wagon can happen, kick butt and build the brand.
Zeep
Adventurer
From what I understand, Rover did'nt want to upgrade to airbags in the Defender.
Never was a high volume seller here. (Due to price) I've read rumors that a new version may be on the way.