| 30.07.2003, TURIN: FIAT
PRESS RELEASE
Appealing, easy to remember
and sustained by the over twenty years of success of the model launched
in 1980, the Panda name is part of Fiat's heritage. This is why the new
supermini due to be presented to the international press in Lisbon early
in September will be called the Panda. It is a symbolic hand-over. September
5 marks the last day of production of the small car which in Italian motoring
and social history has come to represent a unique new way of relating to
the car, a way that is more immediate, more relaxed and easier.
Over the years the name Panda
has become a veritable brand name, full of emotional overtones, and one
that motorists in Italy and the rest of Europe are still extremely fond
of. Statistics say that in Italy almost 90% of the public recall the name,
compared to less than 40% in the case of other well known cars on the market.
The new supermini now takes
up this baton, reviving not only the name Panda (which market research
has shown to be particularly attractive to the public), but also the spirit
of the car, with a modern interpretation of its values in terms of product
and personality that have made the name Panda a real icon in the public
imagination.
The latest arrival from Fiat
was designed and built with the most advanced technologies, and it meets
the expectations of today's motorists. It has a lively nature and easily
recognisable styling. It is flexible and functional, and the amazing amount
of room inside is unusual for its class. Structural solidity and an outstanding
level of safety are set off by cutting edge technical features and a state-of-the-art
engine: the 1.3 Multijet 16v, the latest and most advanced example of Common
rail technology, which is already homologated to respect Euro 4 emissions
standards.
Fiat Auto's decision to call
its new car the Panda completely eliminates the concerns expressed by a
competitor regarding a similarity between the name of one of its cars already
on the market and 'Gingo', the name by which the new car was known during
its previews. |
