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It’s been a while since the last post but, anyway. In this column I present cars of friends and acquaintances, who like cars from around the 90s, cars that survived from being abandoned because of high taxation, high fuel consumption or lack of spare parts. This forth episode is about the FIAT Panda Young 1100cc (5MT).

Personally I like small cars. The Panda was a A-segment car, we can call it a city commuter. Look at its compactness, at its simple cubic shape. This is the last model of the first generation Panda, released in 2003, 5 speed manual gear, white color, black resin bumpers without door molds. Everything is fine. Panda was regularly imported in Japan until 1998, so this one was not imported by FIAT.

The design is by Giugiaro’s Carrozzeria Italian Design. At the beginning of the 80s there were two models called Panda 30 and Panda 45: the seats were made only of a pipe frame covered with fabric, like an hammock. That’s an unbelievable construction for who suffers from lower back pain, but it’s also an example of Italian style, unthinkable today. This Panda Young has a much safer seats.

If you are thinking about driving a first generation Panda for a long time, this body is in perfect condition. The last time I pushed the accelerator and run fast on a manual car, I was on a classic Mini: I’m really jealous.

Actually, for Mr. M., this is his third Panda. The first one, he rode it to death, the second one was a 1997 Selecta, and he rode it until the transmission broke down, after that he met this last model white Panda in very good conditions. He passionately told me this story while he was driving. The FIAT Panda has been changed in a second and third generation and now it’s a modern car, but between the other cars, it still is a typical FIAT utility car.

Under the cold sky, along the avenue of gingko of the Meiji Jingu Gaien, this small white Panda looks so steady and pure, doesn’t it?
By the way, a few days ago Mitsutoshi Takesue became a member of DAYS, I heard he use to drive a Renault Avantime, I want to know about it.

The previous episode:
03 : Volvo 240GL Station Wagon
02 : Renault Clio 1
01 : Land Rover Defender 110