FIAT Panda Italia '90 Review: The Weirdest Special Edition Ever Made?

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Today on the channel, I drive one of the oddest cars ever made - the FIAT Panda Italia '90 edition, built to commemorate the 1990 Football World Cup, hosted that year in Italy and sponsored partly by FIAT.
What is this car, why does it exist, and is it any good?
#FIATPanda #Italia90 #football
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Пікірлер: 271

  • @colinjones2505
    @colinjones25056 ай бұрын

    I get vastly more enjoyment out of watching these vids on 'mundane, cheap ridiculously simple' cars, than ANY on the 'exotic' stuff. There is a market there still for cars like this,....if only we were allowed to purchase still.... but the powers that be have put a stop to that with their over zealous regulations now. That Panda is one of the finest of exactly what I mean. Most most excellent, and oozing with beautiful character. I know, I know, I'm downright odd, and more than happy and content with that thank you.🤠

  • @martinjames9250

    @martinjames9250

    6 ай бұрын

    I watched another KZreadr yesterday. He'd just bought a twenty year old Bentley and was thrilled! When he said, "For the price of a Camry" my first thought was, I'll take the Camry thanks! 😆😂

  • @B_Wolfen

    @B_Wolfen

    6 ай бұрын

    😉 ​@@martinjames9250

  • @tesznye6992

    @tesznye6992

    6 ай бұрын

    ​@@martinjames9250If I could spend the price of a new Camry/used Bentley on a car, I'd probably get neither, but something middle of the road, more exciting than a Camry, but a lot less expensive to run than a Bentley.

  • @GlamStacheessnostalgialounge

    @GlamStacheessnostalgialounge

    6 ай бұрын

    Who says that? Literally nobody I know wants anything resembling old cars apart from us very few, and I definitely would never buy one of these new when the old ones exist for a fraction of the price.

  • @Gamertrix117

    @Gamertrix117

    6 ай бұрын

    100%

  • @rpc2210
    @rpc22106 ай бұрын

    Huge compliments to the Panda's enthusiast owner. What a well-kept example!

  • @raggedrascal5463
    @raggedrascal54636 ай бұрын

    I've often said that the truly intelligent car designers are those creating cheap, basic transport for the masses. Cars like the Panda, Mini and 2CV are works of true innovative genius.

  • @Afraz_9n3

    @Afraz_9n3

    6 ай бұрын

    It's a shame cars like this no longer exist. All cars nowadays are computers on wheels with so many sensors and a massive screen in the dash that controls everything I hate it

  • @Redgrant80

    @Redgrant80

    6 ай бұрын

    Giugiaro made this and the Golf too. That's alone makes for an incredible resume

  • @CYB3R2K

    @CYB3R2K

    2 ай бұрын

    @@Afraz_9n3 blame it to people who wanted a car but couldn't drive without helps, the market speaks to them

  • @Afraz_9n3

    @Afraz_9n3

    2 ай бұрын

    @@CYB3R2K oh I do don't you worry. The same people say that my Polo is too old (it's only a 09) and I should get a newer safer car😂I tell them exactly that that I don't want a newer car I like my Polo it's the last generation of car before they went overly dependent on technology and I like that

  • @MrAndyp72
    @MrAndyp726 ай бұрын

    One of the guys I worked with in 1990 turned up to work in one of these it turned out his wife had won it in a magazine competition I will never forget the football wheel trims 🤣

  • @mikadavies660
    @mikadavies6606 ай бұрын

    I am blown away... I can't believe that that Panda is as perfect as it is.... Stunning...👍👍👍

  • @stevelong5510
    @stevelong55106 ай бұрын

    Had an Italia 90 ! 750 cc no servo on the brakes, seats like deck chair material but absolutely brilliant fun.

  • @psircos
    @psircos6 ай бұрын

    Ahhhh, the humble panda. Only been in one once, as a passenger. The girl driving was a maniac, took a bend in Kilwinning too fast and we jumped over the curb for about 10yards. Luckily, we did not mow anyone down. She turned and said 'sorry' and carried on being a maniac 😂

  • @xmaniac99

    @xmaniac99

    6 ай бұрын

    Sounds like a keeper, didn’t marry her?

  • @psircos

    @psircos

    6 ай бұрын

    @@xmaniac99 ha ha, no! There were 4 of us in the car, she was nowt to do with me 🙂

  • @Tourist1967

    @Tourist1967

    Ай бұрын

    Is that the Canadian Kilwinning? Maybe the US one? Somehow, I doubt it...

  • @psircos

    @psircos

    Ай бұрын

    @@Tourist1967 no, the original one, on the west coast of Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

  • @Tourist1967

    @Tourist1967

    Ай бұрын

    @@psircos AsI thought! Ayrshire - the scariest county in Scotland!

  • @ZGearbox_AT
    @ZGearbox_AT6 ай бұрын

    My favourite hatchback ever, it's simple, easy to fix and cheerful. My dad had 4 of them and they never failed him once! And the special editions are always a treat

  • @colinmaynard2879

    @colinmaynard2879

    6 ай бұрын

    If they never let him down…how do you know it’s easy to fix? 😉

  • @deaks25
    @deaks256 ай бұрын

    I can’t remember the last time I saw any 1st Gen Panda. Not going to lie, that’s bloody cool. Most world cups get plushies, flags and mugs, so a whole car as a piece of memorabilia is certainly unique.

  • @pokeboi5438

    @pokeboi5438

    5 ай бұрын

    They all rusted away in cold wet places like the UK

  • @cornovii3012
    @cornovii30126 ай бұрын

    No beeps, buzzers or violent steering wheel if you get too close to the white line (lane assist 😡), just a simple car that does what its told, thats why i love my 09 panda so much 🙂

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    "It does what it's told" - try one (not 4x4) on snow, and tell me again. Perhaps the Mark II has improved in that respect. On the other hand, I agree that the automatic cyclist killer fitted on today's cars is definitely not an improvement!

  • @cornovii3012

    @cornovii3012

    6 ай бұрын

    @@dlevi67 The Mark 2 is basically a MK1 with wheel arches on the back. The MK 3 or 169 model (2004 -2012) is loads better. "Automatic cyclist killer" 🤣🤣🤣

  • @GoldenCroc
    @GoldenCroc6 ай бұрын

    I remember as a kid reading Fiat ads in car magazines about the 1000cc "Fire" engine in the Uno, of no less than 45hp. I thought it was an odd thing to advertise such low horsepower and small engine, I had never heard of an engine with less than 1.3l capacity at the time. Watching this video, I am reminded that this lowly 1000cc spec was a pretty big upgrade compared to what was availble before!

  • @benpenagonzales6014

    @benpenagonzales6014

    6 ай бұрын

    I was desperate to have an Uno with the fire engine for my first car. Ended up with a 957 Ford fiesta.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    The same engine could pull out up to 70-75 hp (with electronic injection, or a different carburettor and camshaft). Even in "45" guise it could push a Fiat Uno to about 150 km/h / 93 mph, which for the time was not bad at all (although it took a while to get there, and any uphill gradient meant a slow-down).

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    @@benpenagonzales6014 The FIRE 1000 was a very nice engine; it would run so smoothly at idle that you had to check that it was on, and it would easily do 20 km/l outside of town.

  • @GoldenCroc

    @GoldenCroc

    6 ай бұрын

    @@dlevi67 No I agree, its was and is more than sufficient for what most people do if you arent shy about really using the whole powerband. Its just that at the time there was no other car on sale in my country that had a smaller engine than a 1.2-1.3, so it seemed odd to have an advertisement for specifically a 1.0 engine with low horsepower. Especially since it wasnt remarkable in any other regard either, at the time the ad was ran. Still dont get why they did it, perhaps it was some policy from the head office that it had to be advertised "everywhere" where they sold Fiats, regardless if it made sense or not.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    @@GoldenCroc Totally understand - and I never thought your comment was a put down. The ads I remember were more about the technology ("built by robots"), rather than the performance - and in a sense _that_ was remarkable (it was 40 years ago). You are totally right that 45 hp is not exactly something to shout about... especially when with simple mods (€500 including work) you could get 50% more power!

  • @Come_on_geeza
    @Come_on_geeza6 ай бұрын

    I absolutely love these, when I went snowboarding a couple of times in Aosta Valley near Mont Blanc these cars were everywhere! This is where they belong and I’d like to have a 4x4 one day

  • @user-tn1vc1xz5d
    @user-tn1vc1xz5d6 ай бұрын

    Panda 4x4 all the way. Italian alpine cops loved them. Also love the 2CV Sahara, 4x4 due to two engines. I saw one in the Brussels car museum.

  • @dlevi67
    @dlevi676 ай бұрын

    My second car (although it was in "CL" trim) - and if you think this is noisy, underpowered and unrefined, you should try my first car: a Panda 30. The one significant plus of the 30 (and the "cheap" 750 L trim) was that it had the removable 'mattress' rear seat; the bed wasn't particularly comfortable, but for an impecunious 18 year old it was a godsend. Couple of notes: the FIRE engine actually debuted in 1985 on the Lancia/Autobianchi Y10 and shortly afterwards in the Uno. For some strange reason, the 1000 (and 1100/1200/1300/1400) cc versions had "normal" black plastic air filter boxes, but the 750 had them in green. First gear had a synchromesh in the FIRE-engined versions (although like most FIAT first gear synchros it wasn't brilliant) - so either this one is broken, or the gearbox has been replaced with a pre-facelift one.

  • @X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X
    @X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X6 ай бұрын

    In South Tyrol there are still plenty of 1st gen 4x4 Pandas to be found. Perhaps the perfect runabout.

  • @clemens2205
    @clemens22056 ай бұрын

    Definitely one of the coolest cars ever. How incredible that they made a whole car as merch for a world cup. I just adore the football hubcaps.

  • @lucwijngaard8413
    @lucwijngaard84136 ай бұрын

    The Panda is a true workhorse, obviously the 4X4 is well known but I never even knew about this edition!

  • @benpenagonzales6014
    @benpenagonzales60146 ай бұрын

    For some reason, Italia 90 was one of the biggest, most anticipated, and best world cups in my lifetime.

  • @ianjenkins4641

    @ianjenkins4641

    6 ай бұрын

    The English fans were banned from European games in the late 80’s and then we were allowed to travel to this World Cup so it was massive. We had a great team and could have won that World Cup.

  • @crazyplanetx

    @crazyplanetx

    6 ай бұрын

    oh yes the best footy tournament ever

  • @veritasvincit2745

    @veritasvincit2745

    6 ай бұрын

    I've got pretty much zero interest in football but I remember that one in 1990. It was special and pulled people in like myself. Great atmosphere in the pubs in 90 but as an impartial observer not since with subsequent world cup tournaments.

  • @acciid

    @acciid

    6 ай бұрын

    It was a good tournament. Toto Schillaci was brilliant.

  • @brianiswrong
    @brianiswrong6 ай бұрын

    Any chance of having a 1 off episode of a walk around johns collection, James??

  • @slaphead90
    @slaphead906 ай бұрын

    The Panda is the GOAT of small cars. Anything you could put it in it could get out of. An absolute legend.

  • @peterjones4863
    @peterjones48636 ай бұрын

    My mum had the standard 750l in white. A white residue appeared on the sponge when washing it. Super primitive rear seats, very tinny, didn't like going over 55mph but still a much loved family car.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    The "super-primitive" rear seats could turn into a cradle (pre-child seat days... but also good for carrying quite a lot of fragile stuff) or a mattress. For a penniless 18 year old, a double bed in the car was rather convenient. Just sayin'... 😉

  • @hexgraphica
    @hexgraphica6 ай бұрын

    I still wasn't there in 1990, but the only memory related to that year's World Cup I have is a hotel in my hometown, built in a residential area for the event. Except it was never finished and was demolished only the previous to last summer, after being an "ecomostro" for 30 years

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    Meglio tardi che mai... 😉

  • @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek
    @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek6 ай бұрын

    I’ve Owned 2 Fiats: A Wonderful 124 Spider that Fell Victim to a Divorce, and I 124 Sedan that I Could Work On Myself. Loved Them Both!!! Great Reliable Cars, and the 124 Spider Was BEAUTIFUL!!!

  • @chrisblay
    @chrisblay6 ай бұрын

    I remember seeing one driven by a teacher at our school in the eighties that was white and covered in black patches. You know, like a Panda. 🤣

  • @CC-qe1gq
    @CC-qe1gq6 ай бұрын

    I've always had a really sweet spot for the Panda Italia 90. I was a little girl during Italia 90 and, having Italian roughs, my family was hyper-excited about it. I and my sisters spent that part of the summer at my grandparents' in Northern Italy with my cousins. Like many childhood memories, everything is sweet and nostalgic. My grampa was a relatively wealthy man and he had a BMW 5 series but the Pandino (little Panda) is part of my childhood landscape when we had our holidays full of Italian gelato and playing wild with my cousins.

  • @mantarayal
    @mantarayal6 ай бұрын

    In the late 80s we (my Kiwi self, my girlfriend, and others) drove a Landrover County 110 from London to Nairobi. Crossing the Sahara, in southern Algeria, or maybe Niger (hey, it was a while ago), thinking how adventurous we were, being out there quite literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but sand, and the knowledge that we were not exactly sure which way we were going (signposts were distressingly rare). "What's that?"" my girlfriend asked. Peering into the deserty, sandy landscape, what I beheld was a veritable flotilla of tiny cars, piercing their way through the desert, in the midst of which was a ginORMOUS truck."What the actual..."" I thought. Went to meet the flotilla of....white Pandas. Driven by Italians on a holiday. Of sorts I guess. I forget where they were headed, but it was FAR. And the desert hospitality from their truck was truly epic!! Those little cars will go anywhere. And i have the 40-year-pld photos to prove it!!

  • @420somewhereG
    @420somewhereG6 ай бұрын

    The good old days 😊👍🏼👍🏼

  • @dl242ti
    @dl242ti6 ай бұрын

    Cool little car. Thanks for showing this interesting little quirk of marketing. I worked at the Italia 90 world cup and it was a great time. Keep em rolling Jay!

  • @paultasker7788
    @paultasker77886 ай бұрын

    Ah yes the panda 750. My grandpa owned a basic mark 2 fiesta popular and often did long trips to visit relatives in it. It was getting long in the tooth and we suggested he might want to get something more comfortable. So he proudly turned up to our house in one of these! It made the fiesta feel like a Rolls. So basic and starting it in the winter was an 8 turn affair as the car would splutter and stall it's way out of the street. But it never let him down. It was very noisy making mums 1.0 polo mark 2 feel quiet (which it wasn't). But it did have charm. For something brand new it felt archaic. It was a 1993 K reg so by then it was. It didn't like hills much. I think there was one pass on holiday they failed to manage to get up in it! But wasn't running quite right then. But seeing these cars of my childhood always is nice. No matter how simple. And there's no denying it was a big upgrade from a 126 which we once had. Both in terms of space and refinement. The 126 is about the loudest thing I've been in.

  • @scoutfinch47
    @scoutfinch476 ай бұрын

    Love this car, around at the time I had my Fiat Uno Turbo, the Panda rolled like a log through corners.

  • @roysoutdoorlife
    @roysoutdoorlife6 ай бұрын

    I worked for a Fiat dealer when these came out. We laughed at the time. There were so many special editions around at that time, but the Italia '90 had those wheel covers... A few years later they bought out the Panda Colour - That was another level!

  • @neemyn407
    @neemyn4076 ай бұрын

    In Brazil they still made these in the boxy looking body a few years ago( name of the car is F.I.A.T Uno) it's a tank of a car that has crazy mpg range, the newer versions had a real time gas economy gauge, it wasn't hard to find a later model Uno that made 20km+ per 1000ml of gas on the highway in Brazil.

  • @B_Wolfen

    @B_Wolfen

    6 ай бұрын

    I'm not sure you have that memorized right. The 2010 Brazil Uno is a Panda offspring, but the 1st one was an Uno based on the Italian Uno. The latter started with 1'000ccm FIRE engines and 45 HP which was the top engine spec in the Panda shown here. Cheers!

  • @LGaragem

    @LGaragem

    6 ай бұрын

    @@B_Wolfen Yeah, but the "New Uno" kinda looks like a Panda, but has nothing to do with it, it is a completely different platform. Still, I can't believe how many Brazilians see a first gen Panda and go like: "In Brazil, this is called Uno.". Have they seen the actual size of the first gen Panda and do they not know that the Uno was sold in Europe too?

  • @Inazuma68
    @Inazuma686 ай бұрын

    Remember some young Italien girls driving around in these, what a cool car. Here in Switzerland you often could see the 4x4, they saied, it was the best car in the snow.

  • @saxon-mt5by
    @saxon-mt5by6 ай бұрын

    Not all UK Italia 90s were identical; my neighbour had one with the twin sunroofs.

  • @Suprahampton
    @Suprahampton6 ай бұрын

    As someone who was 12 in 1990 I remember these and the Uno

  • @71Serai
    @71Serai6 ай бұрын

    The Panda is such a fantastic design- it is so versatile and simple

  • @WitchyWhale
    @WitchyWhale6 ай бұрын

    I'm happy that this owner put a panda plushie in a Panda.

  • @iainmarsh8036
    @iainmarsh80366 ай бұрын

    Great video, worked at a fiat dealer as a scruffy little 18 yr old when these came out. It was far from the strangest special edition we did, check out the Sergio Tacchini with denim seats. Cars were rusting before we could deliver them due to the thinness of the steel but drive it like an Italian and rev it way past the redline and these were great fun. You mentioned the brakes weren't good this was due to not being servo assisted as I found out to my cost when delivering a customers brand new car to him, that was the end of that job.

  • @r0b3rt_959
    @r0b3rt_9596 ай бұрын

    You forgot to mention that every time you open the doors, Un'estate Italiana plays in the background. Best World Cup song ever, hands down.

  • @martinclapton2724
    @martinclapton27246 ай бұрын

    Great stuff. These are fantastic fun motor cars. The Panda on its first release had the 903cc pushrod engine , originally used in the Fiat 850 Sport in the late 1960s, then went on in the 127 beforehand. The FIRE engine was later introduced in 769cc and 999cc respectively. Of course there were various colour schemes all given their name Tag in the Panda range , Pink, Colour, Sergio Tachinni , plus the 4x4 Sisley and of course Italia 90. They were also available with a Auto CVT box known as the Selecta and the manual 5 speed . The beautiful simplicity, acres of window space , tardis type packaging were big plus points which made these hugely characterful, charming little cars such huge fun. Loved the video, brings back memories of the example I bought with Cinquecento Sport alloys to learn my sons to drive, great stuff. Ps ( Actually we didn’t do too bad in the 1990 World Cup , apart from Gazza doing his well documented crying bit! )

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    The OHV engine was also used later, in various 'cheap' versions, both in 769 cc/34 ps and 903 cc / 45 ps versions. Another nice thing about the Panda was that if you did get stranded (or with a flat battery), you could push it by yourself to a safe(r) place or even manage a push-start. Four teenagers could lift one altogether out of a ditch, with the help of some swearing - don't ask me how I know.

  • @acciid

    @acciid

    6 ай бұрын

    I had a 750. It was slow and handled terribly but it was fun and easy to fix. Death trap though. A friend of mine had one too and after a low speed crash he spent a year in hospital while they stitched him together.

  • @martinclapton2724

    @martinclapton2724

    6 ай бұрын

    @@acciid don’t think they handled terrible. I had the later 999cc single point injection FIRE CLX model, Slow ? Well it wasn’t a dragster obviously , but it pulled well for a small engine , and could rev for all its worth, once cruised at 75-80 mph up the M40 having a 5 speed box, coming back from Ace Cafe when Fifth Gear Programme tried to film the edition with the New Fiat Panda Sport there. Good little car.

  • @acciid

    @acciid

    6 ай бұрын

    @@martinclapton2724 My comparison was with the Metro I had before it. It handled really well in comparison. The Panda had very soft suspension, which is great for cobbled roads in Tuscan villages, but did mean it leaned over in corners. The very skinny wheels didn't help. As for slow, I remember driving mine up the hill to Hindhead on the A3 (before the tunnel) and I had to drop into second to get up there. It was not a quick car. Mind you I got an indicated 93 once on the M9.

  • @Moray2023
    @Moray20236 ай бұрын

    The Panda 4×4 must be the best "Bang for your buck" car ever. Can take anyone, everywhere. Shame the next generation panda is going to cost over £20,000 in the UK and be primarily electric. I think electric works in some cars, however a panda sized car will have like a 150 mile realistically, much less than a petrol and you can't strap Petrol cans to it.

  • @MrSCOTTtheSCOT
    @MrSCOTTtheSCOT6 ай бұрын

    These slightly out there videos of a proper car "nut" obscure models kept in such a lovely way are brilliant. The Panada 4x4 were bonkers for their functionality and a few mates had pandas ,uno's , escorts , nova , astra , Beetles etc etc, so squished in the back was a 90s thing so yep definitely peak 90's nostalgia in this one. panadas do bring a little smile when you see them.

  • @lettoreespatriato3270
    @lettoreespatriato32706 ай бұрын

    Lovely review . It remindes me of my mother's one ( 750 Young , still MK2 , but with a different 750-4 cylinder from the 903cc ) . Quite interestingly and to Italdesign credit, the right and left window glasses were the same parts ...

  • @clfield2
    @clfield26 ай бұрын

    Must be a teacher thing, my old sixth form maths teacher had an Italia 90 Panda!

  • @grayfool
    @grayfool6 ай бұрын

    This is the content we want more of James. Far more fun than seeing yet another 911 or some pig ugly monster of an SUV. Thanks so much. Please ask the owner if you can have a go in some of his other cars, that would be amazing.

  • @SuperTaylor68
    @SuperTaylor686 ай бұрын

    Passed my test in a Panda.. sprung loaded gearbox made it interesting for a learner 😅

  • @michaelbacon561
    @michaelbacon5616 ай бұрын

    I had a red nearly new Mk2 1000L of that era and absolutely loved it - so good for scurrying around West London where I lived at the time. As you say - an absolute masterclass in providing the essentials and no more. I also agree with you about the noise levels; longer journeys were a bit frantic but I believe the later models did get a 5th gear. There were no rattles - there was nothing in the interior to rattle! Another example of the clever simplicity of the car were the loudspeakers available from Fiat which just sat snugly in the cloth parcel shelf without any fixings and sounded OK - good value functionality just like the car itself. The main problem for me was the accelerator pedal that was too high off the floor meaning I had to crank my foot at an uncomfortable angle and often got cramp! The nearest more modern equivalent was probably the basic version of the VW UP!, now obtusely discontinued, which I hired on Shetland; a similar ethos with a much better interior finish. There does seem to be an increasing interest in Japanese Kei cars so I'm hoping eventually that their influence might result in small simple EV equivalents of the Panda.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    Gearboxes with 5 ratios were available from 1987, but not in all trims/engine configurations. In some they were a cost option, and in others (e.g. the 'base' 750 L) not available at all.

  • @mikadavies660
    @mikadavies6606 ай бұрын

    I love John's enthusiasm for strange cars.... I used to have a Panda which I sold for a Talbot Samba convertible...!! Sadly I no longer have the budget to join John on his car quest...

  • @Tourist1967
    @Tourist1967Ай бұрын

    I've seen one of these - ancient, but immaculate. It was kinda cool. I have always had a sneaking regard for that type of car. It takes more talent to design a cheap car than an expensive one, I've always felt.

  • @neilmustow368
    @neilmustow3686 ай бұрын

    Great example of Panda Italia '90 special edition them football wheel trims very rare

  • @RetroGamerVX
    @RetroGamerVX6 ай бұрын

    I actually saw one of these when they were new, loved it even though I didn't and still don't like football.

  • @a1white
    @a1white6 ай бұрын

    I went to rural Italy this year and was amazed by the amount of Fiat Pandas still on the road being used. Geniously simple design

  • @davidarter9670
    @davidarter96706 ай бұрын

    What have we lost with modern cars. The simplicity, and just plain FUN these cars afforded us is sadly no longer available to us. Pity.

  • @weedaviec
    @weedaviec6 ай бұрын

    In 30 years of motoring (including minis and mark 2 escorts) I have also owned 2 Pandas. The blue 750 was dog slow as James says, but my white 1000 burnt off a Fiesta 1100 in a flat out motorway drag race. Incredible in the snow too. A 4x4 would be orgasmic.

  • @kevinmccusker1866
    @kevinmccusker18666 ай бұрын

    I had a 750 Fiat "twin tub" many years ago and it went like the clappers, no problem on the motorway.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    Twin tub? The Fiat 2-cyl engine was not made in 750 cc - the largest was the 704 cc fitted to some late models of 126.

  • @dudleyblokerave
    @dudleyblokerave6 ай бұрын

    Now this is a proper special edition, seen a handful for sale over the years but none looked as complete as this one.

  • @nigelbond4056
    @nigelbond40566 ай бұрын

    There’s something utterly joyous about a simple, underpowered little car that you can use every bhp pretty much all the time. 👏

  • @Jimages_uk
    @Jimages_uk6 ай бұрын

    My wife’s first car was a 126, then she got a panda 4X4 and loved it so much that she got another one. So simple, yet would go anywhere (slowly). Her last Panda was the same model as the one in this video. I think if she could get a tidy model, she would have one again.

  • @JK061996
    @JK0619966 ай бұрын

    Fun fact, the Italia '90 is one of the few first gen Pandas with color-coded bumpers

  • @tiguanman1170
    @tiguanman11706 ай бұрын

    I remember seeing a Fiat Punto Schumacher Edition in really bright yellow. FUN! That's what cars used to be. Now they hardly require any driving and the EV is no more exciting than your microwave. If only a manufacturer sold that sort of car with a bit more safety. It's all anyone needs for short trips.

  • @johnmiller6269
    @johnmiller62696 ай бұрын

    Had a 750L as a hire car in 1989 and drove it from Florence to Rome. It required a lot of forward planning when doing any overtaking on the autostrada, which wasn't often!

  • @taxus750
    @taxus7506 ай бұрын

    Ignore the Panda all you like, but it gave birth to both SEAT (the Marbella) and the Uno. This car is of the same mould as the 205 Rallye - basic, light and a lot fun.

  • @dlevi67

    @dlevi67

    6 ай бұрын

    The Uno was not in any way related to the Panda - both excellent cars, but the only thing in common they had were some of the engines, and the fact that both had been designed by Giugiaro/Italdesign.

  • @jgg02
    @jgg026 ай бұрын

    I find this way more interesting than any porsche review

  • @wayne2069
    @wayne20696 ай бұрын

    Wow I thought this would have rusted away long ago, well done to the owner

  • @brianiswrong
    @brianiswrong6 ай бұрын

    All generations of panda 4x4 are (quite rightly) sought after.

  • @cyrildrewery6654
    @cyrildrewery66546 ай бұрын

    Even this is not a Ferrari or a Maserati, Great Video as usual ! This car is in incredible pristine condition. Temperature gauge or thermostat seems to be wrong as the engine is always showing cold.

  • @LBRacingCars
    @LBRacingCars6 ай бұрын

    Looking really well in this James! Love this content too. Good to see the not so supercars too. All the best and have a good Christmas

  • @whichwasher2007
    @whichwasher20076 ай бұрын

    just like many others, i cant remember the last time i saw one of these boxy pandas with its single window wiper.

  • @michaelt8682
    @michaelt86826 ай бұрын

    i don't know why but this is ridiculously cool

  • @lash9400
    @lash94006 ай бұрын

    ❤my sister had 1985 C reg CL. And it was a blast to drive, that 1.0L FIRE motor just loved to rev its guts out.

  • @drumsmoker731
    @drumsmoker7316 ай бұрын

    It's been 12 years now since the last time I've driven a Panda. It had the 1l engine and was a blast to drive. All wheel spin, engine noise and body roll. Like a motorboat! 😂

  • @AntoniusTyas
    @AntoniusTyas6 ай бұрын

    I will not lie I dig that Adidas Telstar wheel hubcap. Wonder if someone can do something like this but with UCL's Adidas Finale? It would be tacky but funny.

  • @tomhutchin8104
    @tomhutchin81046 ай бұрын

    My mate's first car was a classic Panda in red, a brilliant little thing. However, I can confirm that it was not happy at motorway speeds. The first proper trip we took in it was to Lakeside shopping centre and at 65mph, it would physically shake and rattle to such a degree that I genuinely thought that it would fall apart at any moment! We spent that entire stretch of the M25 laughing like maniacs 😂

  • @davidmwood560
    @davidmwood5606 ай бұрын

    I had a 4x4 Panda, a long time ago to be sure; but WHAT A CAR! I tried to drive it into the ground - honest, but it nust kept coming back for more. Off-road it was pretty much unstoppable too; and you could change from 2 wheel drive into 4x4 at up to 50 mph! (There was a sticker to tell you so - on top of the air-cleaner of all places!) I had a lot of fun with that little car. I hope it's still going, it deserves to be.

  • @GamusinoAlbino
    @GamusinoAlbino6 ай бұрын

    When I think about exotic cars these kind of examples really comes to my mind. Great stuff!!! 😄

  • @auditthis
    @auditthis6 ай бұрын

    I know someone who has an Italia 90, I think it's garaged at the moment and has been for a while. I've got a '92 1.2. It's off the road at the moment waiting for the brakes to be bled and an MOT and it's bloody awesome ragging it around. Managed a shade over 90 in it once, downhill and the wind behind me....a little frightening though 😀

  • @alseeineye
    @alseeineye6 ай бұрын

    That scrap age scheme was criminal - put pay to a lot of classics, such a shame

  • @erikmeltzer-rt7rh
    @erikmeltzer-rt7rh6 ай бұрын

    Sweet! I love weird, cheap stuff. Had an Opel Corsa Steffi Special once for two weeks or so - not quite as basic, but similarly weird :-)

  • @AnthonyRosbottom
    @AnthonyRosbottom6 ай бұрын

    Ah memories. My 1st girlfriend had one of these (non-Italia '90). The thin wheels coped really well in West Yorkshire winters. It could drive on ice that would cause big problems for cars with average width wheels. (Sarah, if you read this, please get in touch 🙂)

  • @Retrorixy
    @Retrorixy6 ай бұрын

    Great review as ever I'm hoping to buy a restore a Bianca I'm in conversation about, which will be a forever car in my little collection ❤️

  • @Seandunc69
    @Seandunc694 ай бұрын

    My first car was a silver panda with the 45 BHP Fire engine, it was amazing in the snow!

  • @andrewduffield2322
    @andrewduffield23226 ай бұрын

    That's an incredible car in amazing condition

  • @edgarbeat2851
    @edgarbeat28516 ай бұрын

    When I was at primary school year two 1990 there was one of these Italian 90 outside the gate. I loved the hub caps. I was 7😊

  • @savm8571
    @savm85716 ай бұрын

    Great little cars. My mum had a "Bianca" special edition, all colour coded with twin canvas sunroofs.

  • @seshelbow336
    @seshelbow3366 ай бұрын

    A lad I know rolled one on a field. Didn’t even break a window. Had a small dent on the a pillar. That was it.

  • @mattbettany1174
    @mattbettany11746 ай бұрын

    My aunty had a Sergio Tachini edition, metallic grey with green interior , lovely

  • @grrfy
    @grrfy6 ай бұрын

    Italia90! a great time to be alive! That example has survived a little better than myself haha!

  • @mosmarb
    @mosmarb6 ай бұрын

    I wouldn't want one but I'm glad there is someone who does, if that makes any sense.

  • @TrevorBuick
    @TrevorBuick6 ай бұрын

    You are so right in terms of where the Panda sits, right up there with a Mini, 500, 2cv, R4, but better? The range was wider, Manual, Auto, all fuel options as you say, 4x4, and spurned the Seat Marbella and Exactly what Fiat is good at 👍

  • @_Fractaal
    @_Fractaal6 ай бұрын

    I went over to Sardinia for a holiday this summer and I'm sure I saw more 1st Gen Panda's there in 10 days than I have in about 25 years in the UK. A lot of them had seen better days but they keep on going regardless.

  • @NenadTrajkovic
    @NenadTrajkovic6 ай бұрын

    Had few Pandas(750,903 and 1.1) and love them.Nice story

  • @JLR_Steve
    @JLR_Steve6 ай бұрын

    Ten years ago I was in Trentino, Italy with the US broadcast team at the World University Games. On our one day off I rented a Panda and drove to Innsbruck and back. Sure wasn't the quickest car on the Autostrada. 🤣

  • @robsmall6466
    @robsmall64666 ай бұрын

    Now that's what I call a special edition

  • @jo05dk
    @jo05dk6 ай бұрын

    I'm a child of the all white versions, the 80s. I still, very foundly, remember a neighbour who replaced his curry yellow Fiat Ritmo 65, with an all white Fiat Ritmo 65. That guy was going placed for sure...and FAST! Despite a 65HP Fiat Ritmo not being thé fastest car out there, he had the record for fastest drive from the nearest bigger city and home. ..and i experinced such a drive once with him..damn. Anyways.. That doesn't matter when we're talking about a Fiat Panda. Having never met the owner, i already sort of like him. A guy with a taste for the not obvious, especially when it comes to cars, is my kind of people. Kudos to him, for a well carried out celebration of a special edition.

  • @robertharris7027
    @robertharris70276 ай бұрын

    Oh so much better than the 1000nd review of a Ferrari... More of that!

  • @johnfrary9589
    @johnfrary95896 ай бұрын

    I has the Sergio Tacchini edition, these cars are incredibly brilliant and awful at the same time

  • @PenryMMJ
    @PenryMMJ6 ай бұрын

    I remember seeing one on Jonny Smith's channel, but he didn't drive it, so I think you have got a first there. Lovely little car.

  • @jamesstanley7263
    @jamesstanley72636 ай бұрын

    Still have my Italia 90 coin collection… One day it will be worth more than this Panda!

  • @L0ND0NITE
    @L0ND0NITE6 ай бұрын

    Just bought a 750 to restore recently! Another one will be back on the road next year! Love the little thing

  • @Jo3man96
    @Jo3man966 ай бұрын

    The only reason I saw a first gen Panda this year is because I went to Italy for a wedding. Part of me really wants one to give me something almost completely opposite to my E39. Although, to be honest, if I had all the little old everyday cars I wanted, I’d have to open a museum.

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