Autoblog

Click to view more of the rendered 2010 Fiat Panda in high resolution

The Fiat Panda has been on the market in its current form since 2003, making it a likely candidate for replacement in the next couple of years. The miniscule five-door hatch was a big success contributing to Fiat's revival, winning the European Car of the Year award in 2004 before donating its platform for the even more successful 500 retro-hatch.

Italian car site OmniAuto is featuring a series of renderings predicting what the next Panda could look like, borrowing some of the retro cues from its Fiat 500 stablemate. Of course, this is mere speculation at this point, and while Fiat could decide to capitalize on the sell-out success of the Cinquecento with a similarly-styled five-door, it could alternatively deem keep the two models entirely separate. We'll see by 2010 when the new Panda is anticipated to make its debut, but in the meantime you can check out the renderings in the gallery by clicking on the thumbnails below, and let us know what you think in the comments.

[Source: OmniAuto.it via Motorpasion]

VIP visitors to the Isle of Capri this summer are being ferried about in this new Fiat concept car - the Panda Jolly. The latest in a long line of Jolly vacation cars from Fiat, The all sun, all the time Panda runabout was designed around Mediterranean and nautical themes by Centro Stile Fiat and interior designer Paolo Lenti.

The Panda Jolly retains most of the look and feel of the production car, aside from the obvious lack of a roof and doors, and a redone rear boot lid. Much of the design work went into the interior, with a modular arrangement of tube-frame seats covered with nautically-inspired rope and color-coordinated seat cusions. The ash wood floor, sills and rear deck continue the sailing yacht theme.

Show car builder Stola finished the cheerful little car with a sky blue metallic paint job.

Over the years, Fiat has produced a number of Jolly models, including versions based on the Multipla, 500 and 600. Check out the Jolly Registry here, and a gorgeous Fiat 500 Jolly here. In their heyday of the late '50s and early '60s, the Fiat 500 Jollys were a favorite toy of the rich and famous, including Yul Brynner and Aristotle Onassis, who used them as estate runabouts, yacht tenders and golf carts.

[Sources: Italiaspeed, Fiat, The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum]

Maurizio Zanisi apparently has way too much time on his hands. The Italian engineer has modified a Fiat Panda 4x4 with a flotation belt and a waterjet propulsion system to create the Panda Terramare 4 - a vehicle that adds a new dimension to "off-roading."

Zanisi's Panda paddleboat splashed into the English Channel today at the British seaside town of Folkestone and came ashore on the French coast at Cap Griz Nez six hours later. The distance covered by water was 25 nautical miles across a body of water that's the H2O equivalent of an L.A. expressway.

The watertight Panda has been paddling about since 2005, but this has been its longest ocean journey to date. Zanisi, who builds specialty vehicles for a living, estimates that the Terramare version of the Panda would sell for about €80,000 (around $100,000).

Thanks to Into Gear for the tip!

[Source: Italiaspeed, Quattroruote]

Italy's Fiat Group, flush with the success of its flagship Fiat brand, has plans to more than double the sales volume of its niche-market Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands by 2010.

The aggressive target will put Alfa Romeo sales at 300,000 units annually, from 125,829 in 2005. Alfa Romeo plans to sell 180,000 units in 2006. (We're hoping that U.S. market sales will play a role in Alfa Romeo's growth.)

Sales of the Lancia brand were only 113,783 in 2005, but Fiat plans to increase sales to 300,000 units by 2010.

Meanwhile, the Fiat brand is powering ahead, with 2006 year-to-date sales in western Europe up 28 percent over 2005, driven by the success of its new A and B segment cars, the Panda and Grande Punto. Fiat's new C-segment hatchback, the Bravo, will be launched early next year, followed by the new Fiat 500 minicar (shown in spy garb at right). A new "family car" is also said to be in the works.

[Source: Reuters, Italiaspeed]