- Me looking smart next to the 100hp...

Living with a Fiat Panda 100hp...

For 3 joyous days, I borrowed a Panda 100hp for an article and to see what they're all about, and something unexpected but amazing happened...

1y ago
15.9K

You may remember many moons ago I wrote an article why the Fiat Panda is the greatest car of all time, you can read that article here. People contacted me to check if I was okay and I was feeling well, this is because somebody claiming that a Fiat Panda is the greatest car of all time can't possibly be right in the head. But I honestly thought it was, so I wanted to dig a little deeper into what the 100hp is actually like to live with. I asked the Panda 100hp Facebook group for somebody to show me around theirs and take me for a spin, a chap called Asa Thorp got in touch and said that I could have one of his for a few days. It was an offer I could not refuse. I repeat, one of. Yes that's right, he has three Pandas, absolute legend in my mind, or to some, a bit unusual. The car I borrowed was named Beep, so when I refer to it as Beep, don't be confused, I haven't lost my Panda-filled mind, yet...

The looks..

When I pulled up to collect Beep for its DriveTribe debut, I was instantly reminded of how fantastic these cars looked. Fiat sold them with a cheeky-rear diffuser, a little spoiler, all fake of course but they add a sense of coolness to it, not that the Fiat Panda wasn't cool originally of course. Walking around Beep, I could not find a bad angle, even when looking at the box-shaped side. Most people I've spoken to think the Panda looks ugly because of it's square look, but it's the unusualness that makes me pay my top respect to the Panda. It's different to your repetitive and boring Volkswagen Polo and your Ford KA, and that's why I like it so much. It's bloody terrific.

The engine..

The 100hp comes with a 1.4 litre 16 valve petrol engine from a Punto producing...(take your guesses)... Incorrect, 99bhp, yes 99, I don't get that either. I'll tell you for what though, it has to be up there with my favourite engines; it loves to be revved, you can rev it up to 6600rpm before changing gear with the short-throw gearbox and before it blows up like some-sort of atomic bomb. The sound it makes as well is pretty phenomenal, it screams at you like a baby craving a 'botbot' of milk. The 100hp sounds better than Brian May's guitar solos, and that's a pretty big claim by me right there.

The engine angrier than the kid in school with an earring.

The engine angrier than the kid in school with an earring.

The gearbox..

Something that shocked me and that will shock you all, the 100hp comes as standard with a 6 speed manual gearbox as oppose to the normal 5 speed gearbox in the slower Panda. This means you can spend your time racing through the gears having loads of fun around twisty lanes. There is just one problem with it though, because of the extra gear, the turning circle is what I like to describe as 'slightly embarrassing'. Just pulling into a parking space can sometimes prove to be a challenge. But oh well, it's a fun-little gearbox so I don't give a damn.

The handling...

Fiat lowered the 100hp slightly, gave it stiffer suspension, disk brakes all round, and wider wheels, which gave the 100hp an excellent feel on the tarmac. Every now and then, we tested the Panda by swinging it around roundabouts and flooring it along duel carriageways (within the law, don't sue, ta) and the Panda stuck to the road without fault. Some models came with ESP and ASR - reducing the tyres from skidding under harsh acceleration, but Beep wasn't fitted with that option which was probably for the best as 100hp enthusiasts like me think the Panda drives better and is more fun without it. An easy way to check if your 100hp has ESP and ASR is to check if there's a button for it on the dash, and if it hasn't, then it probably hasn't.

Here we have a wild and vicious Panda, starring down a garage door... (Attenborough impression there)

Here we have a wild and vicious Panda, starring down a garage door... (Attenborough impression there)

Sport mode...

This links into the 'handling' section of the article, the 100hp was fitted with a sport button to replace the normal city steering button. Sport increases throttle response slightly, and reduces steering assistance. We found that Sport mode works well on the motorway as it gives you a better feel at higher speeds and it reduces the chance of you accidentally swerving into a lorry. Sport doesn't actually give you extra power or anything, but it's a nice feature, and it feels amazing pressing it, you instantly feel like Max Verstappen.

The interior...

I was pleasantly surprised with the interior, as old as it may now look, it has a warm and welcoming feel about it, I actually love being inside of it. I like the way the gear stick is right by the classy steering wheel, I like the feel of the buttons, I like the analogue dials, I flipping love the interior of the 100hp!

The interior cozier than your living room...

The interior cozier than your living room...

Practicality...

Take your Abarth 595, and your Renault Twingo GT, they are nowhere near as practical as the Panda 100hp. First of all, there is plenty of head room, and this is thanks to the boxy shape, my 6'5" Dad can fit in the back no problemo. Also, the boot is impressive, you can fit an entire Aldi weekly shop in the boot, and only special cars can do that! The Panda is different from other 'luke-warm' hatchbacks, it makes use of its space very well, it's small on the outside, massive on the inside, well done to Fiat! The car also manages to average around 38mpg which for a 1.4l petrol isn't bad at all. If you want a car that is practical but still interesting and fun, the Fiat Panda 100hp is for you.

Final verdict...

I learned a lot from living with a 100hp, it's a truly lovable car. It tries to be different and surprises you with its characteristics. You can pick up a very nice example now in 2020 for around £1500-£2000 which for the car it is, is the bargain of the century. My family immediately fell in-love with the 100hp so we couldn't just return it back to Asa and be done with it. We decided to buy our own. Yes that's right, we bought a Fiat Panda 100hp, and we've named it Paulo, which is Italian for small/little! My parents went to view it secretly without me knowing (cheeky devils) and it's now on my drive as I'm typing.

Nearly 12 months ago, I didn't actually answer the question I was asking in my article entitled 'FIAT PANDA: THE GREATEST CAR OF ALL TIME?', and now I can honestly say the answer is a resounding yes, the Fiat Panda (especially the 100hp) is the best car ever. You have to go in one to experience it. They instantly put a smile on your face, they make you feel like you're doing 60mph when you're actually doing 40mph. A car with a personality is the best car, and Beep, Paolo, and all the other 100hps out there have the biggest character out of them all.

I would like to give a massive thank you to Asa Thorp for lending me his great-little Panda, he took a leap of faith in me and I hope he and you all feel my genuine love for this little pocket rocket in this article. Beep proved successful in transforming us into 100hp owners...

Comment down your 100hps and your stories of ownership. Do you agree with me?

Thank you for reading.

**************

Daniel Achterhuis is a 14-year-old automotive journalist for DriveTribe and presenter of 'The Piston Podcast'. Daniel has written for various newspapers, magazines, and was the youngest-accredited press at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed. He aspires to become a full time automotive journalist in his later years. Check out more about Daniel by clicking the link to his website...

Join In

Comments (18)

  • Wish you many happy miles with Paolo! Good writing

      1 year ago
  • Now you understand the greatness of the best car ever, and i'm not totally biased on this one lol

    All jokes aside, the 100hp is something special for sure

      1 year ago
  • I genuinely want one now having never even given it a moment's thought before reading this article!

    Out of interest as someone who has next to no mechanical knowledge, why would a 6th gear give it a bad turning circle?

      1 year ago
    • I’m glad! I highly recommend them, they won’t disappoint. I’m not extremely clued up either, but it’s something to do with it has a bigger gearbox for the extra gear, which is placed at the front. This means the turning circle had to be worse to...

      Read more
        1 year ago
  • Neat article. Never really thought the Panda would be such a perfect car. It’s now the only the choice of first car when I pass my driving test 😍

      1 year ago
  • Hey, here comes the Panda hardcore!!! I too have had Beep for a week, Asa wanted her at Brooklands last year. I’m an ex ‘Dred owener of a modified white one. These car are just the best. I couldn’t buy an Abarth afterwards because it reminded me of the Panda and they wanted how much. So... I went to a Type R, and I’m still not as in love. Beep is a blast, they all are, plus they have a fab bunch of owners for all Pandas!

      1 year ago
    • Ahh you had Beep too! He’s a great little car as with all Pandas! I can understand why the Type-R maybe isn’t as loveable, most modern hot hatched lack character and that’s exactly what the Panda 100hp has!😁🐼

        1 year ago
    • It’s not lack it’s the balance between chuckable and power. In Beep everything can I? In the Type R is more best not.

        1 year ago
18