Fiat’s 125th anniversary event, Smiling to the Future, held at the Lingotto building in Turin, was a milestone celebration that few automakers reach, as well as the beginning of a new chapter in the brand’s long history of success, social relevance and leadership, all fueled by a customer-first approach.
The event was attended by members of the international press, representatives of public institutions, including Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Sen. Adolfo Urso, Vice President of the Senate Sen. Licia Ronzulli, President of the Commission for Productive Activities, Commerce and Tourism of the Chamber of Deputies On. Alberto Luigi Gusmeroli, President of the Region Alberto Cirio, Mayor of Turin Stefano Lo Russo, and top management of the Stellantis Group, including John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and Stellantis CMO.
John Elkann, Stellantis Chairman, stated, “Fiat was born in 1899 out of a passion for progress. It was among the few companies that managed to transition from a craftsmanship stage to the industrial era. It represented the freedom to move anywhere for millions of people, and to do so with style. For 125 years we have never stopped working, seeking solutions, believing in our future, and defending tenaciously what we have built. We want to thank all the people who made possible for that Turin startup to become Stellantis today, one of the largest car manufacturers in the world.”
Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, stated, “I’m delighted to be in the home of Fiat in Turin to celebrate 125 years and share the emotion of such a moment with all stakeholders. As one of the most iconic brands in our Stellantis constellation, Fiat brings true Italian flavor to the heart of our customers worldwide. For the third year in a row, Fiat is Stellantis number one brand in terms of volume. It leads in four domestic markets across the planet: Italy, Brazil, Turkey and Algeria. It drives the charge to offer clean, safe and affordable mobility to citizens around the world. I want to thank all of those who hold Fiat so dear since generations and work hard every day to ensure another 125 years of rich history. Fiat team shares the same passion and the same desire to always make our customers smile.”
Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and Stellantis Global Chief Marketing Officer, stated, “Fiat has been synonymous with social relevance over the last 125 years, offering our customers what they really need based on the times in which they are living. And our customers want iconic and affordable city cars; frugal and inclusive compacts; family mobility; commercial vehicles and, last but not the least, Abarth for everyday fun, which is exactly what Fiat offers. Currently we have launched Fiat’s comeback to the global mainstream based on three pillars: Italian design and development, global platform and local relevance—and the Grande Panda is the first member of our new global family. Therefore, over the next decade, we’ll have the right offer for every customer. Because the customer is at the center of everything for us.”
On July 11, 1899, in Turin, the articles of association were signed for the Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili – Torino. Today, after having produced millions of cars, a common thread connects the brand’s past to its present and future; namely, a specific way of understanding cars that sets the brand apart at a global level to this day and has led to products that simplify everyday life and bring joy to the streets of the world.
The event starred the Fiat Grande Panda, the new global model that will kick-start the Italian brand’s new era and the first of a new generation of Fiat vehicles. The event premiered the first real images of two other models in the new global family, an SUV and a fastback, which were introduced last February as concepts and now are at an advanced stage of development and planned to be launched in the following years.
The celebrations held in Turin ended with a stunning parade of classic and contemporary Fiat vehicles that were divided into groups, icons, city cars, compact cars, family cars and light commercial vehicles, then displayed on the Lingotto building’s legendary track to showcase the global Italian brand’s technological and historical heritage.
Since the beginning, Fiat has demonstrated a strong propension toward internationality, with models produced throughout the globe, while keeping its heart and soul in the Piedmont capital where it was founded. Today, with the Grande Panda, a new season has arrived for Fiat, which will be characterized by inclusivity, ingenuity, Italian style and a global spirit.
Grande Panda: Fiat’s new global model
The Grande Panda marks Fiat’s return to the global mainstream market, the first in the next generation of Fiat vehicles being studied for global markets, including North America, where the all-electric 500e returned to market earlier this year after a five-year hiatus, with a starting MSRP of $32,500 and, beginning July 12, 2024, a lease price and APR as low as $299/month and 2.9%, respectively. The Grande Panda has been developed based on three pillars: Italian design, global platform and local relevance.
Sustainability, inclusiveness, simplicity and beauty are the values that gave life to the project, while the design took inspiration from the iconic Panda from the 1980s—the “blue jeans” of the automotive industry, something perfect for every occasion and for every customer. It is a socially relevant car, the car for everybody.
Designed in Italy at the Fiat Centro Stile in Turin, the Grande Panda makes use of a simple idea: a one-of-a-kind multi-energy platform that is installable anywhere in the world. It is a strictly Italian design while choosing the best powertrain fit based on the needs of customers, wherever they might be. In short, the new model marks Fiat’s transition from local production to global range.
The spiral charging cable stands out as one of the most innovative solutions, making the charging experience easier and tidier than ever. The Grande Panda is the first vehicle on the market to include an integrated charging cable, which works in alternating currents up to 7 kW. The spiral cable has a special housing under the hood, which allows for space saving in the trunk, and encourages practical everyday use as it is easy to handle and avoids the grime of traditional cables. This solution sets itself apart with its easy process: after opening the lid, the second step is to take out the cable and connect it to the charging station. Once the charge is finished, it is possible to easily return it to its housing thanks to the spiral shape of the cable.
As with its predecessor, the iconic 1980s’ Panda that changed the way we experience the automobile for over 40 years, the Grande Panda sports a cool personality and unexpected features, as well as an innovative and intelligent use of space. Specifically, the new vehicle sets itself apart from other cars in the B-segment with the unique compactness provided by its small size (157.1 inches in length—below the segment average — 61.8 inches in height and 69.3 inches in width) and well-organized capacity thanks to its compact volume: for example, the trunk is 12.7 cubic feet.
Essentially, the Grande Panda is the ideal companion for families and today’s urban mobility as it can comfortably transport five people. The Italian spirit of the new vehicle is showcased through its iconic design, which is synonymous with beauty, and the exteriors feature a special combination of structured lines and soft yet bold surfaces that highlight the robust wheel arches. Everything is made even more distinctive and cooler through the presence of front and rear skid plates in silver, glossy-black pillar finishes, privacy windows, 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with Fiat logo hubcaps and an eye-catching X design.
As a tribute to the classic Panda, the Grande Panda is equipped with 3D-branded, low-relief letters on the doors, which reflect the surrounding environment and enhance the lower part of the side. Seven liveries are available on the Grande Panda – red, white, black, green, brown, blue and yellow, in keeping with the No Grey initiative.
Inside, a special homage has been made to the Lingotto building’s track, which inspired some of the interior elements. In fact, the dashboard, as well as the polycarbonate frame, including 10-inch cluster and 10.25-inch digital radio, feature a one-of-a-kind style that calls back to the shape of the Lingotto track and creates a distinctive and evocative look.
Special attention has been paid to the optimization of the space. For example, there is 0.5 cubic feet of storage in the dashboard, allowing for many choices when it comes to stowing objects—a simple and ingenious trademarked Fiat solution that recalls the 1980s’ Panda’s timeless “pocket” dashboard.
The first of the new Fiat family will be available both in electric and hybrid versions. With a 44kWh battery and an 83-kW e-motor, the electric Grande Panda offers more than 199 miles* of range in the WLTP combined cycle, making it the perfect vehicle both for everyday use in the city and for weekend trips.
* Provisional values under homologation
Casa Fiat: a unique site to immerse oneself in the Fiat universe
The 125th anniversary is the perfect occasion to inaugurate the new Casa Fiat museum exhibition, a project created by the Pinacoteca Agnelli in collaboration with Fiat. The exhibition traces the brand’s history and its relationship with the Lingotto building, the legendary factory and iconic site of the brand’s industrial production in Turin, which was designed by Giacomo Matté Trucco in the 1920s and restored by Renzo Piano in the 1990s.
Thanks to the use of an interactive display, the exhibition branches off into various thematic areas – car design, architecture, society and kids – giving visitors the ability to completely immerse themselves in the Fiat universe. Inside the museum, the story of Fiat gets told, from its early days to its most recent evolution. Casa Fiat symbolically revolves around the wooden 500 Master model, with a museum itinerary that begins with the company’s founding year of 1899, when the founders gathered to sign the articles of constitution of the Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana – Torino, giving birth to the Fiat name.
The story proceeds decade by decade, presenting various key moments in its history, like the production of the brand’s most iconic cars, including the Fiat Nuova 500, the compact two-seater sedan launched in 1957, and the Fiat Panda, the versatile and innovative car made in 1980 by the designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. Throughout this exhibition, Fiat highlights the importance of its past and its roots without taking its eye off the future, as demonstrated by the new Grande Panda. Fiat’s story does not come to an end at Casa Fiat.
SOURCE: Stellantis
