The Grande Panda 4x4 Looks Like a Fiat That Americans Would Love
Fiat just unveiled the Grande Panda 4x4 concept as a "direct heir" to the Panda 4x4 of the 1980s.
The new concept rides on a set of steel wheels wrapped in knobby tires and rocks a fabulous maroon paint complete with fender cladding and a roof rack for extra storage.
Fiat surely won't sell the new Grande Panda here in the United States—it hasn't even confirmed production—but we really think they should reconsider both positions.
We're spoiled for choice when it comes to small crossovers in the United States. But that doesn't mean we don't pine for more. So, when Fiat unveiled the spectacular new Grande Panda 4x4 concept, our hearts fluttered at the thought of driving such a car in the U.S.
Sure, it looks tougher and more capable than it probably is, but the adorable little Panda sports brawny styling with steel wheels and the obligatory fender cladding that advertises its 4x4 status. Fiat says the new Grande Panda concept is a "direct heir" to the original Panda 4x4 that launched in 1983. With an affordable price and a raised ride height, that model became an instant hit among off-roaders.
Fiat
The new concept is based on Fiat's current Grande Panda that comes in electric and hybrid formats. Fiat says the Grande Panda 4x4 concept is planned with an "electrified innovative rear axle"—whatever that means. As it's just a concept, Fiat remains mum on the finer details, so we're left to wonder about what powers the front axle as well.
The brand hasn't actually confirmed production plans, but Fiat's European boss, Gaetano Thorel, indicated to Autocar that it could someday hit the road. "Surely we will have this car on the road in the future–but not tomorrow," Thorel told Autocar.
Assuming Fiat does put the Grande Panda 4x4 into production, we think the Italian marque should consider bringing it to North America. The brand sold fewer than 1000 of its electric 500e in the U.S. last year, which suggests it isn't very desirable to Americans. But one thing Americans are obsessed with is a lifted crossover that looks like it could be taken off-road, and the new Grande Panda 4x4, albeit tiny, projects that image.
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
39 minutes ago
- Fast Company
The household auto fleet is a money pit
There's a financial crisis hiding in plain sight: the American household vehicle fleet. Families are hemorrhaging money through car payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, parking, and registration. In many cases, this adds up to more than a family's annual savings—or the cost of sending a child to college every four years. Car ownership is nearly universal in the U.S., with 92% of households owning at least one vehicle. About 37% own two cars, and 22% own three or more. In 2023, the average annual cost to own and operate a new vehicle climbed to $12,182. For households with two cars, that's nearly $25,000 per year—a recurring expense that too often escapes scrutiny. Now consider how those vehicles are used. In 2021, more than half of all daily trips in the U.S. were under three miles. Nearly 30% were less than one mile. We're paying a fortune to go nowhere. The rise of remote and hybrid work has amplified the mismatch between cost and use. As of 2023, more than a third of U.S. employees worked remotely full time, with another 41% following hybrid work models. Pew Research Center reported that almost half of remote workers would look for a new job if their employer took this option off the table. Cars are parked roughly 95% of the time, depreciating as they collect pollen and bird droppings. And yet they demand monthly payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. The long-distance commute has been the primary reason for every working member of the family needing their own vehicle, but our travel habits have changed. What if owning fewer cars was a sign of more success? A growing number of families are experimenting with a car-lite lifestyle—ditching the second or third car and rediscovering local travel through bikes, transit, or walking. They're not doing it to make a statement. They're doing it to make ends meet—and to take back their time. At the center of this quiet shift: the e-bike. Part appliance and part liberation machine, e-bikes are redefining what a 'vehicle' can be. School drop-offs, grocery runs, commutes, and social visits—trips once assumed to require a car—are increasingly accomplished with battery-assisted pedaling. Terrain and distance fade as barriers. In 2022, more than 1.1 million e-bikes were sold in the U.S., nearly quadruple the number from 2019. E-bikes now account for over 20% of total bicycle sales in the U.S., and they represented 63% of revenue growth in the bike industry between 2019 and 2023. Bikes have become robust enough to handle everything from kid pickups to bulk grocery runs, and more cities are creating rebate programs to accelerate adoption. Replacing a car with an e-bike can save a household $120,000 over a decade—enough to wipe out debt, fund a college account, or boost retirement savings. And as infrastructure improves with more protected lanes, slower streets, and secure parking, the e-bike can graduate from practical to preferable. What if you spent less on movement and more on meaning? What if streets worked as well for bikes as they do for cars? What if getting around town felt like a lifestyle upgrade? For too long, success was measured by how many vehicles fit in your driveway. But those cars aren't status symbols—they're financial sinkholes. Remember, more than half of America's car trips are under a few miles. If you're going broke to go nowhere, the journey needs a new map.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
MaxLinear and Comtrend Announce Availability of EV Charging Station Powerline Data Modules
CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 2, 2025-- MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL) and Comtrend announced today the availability of ITU-T standards-based powerline data modules for EV Charging Stations (EVSE) backend communication, including data centers and smart parking extensions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: MaxLinear's enables Comtrend's powerline data modules to accelerate EV Charger installations. Using MaxLinear technology (data-over-powerline), Comtrend's innovative powerline data module series collects and transfers data from power meters in EV charging infrastructure (EVSE) and IoT devices without the need for new cable installations. Comtrend leverages existing electrical powerlines for data communication, providing a scalable and hassle-free solution. This approach is particularly effective in underground concrete environments, where charging stations are frequently installed and other technologies lack reliability. Comtrend PM 1540 key benefits include: - No new wiring required – uses existing electrical wires for data transmission. - Lower latency, higher speeds, and greater stability than traditional methods. - Real-time connectivity. - Significant cost savings vs. LAN, Wi-Fi, or 4G solutions. - Simplified installation — reduced complexity, time, and no need for additional infrastructure. - Supports an electric wire domain of up to 250 nodes for large-scale deployments. - Strong signal transmission reaching up to 700 meters with up to 16 levels of signal repetition. For additional information on the Comtrend PM 1540: 'The electric vehicle industry has grown at an unprecedented rate in recent years. We are thrilled to partner with Comtrend to accelerate the installation of EV charging stations, addressing the industry's needs and meeting the rapidly increasing demand,' said Vikas Choudhary, Vice President of Connectivity and Storage Business at MaxLinear. Our product portfolio addresses a wide range of applications, including industrial IoT and Smart Grids, to proactively support the digital transformation of the industry.' 'Comtrend's Powerline Data Modules, powered by MaxLinear's cutting-edge technology, provide high-speed, secure, and reliable wired communication between EV charging stations and the smart grid,' said Vaclav Slehofer, Managing Director and Vice President of Comtrend Europe. 'By partnering with MaxLinear, we're bringing to market a cost-effective, easy-to-deploy and future-ready solution that ensures robust data connectivity for the evolving landscape of smart EV charging infrastructure.' Why MaxLinear for EV Charging? The versatility of the technology standard provides ultra-fast and reliable network connectivity for a wide range of markets and applications. works over any wiring infrastructure – coax, telephone wire, powerline, or Power-over-Fiber (POF). achieves very low latency while enforcing comprehensive Quality of Service (QoS) and delivering Gigabit speeds under any packet size. MaxLinear's baseband processors and analog front-end chipsets are fully ITU compliant and deliver physical data rates up to 2Gbps, the fastest performance in the industry. Deploying MaxLinear for EV charging stations enables seamless interoperability, efficiency, and low-cost deployments. Visit for an overview of MaxLinear's solutions. Why Comtrend for EV Charging? Comtrend EVSE solutions provide enhanced interoperability, integrating with various EV charging brands and smart grid systems, ensuring compatibility across different platforms and technologies. Comtrend's products are available now. For a full overview of Comtrend solutions for EV charging and other industrial IoT solutions, click here for more information. About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit About Comtrend Comtrend has over 30 years of experience delivering high-quality broadband networking solutions to Service Providers. Comtrend offers a comprehensive lineup of solutions ranging from gateways to networking devices that provide clever coverage to innovative use cases or difficult-to-reach areas. Contact us today to learn more at Comtrend is a Member of the HomeGrid Forum. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance, statements relating to MaxLinear's technology and the functionality, performance and benefits of such technology, statements about the potential market opportunity and rate of growth for MaxLinear's technology, statements relating to the partnership between MaxLinear and Comtrend, statements by our Vice President of Connectivity and Storage business and statements by the Managing Director and Vice President of Comtrend Europe. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and our future financial performance and operating results forecasts generally. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. In particular, our future operating results are substantially dependent on our assumptions about market trends and conditions. Additional risks and uncertainties affecting our business, future operating results and financial condition include, without limitation; risks relating to the development, testing, and commercial introduction of new products and product functionalities; risks relating to our relationship with Comtrend; risks relating to our terminated merger with Silicon Motion and related arbitration and class action complaint and the risks related to potential payment of damages; the effect of intense and increasing competition; increased tariffs, export controls or imposition of other trade barriers; impacts of global economic conditions; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry; a significant variance in our operating results and impact on volatility in our stock price, and our ability to sustain our current level of revenue, which has previously declined, and/or manage future growth effectively, and the impact of excess inventory in the channel on our customers' expected demand for certain of our products and on our revenue; escalating trade wars, military conflicts and other geopolitical and economic tensions among the countries in which we conduct business; our ability to obtain or retain government authorization to export certain of our products or technology; risks related to the loss of, or a significant reduction in orders from major customers; costs of legal proceedings or potential violations of regulations; information technology failures; a decrease in the average selling prices of our products; failure to penetrate new applications and markets; development delays and consolidation trends in our industry; inability to make substantial research and development investments; delays or expenses caused by undetected defects or bugs in our products; substantial quarterly and annual fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; failure to timely develop and introduce new or enhanced products; order and shipment uncertainties; failure to accurately predict our future revenue and appropriately budget expenses; lengthy and expensive customer qualification processes; customer product plan cancellations; failure to maintain compliance with government regulations; failure to attract and retain qualified personnel; any adverse impact of rising interest rates on us, our customers, and our distributors and related demand; risks related to compliance with privacy, data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations; risks related to conforming our products to industry standards; risks related to business acquisitions and investments; claims of intellectual property infringement; our ability to protect our intellectual property; risks related to security vulnerabilities of our products; use of open source software in our products; and failure to manage our relationships with, or negative impacts from, third parties. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as the information to be set forth under the caption 'Risk Factors' in MaxLinear's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. All forward-looking statements are based on the estimates, projections and assumptions of management as of the date of this press release, and MaxLinear is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on CONTACT: MaxLinear, Inc. Press Contact: Debbie Brandenburg Sr. Marketing Communications Manager Tel: +1 669.265.6083 [email protected] KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) DATA MANAGEMENT ENERGY GREEN TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY EV/ELECTRIC VEHICLES ENVIRONMENT 5G AUTOMOTIVE SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET UTILITIES MOBILE/WIRELESS SOURCE: MaxLinear, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/02/2025 03:05 AM/DISC: 06/02/2025 03:04 AM
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tesla's sales in Sweden fall 53.7% year-on-year in May
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Tesla's new car sales in Sweden fell 53.7% in May from a year earlier to 503 vehicles, registration data from Mobility Sweden showed on Monday. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
