Trying a Cinquecento Elettra in May 1992, we said: “It is very difficult to drive as Fiat would want you to. The speedo asks that you shift gears at 13, 26, 39 and 45mph, but the instant consumption window does not always agree.
“Its weight means it rides like a sledge and its low-rolling-resistance tyres help mask all signs of the petrol car’s effervescent handling.
“The Elettra is cramped, it’s uncomfortable, it’s neither practical nor enjoyable, it’s slow and it’s of questionable environmental worth. It’s the worst car Fiat has built for decades.”
Ouch! What did the public reckon, though? Happily for us, Italian magazine Quattroruote gave some Panda drives in Milan.
Ettore Delli Carri, a vet, said: “I’m enthusiastic about it – maybe because I’ve almost reached the point of rejecting cars. You can feel the weight, yet it’s fast and easy to handle. If it cost half as much, I’d buy it immediately.”
Giuseppe Giovenzana, a hi-fi dealer, said: “You immediately feel at ease and realise that it’s ideal for moving around in city traffic.”
However, Tobia Di Primio, a taxi driver, said: “Perhaps for the city it’s fine, but for moving quickly even in heavy traffic it lacks the necessary acceleration. You know, we have a different way of driving.”
Skip forward three decades and Fiat launched a 500 EV with a 200-mile range and 177bhp (albeit for £27,940), and the all-new Panda EV due this July should be even better.