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NEWS RELEASE
FIAT PANDA BEATS VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, BMW FIVE SERIES AND MAZDA3 TO BECOME
EUROPEAN 'CAR OF THE YEAR 2004'
The all-new Fiat Panda has beaten one of the toughest group of competitors ever seen in the 40 year history of the European Car of the Year to take the title as the 2004 European Car of the Year.
Fiat’s new small car was examined by 58 jury members from 22 countries. They gave the Panda 281 votes, placing it ahead of the Mazda3 (241 votes), the new Volkswagen Golf (241), the Toyota Avensis (219), the GM Meriva (213) the new BMW Five Series (144) and the new Nissan Micra (111). As well as gaining the most votes, 55 of the 58 judges included the Panda in their finalists and 16 put it at the top of their list.
The European Car of the Year award is presented on basis of the car that has moved forward car design by the most on the basis of design, comfort, safety, fuel economy, driveability, performance, practicality, respect for the environment and lastly price and value for money.
It is, therefore, a measure of Fiat’s track record for innovative car design that during the 40 years the award has been presented, Fiat has won it eight times, more than any other car maker. Add in the Fiat Auto brands, Alfa Romeo and Lancia, and the total comes to 11 wins, including half of the Car of the Year awards presented in the last decade: The Fiat Punto in '95, Fiat Bravo/Brava in '96, Alfa Romeo 156 in '98, Alfa Romeo 147 in 2001 and Fiat Panda in 2004.
A SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
The Fiat Panda was presented to the international press on 2 September 2003, and immediately elicited considerable interest and highly favourable comments from more than 1,000 journalists from 21 countries who travelled to Portugal for the launch.
This critical acclaim was immediately confirmed by customer appreciation: the first 'Open Day' event held in Italy on 13 and 14 September attracted over 500,000 visitors to 700 Fiat outlets in Italy. This great reception was also borne out by 95,000 orders in Europe in the first two months alone.
All of this is thanks to a car which is relatively small from the outside, but with the levels of comfort that would normally associate with a big car; designed to be low on fuel consumption yet still offering sparkling performance; ideal in city traffic but at the same time perfect for longer journeys, guaranteeing its passengers a relaxing trip.
All these features make the Fiat Panda the definitive 'great little car', which incidentally also has an extremely high value for money thanks to its combination of great features, low running costs and residual value.
Fiat has a unique reputation with small cars, a sector where it has been a leading player from the 1930s, from the original Topolino, through the first 600 to the 500, from the 126 to the first Panda, from the Cinquecento to the Seicento. There has always been a Fiat city-car for the people: back when the car first heralded individual mobility, then when car owners learned to appreciate cars that were aesthetically pleasing, reliable and a pleasure to drive, even though lower in price and with reduced space, weight and engine size.
FIAT AUTO 'CARS OF THE YEAR'
FIAT 128 / (1970)
FIAT 127 / (1972)
LANCIA DELTA / (1980)
FIAT UNO / (1984)
FIAT TIPO / (1989)
FIAT PUNTO / (1995)
FIAT BRAVO/BRAVA / (1996)
ALFA 156 / (1998)
ALFA 147 / (2001)
PANDA / (2004)
LEAGUE TABLE OF BRANDS SINCE 1964
FIAT / 8 winsRENAULT / 5 wins
FORD / 4 wins
CITROEN / 3 wins
PEUGEOT / 3 wins
ALFA ROMEO / 2 wins
AUDI / 2 wins
OPEL / 2 wins
ROVER / 2 wins
SIMCA / 2 wins
LANCIA / 1 win
AUSTIN / 1 win
NISSAN / 1 win
NSU / 1 win
MERCEDES / 1 win
PORSCHE / 1 win
VOLKSWAGEN / 1 win
TOYOTA / 1 win
(ends)
For further information:
Newton Head / Edward RoweGroup Operations Manager / Public Relations Manager
Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd / Ateco Automotive
Ph: (02) 9558 7111 / Ph: (02) 9558 7111
Mob: 0419 722 888 / Mob: 0407 913 244
Fax: (02) 9558 7722 / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
E-mail: / E-mail:
EJR/ejr/001
10/11/2001