by They turned a cute and even adorable car into a real beast. Despite the name, it’s not a panda anymore, but some kind of saber-toothed jerboa… one way or another, the British team M-Sport has turned an ordinary and unremarkable Panda into a four-wheel-drive rally car.
The hatchback underwent serious modernization and is now based on the chassis of the Ford Fiesta R5, the first car homologated by the FIA under the technical regulations of this class. Externally, the “Panda” is close to the Group B prototypes, and it is powered by a 1.6 turbo engine with just under 300 horsepower. The basis of the Pandamonium project was a partially disassembled first-generation Fiat Panda (1980–2003), whose body was combined with the chassis of a racing Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. I.
The original shell of the hatchback was expanded by 360 millimeters, and to maintain more or less reasonable proportions, the wheel arches were additionally extended, giving the “Panda” a resemblance to the legendary Group B cars. Under the hood of the “Fiat” is a Ford EcoBoost 1.6-liter turbo-four.
The unit here is the same as in the rally “Fiesta”. With a restrictor, its output is 300 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. The hatchback is all-wheel drive. The transmission uses a five-speed sequential gearbox Sadev, and both axles have inter-wheel differentials. Inside the cabin is an FIA-homologated roll cage, six-point harnesses, and a dashboard style reminiscent of early Fiat Pandas. Instead of a rear bench, a spare tire is laid down.
Technically, this is, of course, progress. After all, the “first” Fiat Panda could rely on a Steyr-Puch switchable four-wheel drive and a 1-liter gasoline engine developing 50 horsepower. In the second generation, the “Panda” acquired a 100 HP version, which, as the name suggests, was equipped with a 100-horsepower engine. The FIRE series engine came from the Punto and was paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Such a car could accelerate to 100 in 9.5 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 185 kilometers per hour.
TopGir via Motor
