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This is part of the ItalianCar.net archive - go to ItalianCar.net now NEWS ARCHIVE Fiat Panda wins 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 Mazda 3 (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 to the car that has moved forward car design the furthest and is judged 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 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 garnered favourable comments from the 1,000+ journalists from 21 countries who traveled to Portugal for the launch. This critical acclaim was confirmed by customer appreciation: the first 'Open Day' event held in Italy on 13/14 September attracted over 500,000 visitors to 700 Fiat outlets in Italy and Fiat have taken 95,000 orders in Europe in the first two months alone. The Panda has a number of virtues that appeal to traffic jammed Europeans - relatively small from the outside, but with the levels of comfort that would normally associate with a big car; low fuel consumption yet pretty good performance - good in city traffic but at the same time capable of longer journeys. 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 - EUROPEAN CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
LEAGUE TABLE OF BRANDS SINCE 1964
© italiancar.com.au 23/11/03
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