No talked-about PureTech engine under the hood of the new Fiat Grande Panda in Brazil. The compact SUV, which should be presented shortly, will mount a different powertrain for what is the Italian company’s main market worldwide. The new Fiat Grande Panda, recently spotted in various colors, will feature a 1.2-liter PureTech family engine with 100 horsepower for Europe.
Fiat Grande Panda in Brazil will have a different engine compared to the one offered in Europe
Let’s clear away any doubts. The PureTech in question has no connection to the highly contested engines that prompted a French consumer association to file a criminal complaint against Stellantis. This is actually a family of more recent engines that doesn’t seem to encounter the old problems. Several vehicles are equipped with this engine, including the new Citroen C3, the Peugeot 208, the Alfa Romeo Junior, the Fiat 600, and many others.
For Brazil, however, Stellantis and Fiat have opted for a different engine, the good old 1.0 FireFly MHEV, mild hybrid, mounted on the current generation of the “oldo” Panda and until recently on the Fiat 500 Hybrid and old Lancia Ypsilon.
Why this choice? It’s not known, but it’s likely simply an option to keep costs lower, in view of the new Grande Panda’s launch. The old PureTech problems and the engine’s reputation don’t seem to have any connection with the choice of the FireFly, but one thing is certain: this old engine is compatible with the Smart Car platform.
Meanwhile, Brazilian media have spotted some Grande Panda prototypes at Viracopos airport, consequently the timing might be right for its launch, although it’s possible that in Brazilian territory it might be called Fiat Uno.