2023 Fiat Panda 4x40 Degrees marks four decades of 4x4 off-roading

The 2023 Fiat Panda 4x40 Degrees Limited Edition has been launched in Europe, marking 40 years since the first near-unstoppable Fiat Panda 4x4 was launched.

Appropriately, just 1983 examples of the special-edition will be produced, although none are expected in Australia after it was discontinued here in 2015.

But in Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland the new Fiat Panda 4x40 Degrees offers buyers styling cues inspired by the 1983 original.

Based on the flagship third-generation Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross, the special-edition gets solid ivory white paint, unique side mouldings, badges on the B-pillars and graphics of the original car under the rear windows.

New small 15-inch white steel wheels (with black centre caps), red tow hooks, black roof rails and rear privacy glass complete the external changes.

Inside, there’s yet more ivory white, this time on the dash, plus recycled fabric seats that also have red stitching.

On the backrests of the right seat is the silhouette of the first-generation Panda 4x4 and the date ‘1983’ in the top left-hand corner.

On the left-hand seat, meanwhile, is a third-gen 4x4 accompanied with the 2023 lettering.

As standard, the Panda 4x40 Degrees comes with a 7.0-inch infotainment system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, automatic headlights/wipers, height-adjustable driver’s seat and rear parking sensors.

Curiously, the Panda 4x4 was discontinued in Europe in 2022 in response to the ongoing global computer chip shortage, so this special-edition will be the first opportunity for many secure a new version of the go-anywhere Fiat this year.

There’s no word on what powers the Panda 4x40 Degrees but it’s expected to be equipped with a 0.9-litre TwinAir two-cylinder petrol engine that produces 63kW and 145Nm of torque and is combined with a six-speed manual and all-wheel drive system.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the 2023 Fiat Panda 4x40 Degrees, but what’s marketed as a ‘collector’s edition’ by Fiat could be a swansong for the Panda 4x4 as an all-new pure-electric version based on the Centoventi is expected to be launched in 2024.

The regular Panda range, which was introduced in 2011, has been tipped to stay on sale until at least 2026 to help transition the switch from petrol to all-electric.

Since it was introduced in 1983, Fiat says it has sold nearly 800,000 Panda 4x4s.

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