The Pandamonium is a unique Fiat Panda whose chassis and engine come from a rally Ford Fiesta, produced by the M-Sport team which enters the Fiestas of the WRC championship. The result is as brutal as it is unique.
If you are a rally enthusiast, the name of M-Sport is familiar to you as it is the team that prepares and enters the Ford Fiestas for the world championship. The British firm also works on the circuit, as a partner of Bentley in GT3 in particular, and designs for Ford the “sport” versions MS-RT of certain utility vehicles with the blue oval. M-Sport now launches custom vehicle design and production business, baptized MS-SV for M-Sport Special Vehicles, the first realization of which is a first generation Fiat Panda transformed into a rally monster.
If the Panda had raced in Group B …
Nicknamed Pandamonium and built in a single copy at the request of a customer, the car looks like a Panda that would have raced in Group B in the 1980s. Wide, angular front fenders extend a prominent spoiler and turn into side extractors, while at the rear the also widened fenders act as gaping air intakes. The inscription “Panda 4×4” has been carved into the tailgate.
But the bodywork (excluding the fenders and shields) and the lights are the only elements preserved from the original Panda. Its body was grafted onto the chassis of a previous generation Ford Fiesta R5 rally, whose mechanics were also used.
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The chassis and mechanics of a rally Fiesta
Thanks to the Fiesta chassis, this Panda has an increased width of 36 cm as well as an extended wheelbase which benefits its behavior. The ground connections are those of a rally car, and Under the hood, we find the 1.6 L turbo EcoBoost four-cylinder engine developing around 300 hp and 450 Nm of torque..
This power is transmitted to all four wheels via a five-speed sequential gearbox. Six-point harness bucket seats and FIA homologated roll cage complete the range. It remains to be seen whether the owner of the Pandamonium plans to enter it in competition, which is sure to surprise spectators.
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