To preserve the rights to the brand, Fiat will release a special edition of the Pandina model with the markings of the once popular Italian brand Autobianchi.
Stellantis has decided to revive the almost forgotten Italian car brand Autobianchi, which was officially retired back in 1995. Instead of presenting a completely new standalone vehicle, they will use the historic badge on a special edition of the oldest model in their range, the Fiat Pandina, called the Tributo Autobianchi. Camouflaged prototypes, apparently based on the more robust version of the Pandina Cross, have already been caught testing on the roads. The exterior is expected to get chunky plastic trim, different rims and a retro beige-brown color reminiscent of the exterior color in the Autobianchi brand's color palette, while the passenger compartment is also expected to receive special nostalgic details and materials.
The special Tributo Autobianchi series will not bring revolutionary innovations in technical terms and will retain the proven design of the standard Pandina, the third generation of which was launched on the market in 2011. The drive will be provided exclusively by the established 1,0-liter three-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine from the Firefly family, which develops 52 kW (70 hp). The power unit transmits its power to the front wheels via a manual six-speed gearbox. The car thus remains mechanically unchanged and with reliable technology slowly continues its journey towards the end of the long production cycle, which is expected to end towards the end of the decade.
The main reason for reviving this extinct brand on a 15-year-old platform lies in the requirements of Italian law regarding the protection of trademarks. The law passed last year on the protection of national heritage and historical trademarks stipulates that a car manufacturer can completely lose the rights to a historical name if it does not actively use it on a production vehicle at least once within a period of five years. By releasing the Tributo Autobianchi version, Stellantis has successfully reset this legal deadline, thus thwarting recent plans by the Italian government, which was considering offering dormant brands (such as Autobianchi and Innocenti) to Chinese car manufacturers. With this simple but effective maneuver, Stellantis has protected an important part of its heritage.
