- A Fiat Pandina prototype was spotted testing with Autobianchi badges.
- The Tributo Autobianchi edition helps Stellantis retain the trademark.
- Expect no mechanical changes compared with the standard model.
Stellantis recently hinted at a fully electric successor for the Fiat Pandina, one with toy-like styling and a central driving position. But the current model still has years left before it exits production toward the end of the decade, and Fiat plans to send it off with a special edition wearing a name pulled straight from the past.
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That name is Autobianchi, a brand born in 1955 as a joint venture between Bianchi, Pirelli, and Fiat. The company built its reputation on small cars, and the A112 became its defining hit. The little hatchback arrived in 1969 on the front-wheel-drive platform of the Fiat 128, and more than 1.2 million rolled out before production wrapped in 1986. The marque itself disappeared in 1995, though Stellantis still holds the rights.
A Familiar Face Wearing An Old Badge
Rather than revive Autobianchi as a standalone marque, Stellantis chose to bolt the badge onto the oldest survivor in the Fiat range. Spy photographers from Italian outlet Quattroruote caught a heavily camouflaged Pandina prototype wearing a Tributo Autobianchi script across its rear doors, which gives the game away early.
This unexpected branding indicates a new special edition built around nostalgia. The model appears to be based on the rugged Pandina Cross, with a generous amount of plastic cladding wrapped around the bodywork.
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Exterior modifications might include new trim pieces on the front bumper, different alloy wheels, and a vintage beige-brown shade that recalls the old Autobianchi color palette. The cabin is also expected to get special attention, possibly with retro touches and fresh materials.
The Tributo Autobianchi will most likely keep the underpinnings of the standard Pandina, which is slowly drifting toward the end of its long lifecycle. The car has carried on largely unchanged since the third-gen Panda debuted in 2011. Today it comes exclusively with the mild-hybrid 1.0-liter three-cylinder Firefly engine producing 69 hp (52 kW / 70 PS). Power reaches the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Why Dust Off A Dead Brand?
So why resurrect a badge that has been dead for over three decades on a 15-year-old platform? The answer might lie in European trademark regulations. Under current rules, an automaker that fails to actively use a registered trademark on a production vehicle within a specific timeframe risks losing the legal rights to that name entirely. By releasing a Tributo Autobianchi version of the evergreen Pandina, Stellantis effectively resets the clock, keeping a piece of its Italian heritage alive and under its control.
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A couple of years ago, it was reported that the Italian government was considering offering dormant Stellantis brands Autobianchi and Innocenti to Chinese automakers. With Fiat regaining rights to the name, that scenario now seems less plausible, unless Stellantis decides to put the badges on a future urban EV from Leapmotor.
