Following the launch of the latest Mazda MX-5 earlier in the year, we’ve now got the second half of the tie in between the Japanese manufacturer and Fiat. Pay witness to the new 124 Spider. That the 124 Spider is making a debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show should probably tell you everything you…
Category: Fiat
FIAT Panda Cross – Coming to Geneva 2014
Another day, another orange off-roader making its way to a Geneva Motor Show launch. Although today’s is slightly more budget conscious than yesterday’s Range Rover Evoque. Yes, it’s a FIAT Panda, and about as budget a 4×4 as you can probably get. But, it’s orange so at EngageSportMode we approve. This new version is the Panda Cross,…
F1 Inspired Road Car Specials
The new Renaultsport Megane Red Bull Racing RB8 featured recently isn’t the first, and is unlikely to be the last, road car linked to a Formula 1 racer. Here are five more with varying levels of motorsport credibility. 1. 2001 Fiat Seicento Sporting Schumacher Edition Way back at the turn of the century, there was…
Filling The Hole: The Polo
Yesterday I mentioned how I would save the details of the Panda 100HP’s replacement until today. As promised, here is the new contender to fill the (obviously quite petite) shoes left by the baby Fiat: Yes, like an errant homing pigeon finally finding the coop, I’ve returned to the Volkswagen stable. This 2006 Olympic Blue 9N3…
End Of The Road: The Panda 100HP
Up until owning the Panda 100HP, I’d only ever had VAG products. Three Volkswagens and an Audi to be precise. This presented me with something of an existential crisis as someone heavily opinionated on cars and the motor industry. How could someone who had only owned products of one (albeit huge) manufacturing group, really offer…
The Confessions Just Keep On Coming
Along with liking NASCAR, Engage Sport Mode is also willing to admit to other things. Like enjoying the music of Avril Lavigne (and seeing her live), thinking additional jalapeno peppers can improve everything and occasionally being wrong. In this instance, the “being wrong” relates to a prediction made on this very website back in January. In that post I…
A Further Update on Italian Week
After the Alfa Romeo-fest which the previous post turned into, I felt the need to redress the balance in favour of other marques from the boot-shaped state. I had to include this car somewhere, as it transported me back to a time long forgotten; before the dominance of the internets, twitter and public opinion in the…
I Could Afford That / Classified Dreaming #2
If you’ve somehow managed to avoid all cardshops, department stores or Moonpig adverts recently, then you would’ve missed the fact it was Valentine’s day yesterday. Fortunately I did remember so I’m here to bring forth another installment of I Could Afford That/Classified Dreaming. To perpetuate a very tedious link (for which I apologise profusely) Italy…
Car of the Year: ESM is ahead of the curve
Today the seven cars nominated for the 2012 Car of the Year award were unveiled.To summarise the choices are: – Chevrolet Volt (hybrid schmybrid), – Citroen DS5 (seriously?!), – Fiat Panda (hurrah!), – Ford Focus (yawn….snore), – Toyota Yaris (………………), – Volkswagen Up! (an ESM favourite), And, finally, what’s this at number seven? Could it…
Yes, it’s a Panda
Telling people you drive a Fiat Panda seems to produce a number of reactions depending on how much the individual knows about cars. Those whose automotive knowledge only comes from Top Gear, don’t really care. If Clarkson hasn’t set fire to it or raced it against a nuclear-powered submarine then it’s not important.
EngageSportMode 