Pandamonium Is A special Panda 4x4 Rally Car Developed By M-Sport
by AutoExpert | 8 December, 2021
For years, M-Sport has been competing in WRC stages with their Ford Fiesta. Soon, the hybrid Ford Puma will take its place. Their most recent endeavor, though, is entirely different. We're referring to the "Pandamonium," a modified rally car variant of the first-generation Fiat Panda 44, which comes in gravel or tarmac configurations and carries massive power under the hood.
Pandamonium may appear to be a Fiat with a widebody kit, but it is really built on a Ford Fiesta R5 chassis from the first generation. A turbocharged 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine from M-Sport is hidden under the car's flat hood. It delivers just under 296 hp (224 kW/300 PS) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft of torque). Power is being sent to all four wheels via a Sadev five-speed sequential transmission with help from special front and rear differentials.
From its inception in 1980 through the end of manufacturing in 2003, the original Fiat Panda had a long run. M-Sport selected a facelifted instance from the 1990s as the basis for the exterior. The Panda had to undergo a series of changes to fit on a racing chassis, which took several months to complete.
To begin with, the wheelbase is longer, measuring 2,480 mm (97.6 inches) rather than the original 2,160 (85 inches), and the front and rear tracks are much broader, with larger-diameter wheels dressed in Pirelli P-Zero tires. Pandamonium has the Panda's angular design, but due to a wide body kit, it's taken to the next stage.
The bulky front and rear fenders, which add 360 mm (14.2 inches) to the car's width, a redesigned front bumper with bigger intakes and an incorporated splitter, broader side sills, and a rear diffuser with a centrally-mounted exhaust pipe are among the custom-designed pieces.
Inside, there's an FIA-approved roll cage, professional racing seats with six-point harnesses, a fresh steering wheel, and not much more outside the vehicle's controls. Pandamonium is a one-off, but the business has hinted at similar ventures in the future by forming the M-Sport Special Vehicles (MS-SV) branch.