The 'Classic' Fiat Panda was in production for 23 years between 1980 and 2003. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro as cheap utilitarian transport for the masses. Originally it was available with a two-cylinder aircooled 652cc engine or a 903 cc four cylinder watercooled unit. In 1986 the Panda recieved a number of technical improvements which the Marbella (see below) never recieved. The original leaf-spring suspension was replaced in all but the 4x4 models, and the engine range was updated to 769cc and 999cc watercooled 4-cylinder units. The last of the Classic Shape Pandas were sold in the UK in 1995, though they continued to be produced and marketed in Italy and France until 2003.
The SEAT Panda, later renamed Marbella was a badge engineered version of the Fiat Panda, first sold by SEAT in 1980. When the relationship between SEAT and Fiat broke down in 1986, SEAT continued to produce the car with the new name 'Marbella'. The Marbella retained many of the early Fiat Panda's parts, including leaf-spring suspension, until its production ceased in Spain in 1998. The last Marbellas were sold in the UK in 1995. A practical box-van commercial vehicle known as the SEAT Trans (Pre-1986) and the SEAT Terra (Post 1986) based on the Marbella was also marketed.
