Look carefully and you"ll...
Look carefully and you"ll see the Mitsubishi three-pointed star on the bonnet and hatchback. But this isn"t a Japanese 4x4, either - the model actually hails from Italy, where stylists at Italdesign Giugiaro in Turin worked on the project.
Unveiled at the Bologna...
Unveiled at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy, the Panda Tanker features only three doors. And although the overall shape has remained unchanged, the two rear doors have been replaced by solid panels to free up some extra load space in the practical cabin.
Rugged extras and underbody protection also help to set the Tanker apart from the standard Panda 4x4 model. Designed in conjunction with Italian extreme sport clothing manufacturer Dainese, the show star is equipped with sports seats incorporating a rigid titanium fibre shell.
Reflecting the matt paint finish of the exterior, the cabin has a back-to-basics feel. With no rear seats, the load floor offers flexible attachments for fixing sports kit, while an aluminium structure is designed to carry mountain bikes.
Fiat also took the wraps off its extreme Panda Cross Dakar 2007 at the Bologna exhibition. Powered by a 1.3-litre turbodiesel engine, the motor÷sport model is designed to take part in next year"s rugged Dakar Rally.