IT'S A feisty little car with a dual personality.
The Fiat Panda 100BHP may bear the name of the old cheap and cheerful Fiat of the past, but it is nothing like any Panda I have driven.
This sporty little number with power aplenty is the flagship of the Panda line up of 2007.
It is immediately recognisable with new front and rear bumpers and enlarged wheel arches which flair into sporty sideskirts. A chrome exhaust tail pipe, body-coloured door handles and wing mirrors, front fog lights and a tailgate spoiler are also fitted and there are 15-inch alloy wheels.
But it is a little button on the dashboard that makes this car just so special. The 1.4 16v engine is lively even under normal circumstances, but press the sport button and the car's electronic systems sharpen the throttle and steering responses and suddenly you are driving a sports car.
It is amazing the effect this button has on the overall character of this car. As a colleague said, it should be called the attitude button.
It does show how electronics can change a car and its careful use has resulted in a little sparkler of a motor which can whoosh from 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds and reach 115mph.
It all goes to prove that if you want a small four-door hatchback, you don't have to opt for something that's boring to drive.
Shoving extra power into a small car is relatively easy but tuning the chassis, steering and braking to suit is really the make or break factor.
And this is where Fiat has the ultimate expertise. It has been producing cars that handle beautifully for generations and the Panda 100BHP is the latest illustration of what this manufacturer can do.
It's almost as if the Italian passion for performance driving has been concentrated in a tiny package.
There are no speed stripes, gimmicky paintwork or body kit to proclaim this car's attributes. Just extended wheelarches, alloy wheels and the joy of driving.
The figures really can't put over the fun factor of the Panda 100BHP. But fun does have to be controlled and there's a bespoke suspension system to keep the whole show on the road while stopping power comes from a set of huge 257mm ventilated front and 240mm solid rear disc brakes which look as though they have been pinched from a supercar.
Brakes on the test car are highly sensitive, ferocious and they squeal. But they do their job perfectly, harnessing the almost sinful amount of power that's yours for under £10,000.
FAST FACTS
Fiat Panda 100BHP
Price: £9,995
Mechanical: 100bhp, 1,368cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6spd manual gearbox.
Max speed: 115mph
0-62mph: 9.5 secs
Combined mpg: 43.5
Insurance group: 5
CO2 emissions: 154g/km
BiK rating: 17%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 8yrs anti-rust