Fiat marks milestone with new Grande Panda.

Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat celebrates its 125th anniversary in Turin on Thursday with the launch of the new Grande Panda car, inspired by the iconic 1980s model.

Made in Italy minister Adolfo Urso will attend the celebrations at the Lingotto plant in the northern Italian city where the Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino (FIAT) was founded on 11 July 1899.

The original Fiat Panda, a sturdy hatchback famed for its functional design, took the world by storm when it launched in 1980, going on to sell eight million models.

The new larger Grande Panda will be unveiled by John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis, the American-Italian-French multinational automotive manufacturing corporation whose 14 car brands includes Fiat.

Elkann is the great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli whose family played a crucial role in building the company into Italy's largest automobile manufacturer.

.@FIAT reveals the pictures of the new Grande Panda, the firstborn of the new family inspired by the 1980s Panda. Based on a multi-energy platform, it’s a compact family mover which responds to the needs of customers worldwide. Discover more: https://t.co/TMornOJP0t pic.twitter.com/mC1Nj92rC9

— Stellantis (@Stellantis) June 18, 2024

The most famous Fiat car ever produced is undoubtedly the iconic 500 which has sold more than 7.5 million models worldwide since its debut in 1957.

One of the most significant figures in Fiat's history was Gianni Agnelli, grandson of the founder, who served as chairman from 1966 until 1996.

A renowned industrialist famed for his playboy lifestyle, Agnelli orchestrated Fiat's expansion by opening manufacturing plants across the world.

Another key figure in Fiat was Sergio Marchionne who became CEO in 2004 during a troubled time for the company.

Marchionne immediately set about reducing Fiat's managerial bureaucracy, rebuilding the company by refocusing the business on markets and profit.

After a merger in 2014 with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, in 2021 Fiat became a subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division Stellantis Europe.

Photo credit: Karl Allen Lugmayer / Shutterstock.com.