Skip advert
Advertisement

Fiat Panda

Cobra springs fail to fix bouncy ride on Panda

Fiat Panda
Evo rating
RRP
from £115
  • Lower ride-height looks cool
  • Makes the standard set-up seem comfortable

Regular readers may recall that, until very recently, we ran a Panda 100HP on our Fast Fleet. We loved everything about it, with one exception: its pogo-ing ride on bumpy B-roads. So when Cobra Suspension rang to say it had developed a set of springs that should make driving the Panda less punishing, we were keen to give them a go.

Advertisement - Article continues below

With our long-termer gone, evo reader Stuart Ash kindly volunteered his 100HP to be our guinea pig. The first thing we noticed about his car on the new springs was that it was sitting around 25mm lower. How exactly would this improve matters? The answer came at the first speed bump: it wouldn’t. The 100HP crashed over it as if there were no springs fitted at all…

On a flowing road the Panda’s turn-in was marginally quicker, but the horrendous trade-off in ride comfort simply wasn’t worth it. At the end of the drive a look underneath the car revealed that the rear suspension was now sat so low, the bump-stops were permanently against the chassis, so effectively there was zero suspension travel at the rear.

Cobra is looking into the bump-stop issue, but for the moment keeping the springs standard and holding on tight remains the best option.

Specifications

EngineIn-line 4-cyl, 1368cc
Max power99bhp @ 6000rpm
Max torque97lb ft @ 4250rpm
0-609.5sec (claimed)
Top speed103mph (claimed)
On saleNow (www.cobra-suspension.com)
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

'Do I crave a manual in a Porsche 911? Absolutely. But in a Nissan GT‑R? No way.'
Porsche 911 ST
Opinion

'Do I crave a manual in a Porsche 911? Absolutely. But in a Nissan GT‑R? No way.'

Jethro is celebrating the shift back to manual gearboxes – with one proviso
15 Feb 2025
Ill-conceived government legislation will kill the UK car industry
Porsche Taycan charging
Opinion

Ill-conceived government legislation will kill the UK car industry

The car industry and legislators cant meet in the middle and find a compromise soon enough
13 Feb 2025
Alpina B3 GT Touring 2025 review – a 190mph alternative to the BMW M3 Touring
Alpina B3 GT Touring
Reviews

Alpina B3 GT Touring 2025 review – a 190mph alternative to the BMW M3 Touring

A swansong for Alpina’s hot 3-series lineup, the B3 GT Touring is a fine and unique alternative to the very best fast estates
16 Feb 2025