Fiat Panda vs Aston Martin

Finally …the car review you’ve all been wanting to read…the Fiat Panda 4×4 versus the Aston Martin V12 Vantage ‘S’ – perhaps an unfair comparison you may be thinking? …well read on…

The first and most obvious thing to say is that the Panda is by far the cheaper of the two vehicles, you could have at least 8 Fiats for the price of the Aston – but let’s put this to one side for the moment.

Economy – obviously the Panda is far more economical than the Aston, the Aston won’t get you to London without a re-fuelling stop – whereas the Panda will do London and back on one tank.

Score 1 to the Panda

Technology – the Bluetooth phone kit in the Aston is appalling – all you get is engine noise – the phone kit in the Panda is a dead easy and the quality is superb

Score 2 to the Panda

Usability – you can literally park the Panda anywhere and not worry about it – whereas the Aston always attracts the wrong type of attention – (the car was vandalised in Manchester recently …£1700 worth of damage from somebody taking a ‘selfie’ sat on the bonnet).

Score 3 to the Panda

Headlights – Panda lights up the road ahead, Aston lights up… pretty much nothing

Score 4 to the Panda

Wet weather driving – Panda has four wheel drive, dif lock, winter tyres and just sticks to the road like glue…..the Aston just wiggles its back end then spins its wheels…then a red light comes on…

Score 5 to the Panda

Other road users –  when you’re in the Panda, people wave and point and smile…when you’re in the Aston the phrase ‘dickhead’ can be heard as you burble along…people do make hand gestures but not the nice ones….

Score 6 to the Panda

I could go on and on about this but you begin to get the picture…its far more relaxing to be sat in the little Fiat than it is to be on show in the Aston Martin.

Maybe I’m just getting older and require a little more of a low key approach?

Maybe it’s something to do with the public perception of the type of person that drives these vehicles?

Being a British businessman (and proud of it)…I wanted a British car I could be proud of, something I would be able to enjoy driving and have something to show for all the hard work and effort that it takes to run a company in this most difficult of economic climates.

It would appear however that the general British public don’t particularly like somebody looking as though they are successful?

Maybe i should just grow up and buy a sensible in grey with a diesel engine ….something bland and predictable with a huge mpg….?

Naah …f**k it you only live once…

 

Mike C