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Compact cars are a popular choice for drivers looking for a smaller, more fuel-efficient ride. But is there such a thing as too compact? Based on one man’s DIY project, the answer is a resounding “Yes,” at least for anyone larger than 19.7 inches wide. But even if you can fit into the shaved-down Fiat Panda, the experience may descend into an uncomfortably claustrophobic commute.
The Fiat Panda has earned itself a devoted fan base in the decades since its 1980 debut. Its name isn’t a reference to the black-and-white bear, but the Roman goddess of travelers, Empanda. By 2020, Fiat had sold approximately 7.8 million of them, and there’s even an annual festival dedicated to the city car called Panda in Pandino that’s held in an Italian castle. At just 57.5 inches wide and around 1,576 lbs, they remain popular for navigating the tight streets of European towns—but for Andrea Marazzi, that apparently wasn’t small enough.
@tutti_pazzi_per_marazzi Risposta a @Loris Gaspari Ecco la prova che può curvare in modo efficiente #panda #fyp #curva ♬ suono originale – tutti_pazzi_per_marazzi
Over a series of TikTok videos, Marazzi documented his quest to construct what is almost certainly the world’s thinnest Panda. After measuring his own width, Marazzi sliced away about 37.8 inches of a donor vehicle, losing two wheels, a headlight, and most of the windshield in the process. Now less than two feet wide, the remaining Panda couldn’t possibly house the original inline 4-cylinder engine. Instead, Marazzi swapped it out for a small electric motor powered by a pair of 12-volt batteries.
@tutti_pazzi_per_marazzi Risposta a @Salvatore Rondinelli Mistero risolto #cofano #fyp #panda ♬ suono originale – tutti_pazzi_per_marazzi
Even at its diminished size, however, most of what’s left is from the original Fiat. As Road and Track highlighted, the Panda still kept its other two original tires and wheels, as well as a front and back seat. Its final form is thinner than most mountain bikes, and at about 600 lbs, is less than half its original weight. The result is a drivable (if somewhat puny) Panda tailormade for its creator.
But where do you show off a creation like that? At Panda in Pandino, of course.
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