After being left a little unconvinced by the new Panda Cross, we're taking a look at a version of the car we wish was still in the range: the sporty 100HP

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Last week we were in Italy driving the new Fiat Panda Cross, and weren’t entirely convinced by it as a package. However, that’s not the case for all Pandas, and one we’re particularly fond of is the 100HP. The usually rather sensible Panda was given a makeover for this sporty version, with plastic wheel arch extensions, 15-inch wheels and restyled front and rear bumpers. Under the bonnet there’s a 100bhp 1.4-litre engine, making this one sprightly little car.

Sure, it’s not mega fast with a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds, but you’ll have endless fun thrashing the living daylights out of it as you extract every little bit of performance it has to offer. The suspension is lower and stiffer than on other Pandas, so you can really chuck these things around while you hustle along your favourite road.

When Fiat dropped the 1.4-litre four-pot from its range, the Panda 100HP was no more, and the Italian firm is yet to replace it with another sporty Panda. It’s the sort of car that’s absent from too many manufacturers’ ranges these days: a sporty middle ground between the boring runabouts and the full-fat, hot range-toppers.