--- title: "Old Fiat Panda 4×4 Gets the Restomod It Always Deserved for 40th Birthday" description: "Designer Niels van Roij created this lovable Fiat Panda 4x4 Piccola Lusso, a one-of restomod that celebrates the car's 40th anniversary." date: "2023-08-15" modified: "2023-08-15" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/old-fiat-panda-4x4-gets-the-restomod-it-always-deserved-for-40th-birthday" categories: - "Fiat News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "fiat" - "Hatchback" --- # Old Fiat Panda 4×4 Gets the Restomod It Always Deserved for 40th Birthday ![]() Car nerds love the [Fiat Panda 4x4](), and for good reason. With its adorable Giugiaro-penned design, practical hatchback body, and surprisingly rugged off-road capability, the Panda 4x4 isn't just a charming oddball, it's a do-it-all daily driver. To celebrate 40 years of its quirky goodness, designer Niels van Roij created this lovable one-off restomod: The [Fiat ]()Panda 4x4 Piccolo Lusso. The restomod started out life as a Panda 4x4 Sisley, which was a fancier version of the standard car with metallic paint, a hood scoop, and even headlight washers. Snazzy stuff. All original Sisley cars came with a unique logo, featuring a man in a canoe. So van Roij took that logo and ran with it. Not only is the "man in the canoe" logo featured throughout the car, but its color palette was inspired by the colors of the Mediterranean coast. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Its Azzurro Blu paint continues onto its steel wheels (and the engine bay's spare wheel too) and interior door cards. A two-tone brown and tan color combination finishes the seats, door trim, dashboard, and steering wheel. However, it's the trunk floor that really steals the show, with its yacht-like teak decking. Despite its luxurious interior, the Piccolo Lusso is still a Panda 4x4 at heart and its utilitarian nature shines through. It still has a manual gearbox, its Steyr-Puch-derived four-wheel-drive running gear, manual windows, and a dash-mounted clinometer. It's like a velvet-lined pair of hiking shoes; rugged and dependable but comfy to wear. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Niels van Roij Design partnered with Dutch classic car dealer Kaeve Cars to make just one Piccolo Lusso and they're selling it for $32,818. That's expensive for a Panda 4x4 but cheap in the world of one-off [restomods](). I just hope whoever buys it doesn't lock it away in a garage but actually embraces the spirit of the Panda 4x4 and drives it both on and off-road. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()