Fiat Grande Panda: kit models arrive for assembly in Algeria

While the production of Fiat Grande Panda was launched in Serbia (with reinforcements of Italian workers), the roll-out of this new global model is well underway. Intended to conquer both North African and Latin American markets, the Grande Panda will be making more and more international appearances. At the end of 2024, prototypes have been spotted in Brazilat Viracopos airport, signalling future sales on the South American continent. From now on, it's in Algeria that the little SUV from Fiat is the talk of the town.

An Italpassion reader sent us a photo taken at the port of Oran, showing Fiat Grande Panda vehicles being transported on trucks. These are kit models, arriving disassembled and destined for local assembly. Their destination: Fiat's Tafraoui plant, where they will go into production in the coming months.

The plant, inaugurated by Stellantis in 2023, has already achieved several important milestones. By the end of December 2024, it had produced over 18,000 vehicles and employed 1,650 people. It began with the assembly of the Fiat 500, then commissioned a second automated line in June 2024 to produce the Fiat Doblò.

The Group's target is ambitious: 60,000 vehicles produced by 2025, rising to 90,000 by 2026, an increase in output made possible by plant extension work, currently being carried out at 40 %. These works will enable the integration of the fitting and painting stages (transition to CKD) by the end of 2025.

The Fiat Grande Panda will complete production this year, confirming the importance of the Algerian site for Stellantis' regional offensive on the North African market. Engine-wise, all indications are that the Algerian version will adopt the 1.2L EB2 block, already well known within the Group. As for the South American version, it should receive the Firefly engine, specifically adapted to the needs of this market.