So I was in the Tuscany region of Italy for two weeks, Lucca to be specific, and after figuring out that a Ford Transit was a stupid decision to haul six people in and around the narrow & steep roads, I turned the nine-seater in for a Fiat Panda which was to haul only my family and myself.
Okay, so it isn't too much on looks, but good golly does the little Panda have power for its size. I was fortunate enough to get a 1.4 liter turbo-diesel five speed. On the autostrade, the Panda easily got to 160 kph, and returned high 30s in mpg. The car was also amazingly easy to park as both the front and rear are blunted off. One can fit the little Panda into a parking space that would previously be reserved only for a Smart car.
In Italy, diesels are everywhere. People even put diesel in their scooters and mopeds. Conversely, gasoline is hard to find, as many service stations offer only diesel and nothing else. Another thing is diesel is half the price of gasoline. Sure, it's still expensive at about $4 a gallon, but the fact that you get power and economy in one swoop with diesel is a serious consideration to an already cheaper and more plentiful type of fuel.
What is also interesting about diesel in Italy is its smell. There's almost a pickle-like scent to it, especially when you go hard on the engine. An American guy I met who deals with American diesel boat engines in Europe told me the smell comes from a higher grade of diesel fuel in Europe that is illegal to burn in America. Well, I can't see why it's illegal as I saw no diesel cars belching out thick black smoke as I do in L.A. when those nasty tractors from the shipyards drive their cargo up and down the freeways.
All I can say is if everyone had the opportunity to drive even the smallest displacement modern turbo-diesel car as I had for about 2,000 kilometers between Rome, Florence and Tuscany, they would be convinced it is a viable solution to better mileage and power. I just don't think hybrids or gasoline engines can touch a turbo diesel in performance, both in economy and sheer power.
My Panda looked much like this one. Roomy and faster than you think.
