🏎️ Max Found James May's All-Time Favorite Car

Good.

Morning.

And HAPPY TUESDAY. A rare Tuesday edition of MaxFindsCars!

Why oh why is a Monday & Friday newsletter being delivered on a Tuesday you ask?

Well, primarily, yesterday was a holiday in the United States and when there’s a holiday on the day that MaxFindsCars comes out, I don’t want any of you folks reading emails.

I KNOW you would drop absolutely everything to read our emails if they came, BUT you must TOUCH GRASS every once in a while dear readers.

That brief operational note out of the way, you all might be wondering how I was spending my weekend.

Perhaps you’re only asking because you want to brag to ME about YOUR weekend, and to do that in a reasonably polite way you’re going to pay your dues and listen to me drivel on about mine first.

Fair.

But even if that is the case, I still get my time first SO.

I visited Philadelphia PA this weekend.

“The City that Never Sleeps”

“The Windy City”

“The Home of Second Place”

“The City of Many Names”

I had a great time, but with city exploration comes city parking. And with city parking comes Max thinking about compact cars.

One in particular came to mind…

It’s one I saw a lot of in Italy, and one that just so happens to be for sale on that German auction site we found last week…

HERE IT IS: A 1993 Steyr-Fiat Panda 4×4 “Country Club”

What Makes The Fiat Panda So Cool?

• It’s a Pair of Denim Jeans in Car Form

• It’s Got a Conversation Starting Interior

• It’s the DMC DeLorean’s Cousin??

Today’s Edition is brought to you by eBay Motors

But First, the Highlights…

This Fiat Panda is an Italian icon even though it’s not what most folks picture when they think of an ‘Italian car’. James May called it a ‘car of the people’, and I agree.

It’s compact but can seat a family, is cheap to own but surprisingly capable, and this one touts low miles and a truly fun color combo!

I think its going to sell near the top of its estimate and whoever buys it will still feel like that’s a bargain for how much joy they’ll get out of this lil guy.

• 🌏️ Driven around the world: 1.3x

• 🎼 Song to Get the Vibes Right: Panda by Desiigner

• 🏇 Can beat 51 horses in a fight

• 💰️ Predicted Price: $16,444

• 📆 Auction Ends: Saturday, July 1st, 2023

It’s a Pair of Denim Jeans in Car Form

No, that doesn’t mean you should get in the Panda without pants.

What I mean by this is…

In a country known for high fashion, fast cars, and elegant design, the Panda occupies a contrarian’s chair.

It’s cheap, durable, and can go just about anywhere.

It covers your wobbly bits,

it does just as much as it needs but no more.

THUS

JEANS.

But how can something so small (2ft shorter than a Mini Cooper, no joke) be a workhorse like we all know a good pair of Wrangler’s to be?

Take another look at the name, dear reader! This thing has FOUR GODDAMN WHEEL DRIVE.

And, with it weighing only 1700 pounds, that 4WD allowed it to glide up, down, and across a lot more than you’d think.

It’s Got a Conversation Starting Interior

It must be said though…

Parts of this Panda are less Wrangler jeans and more…

I don’t know. Saying its more akin to Affliction jeans seems too harsh.

What I am trying to say is that this Panda is not all utility,

the folks at Fiat designed this interior with a bit of a flourish that I absolutely LOVE.

It’s difficult to get more cool than a purple and red cloth interior in a stick shift car from the 90s.

And you might be surprised to know that this interior was not standard in all Panda’s (unfortunately).

This Panda is a SPECIAL EDITION Panda - its a Panda ‘Country Club’.

What features do you get with this special edition of the car other than the exterior ‘Country Club’ decal and this SICK interior?

None.

Why did Fiat think giving its utilitarian compact car the interior color scheme of a radish would invoke ‘Country Club’ vibes?

No idea.

But I am IN.

This is the type of interior that reminds you to enjoy driving,

and I truly think zipping around in this little Panda would be thoroughly enjoyable.

BUT

In addition to this funky interior, this Panda has one last surprise up its sleeve…

It’s the DMC DeLorean’s Cousin??

YEAH.

AND in that same family tree are the famous Lotus Espirit and Maserati MC12

Three cars we will ABSOLUTELY be covering in future newsletters.

But now the obvious question:

How could the JEANS of the automotive world be related to a famous supercar like the Maserati MC12, or an 80s icon like the DeLorean?

Well, it all goes back to the dude who set out to make the Panda the ‘denim jeans’ of the car world (and yes, he actually said that was his goal!)

Giorgetto Giugiaro - the founder and lead designer of Italdesign (the company that Fiat tasked with designing the original Panda).

Giorgetto is the design GOAT. He was literally named DESIGNER OF THE CENTURY in 1999.

Fun fact: the 20th Century that Giorgetto won that award is the first full century we humans even had cars at all.

Bet I blew your mind with that one. You can only get technical genius fun facts like that at MaxFindsCars.

But yeah, the guy is a super-designer.

The MJ of car design.

Would you want to own a car designed by Michael Jordan?

Thought so.

BUY THIS ONE.

And remember…

MaxFindsCars.com is not, technically, free! By subscribing, dear reader, you have agreed to tell your friends about it.

In fact, I believe the contract specifically stated you had to each subscribe 100 of your closest friends, colleagues, enemies, exes, priests, pets, & sugar mommas. I’ll have to check the fine print to be sure, but you all may as well get started spreading the word in the meantime.

That's a wrap for today. New Editions come out every Monday & Friday! While you wait, go out and drive! And if you want more, be sure to follow Max’s Twitter (@maxjzin)

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• 🏷️💲 Contact to promote a car sale

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