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Panda Alessi: The Pandarin


Aston Martin

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First things first, this is a project that I haven’t got time for, so maybe come back to the thread in a few months.

 

I saw this very limited edition car for sale, it was in Bradford as an MOT failure at £360. A forum member let’s call him ‘John’ (his forum name gives it away, also his name is John.) He lives nearby and went to see the car for me.

 

He called to inform me that they would sell the car for £300 delivered to John’s drive. Where it will be staying until I can get around to it.

 

The 2014 MOT history said “bodywork damaged” it appears that the car has been grazed on the near side, which I think took the wing mirror off and left the rare bodykit slightly bruised. It failed two months ago on the rear axle, nsr shock and a front tyre. In theory, £80 for a used axle, £35 for two rear shocks, £30 for a tyre. A bit of labour to shove the new axle on, a new mot and we should be a cheap fix...

 

Anyway today is just pay and follow the man to the driveway thread.

 

...

 

Clue number 1: They made this limited edition in three colours, mine is the least rare. Yet, the best colour. (Allegedly less than 100 imported into the UK, because they didn’t register them properly with the DVLA we don’t know how many are left.)

 

Clue numero two: Its the stupidest looking thing ive ever seen, but I’ve always wanted one. I found forum posts from years ago stating I need one of these immediately!!!

 

Clue numberino thrice: The tyre valve covers are always missing. :(

 

Clue nombre quatre: It makes the Cactus look like a beige Hyundai Elantra.

 

Clue number 5: I laugh every time I see a picture of one.

 

...

 

To the Cactus!!!!

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I’m finally home and will post properly later. I was supposed to pay and then the car was going on to get delivered to Halifax councils favourite house.

 

However the guy is working so it’s getting delivered around 7.

 

I saw the car briefly and I saw the pics John took. It’s not immaculate, but for £300 I can’t go wrong...

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You can always go wrong with a cheap Panda

I have owned 5 cars:

 

1993 Panda Parade currently in storage and never getting sold.

1994 Panda Selecta sold, we think it's dead. Was bodged by many previous owners.

2008 Panda 100HP awful in every way, apart from the looks.

Cactus it does the job.

Alessi, hmm come back to me about this.

 

Here is my current 'fleet'

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Onto an Alessi history.

 

They made them in three colours.

Orange with orange seats which is the least rare, but the best one obviously.

Black with green seats.

Green with green seats, the rarest.

 

They’re based on the top of the range Eleganza and unfortunately registered as such. So we’ve know idea how many are left. Maybe 1 or 2 a year pop up for sale.

 

 

1.2 8v Eleganza £8,490

1.2 8v Alessi £8,995

1.2 8v 4x4 £9,495

1.4 16v 100HP £9,995

 

 

This was the list price, however they sat on dealers forecourts for months and were heavily discounted.

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I remember my childhood holidays in Italy, if you walked past a kitchen appliance shop everything was Alessi and in that same orange and white colour scheme. Wonder why the brand never made it over here, there’s no wonder a panda special edition based on a brand no one has heard of was going to dive...

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I didn’t know about the black or green ones, but have to admit all look great. Probably not the vehicle of choice for a powerfully built company director but definitely fun and you will never lose it in a car park!

 

Disappointed to find it wasn’t made in homage to the popular American pop duo The Alessi Brothers though

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Alessi is very much available over here, but is sold as premium lifestyle accessories, rather than as normal kitchen equipment. Things like the juicy salif, a lemon squeezer designed by an architect, it looks lovely on the worktop, but is less effective than the cheap glass one that most people have.

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My nsr white plastic wheel archy bit has been removed and gobbed back on at some point by an ape. It looked like fibreglass overgob.

 

My roof has been bodged painted at some point, interestingly Johns mums has lacquer peel all over the boot. I wonder if the orange ones have paint issues a lot?

 

We’re going to put my boot on his mums and I’m going to have the lacquer peeled one on mine. As the boot is the only paint issue on hers.

 

The small man on the wheel trim covers never survive as they must fly off at speed. Eventually I’d like to maybe get new ones knocked up by a 3D printererer. New wheel trims I believe are available from the main stealer at £60 a pop, but I only need the little fella.

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Alessi is very much available over here, but is sold as premium lifestyle accessories, rather than as normal kitchen equipment. Things like the juicy salif, a lemon squeezer designed by an architect, it looks lovely on the worktop, but is less effective than the cheap glass one that most people have.

Philippe Starck designed that. Agreed it looks great but it’s fucking useless

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