Grande Punto @ 5Lacs, Linea @ 6.5Lacs, Shock Pricing

[Amey]

Originally Posted by 1100D

They dont need to launch it. Honda City has taken the game away.

Well frankly, the Linea looks much better compared to the recently launched City. It looks bigger,well built and not like a tin can which is what the City looks like according to me.Anyways,success of any car isn't dependant on sheer looks.Let's see how FIAT does this time around.

[JayD]

Originally Posted by Amey

Well frankly, the Linea looks much better compared to the recently launched City. It looks bigger,well built and not like a tin can which is what the City looks like according to me.Let's see how FIAT does this
time around.

What's the point of having all that qualities in a car that is not gonna get launched here??. And even if they launch it here, the will screw up something in the car for sure like what they they did with the interiors of the palio stile, and also, fumble up with the pricing, and the icing on the cake would be the crap A.S.S by them!! Perfect recipie for success dont u think??

At least others are launching better products, ('tin cans' in your view) while The Builder of 'Tanks' just sit and watch their market being eaten away!!. Why?? That's all these losers can do!!

[Crazy_Eddy]

Originally Posted by Amey

All i can tell is that production of the Linea is in full swing.Launch should be pretty soon.Linea looks gorgeous. If they do plan to launch it with the alloys i have seen, its gonna be a stunner for sure.

Sounds good Amey! Any idea how soon the launch could be?
Throw in some more teasers , engines, pricing.. anything?

Fiat after-sales needs to improve by a huge margin though.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by JayD

At least others are launching better products, ('tin cans' in your view) while The Builder of 'Tanks' just sit and watch their market being eaten away!!. Why?? That's all these losers can do!!

Adding to that, the perception of "tin cans" come from having lower gauge outer steel (skin) panels. It does not say anything about the structural rigidity of the body. Structurally forget G3HC even the NHC was up there with the tanks.

[sriramv.iyer]

Just another opportunity to vent! I personally know of many friends who are / were waiting for Linea. Many have decided to switch to ANHC or some other worthy alternative.

As someone observed earlier, Palio Stile looks great from the outside, but the interiors, esp the instrument console looks archaic - I am *not* mentioning that it is not functional - There is no form following the function. The door knobs were a big let down too.

Another antiquated car that I would like to erase from my memory is Uno. Petra / Siena's rear was again a let down.

And, Fiat had a great window of opportunity with Linea to create some sensation in the market. But, it chose to wait for all the releases to settle down, thanks to their perception of Indian public getting confused with a lot of car releases.

I have no hope that the petrol Linea will sell. Absolutely NO CHANCE. Unless it does something extraordinary (more than just attractive alloys!) - Still, Honda's brand will be tough to beat.

Fiat Linea would sell in decent numbers, if they price the diesel attractively. Otherwise, snob lovers may buy the Octavia, torque lovers the Magnum, straight racers the Verna, and mileage lovers, Fiesta. (Fiesta / Verna top end is almost 10L in Bangalore!!!) - Fiat has to beat all these contenders to sell. And, add the odds of existing bad reputation!

All said, I believe Fiat makes great products, and would sell in the enthusiast's market. But the company needs to sell to a common man, who exceed the number of enthusiasts by a huge factor.

The only way I see is to have a shock pricing! I hope the title thread reads right, (despite being a few months old) and Fiat manages to sell decent numbers, to love long enough to engage the enthusiasts with great cars!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Another antiquated car that I would like to erase from my memory is Uno. Petra / Siena's rear was again a let down.

Where is the UNO or Sienna now? If you travel back in time and drove the UNO or Sienna you would appreciate that they actually drove so well (with respect to others in their league barring an Opel Astra) that everything else could be forgotten/forgiven. However that was the 90's, in the context of the present day the competition has closed the gap with some well made solid cars.

The question is now about Linea, will it represent a substantial improvement for the buyers to overlook the competition. To have a fair idea of what to expect we can actually start gauging by the sister of Fiat Sedici.

[Amey]

Originally Posted by JayD

What's the point of having all that qualities in a car that is not gonna get launched here??. And even if they launch it here, the will screw up something in the car for sure like what they they did with the interiors of the palio stile, and also, fumble up with the pricing, and the icing on the cake would be the crap A.S.S by them!! Perfect recipie for success dont u think??

At least others are launching better products, ('tin cans' in your view) while The Builder of 'Tanks' just sit and watch their market being eaten away!!. Why?? That's all these losers can do!!

What's the point of having all that qualities in a car that is not gonna get launched here??.---------> Whats so funny ? I dont think a company is busy producing cars if they dont intend to launch it.

And even if they launch it here, the will screw up something in the car for sure like what they they did with the interiors of the palio stile, and also, fumble up with the pricing, and the icing on the cake would be the crap A.S.S by them!! Perfect recipie for success dont u think??------> I guess you haven't read my earlier post properly.I have mentioned that it looks well built and has great looks but that alone isnt enough to make it a success.So ridiculing was really uncalled for,dont you think ?

Anyways looks like this thread has turned into FIAT bashing one Time to get out of here.

[TheHorse]

I just wish Fiat for once look into Linea TBHP threads, all the agony, cursing..just because these morons are holding back one of the great sedans to hit the indian shores. Why dont they realize that ppl are ready to shell out money on Linea..Its just about having that car launched..I wont be surprized to see many fiat lovers become fiat bashers if they dont launch Linea in next 1 month

[k_ajay]

Time these threads can be locked until Fiat announces remote chances of launch, and the speculations can then continue again..

Fiat has lost a customer in me [for the GP]

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Where is the UNO or Sienna now? If you travel back in time and drove the UNO or Sienna you would appreciate that they actually drove so well (with respect to others in their league barring an Opel Astra) that everything else could be forgotten/forgiven. However that was the 90's, in the context of the present day the competition has closed the gap with some well made solid cars.

The question is now about Linea, will it represent a substantial improvement for the buyers to overlook the competition. To have a fair idea of what to expect we can actually start gauging by the sister of Fiat Sedici.

I never said they are selling it now! I never liked Uno's looks right from the day it was launched. It may drive well, but it would never make up (for me) for the way it looked.

And most of my post is about Linea. And I think I stayed pretty much close to the topic in my post.

And, I hope Linea will be a substantial improvement over existing cars to better the competition.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Amey

Well frankly, the Linea looks much better compared to the recently launched City. It looks bigger,well built and not like a tin can which is what the City looks like according to me.Anyways,success of any car isn't dependant on sheer looks.

Well, you can walk into a showroom and buy the Tin Can - at least you'd be driving and not dreaming about a Tank.

Perhaps the Army has banned civilians from owning Tanks - it may have been classified as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

Originally Posted by Amey

Let's see how FIAT does this time around.

WHICH time around? Looks like Time's Up!

[freddie]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

I have no hope that the petrol Linea will sell. Absolutely NO CHANCE. Unless it does something extraordinary (more than just attractive alloys!) - Still, Honda's brand will be tough to beat.

Hmm! Let’s see… If FIAT India desires so then the Linea (Emotion+ variant) mated to the 1.4 16 V T-Jet (120bHp) can potentially offer us amongst other things - six air bags and fog lights with automatic air conditioning, electrical lumbar adjustment for the driver seat, front and rear armrests, leather covered steering wheel and gear shift, Mp3 player with the new Blue&Me system, parking and rain sensors plus alloy wheels. Active safety features like ABS with EBD, ESP, ASR, MSR and Hillholder-HBA along with the passive safety features like Air-Bag Smart2 System, Side and Roof air bags, Front racked seat belts and Inertia Sensor (FPS) and all the accessory options like Chrome cowls for wing mirrors, Chrome handles, Chrome window rims, Front Deflectors, Steel Kick Plate, Aluminum pedal covers and footrest, Carpet mats, Aluminum plates and Window Winders.

In most European countries where the Linea is currently available this would cost around Rs.11,25,000/-. Whereas it might be a tall order, if FIAT India can price the Linea with all of the above to an on-road price under the psychological figure of Rs.10 lacs then I feel that not only do they have a winner but it would possibly be foolish to consider another car within this segment. I am sure this would make even an ardent Honda fan think twice.

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

The only way I see is to have a shock pricing! I hope the title thread reads right, (despite being a few months old) and Fiat manages to sell decent numbers, to love long enough to engage the enthusiasts with great cars!

Amen! to that… Clearly the ball is in FIAT’s court. The best and only way that they can strike gold with the Linea is if they as the title of this thread and this article suggests, keep the public interested by shock pricing a fully loaded car. Let’s see if they can do that.

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Fiat Linea would sell in decent numbers, if they price the diesel attractively.

Well I couldn't care or bother much with what they do to their Diesel variant as a Petrol Linea is what interests me and after weighing all the options in the market I know for a fact that if the fully loaded Petrol Linea obviously with a 1.4 16 V T-Jet (120bHp) engine isn't under Rs.10 lacs on-road, Mumbai then it definitely is arrivederci to the Linea from me.

[k_ajay]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Perhaps the Army has banned civilians from owning Tanks - it may have been classified as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

[Fiat, would you care to wake up atleast now, looking at the comments your lethargy is inviting?]

[deepakhon]

I am not too bullish about Fiat now. Imagine an ardent Fiat fan saying so. This dilly-dallying has been taken a bit too far for my liking.

I am only waiting for my test drive of Honda City and probably at the end of this year, I will take a decision on my new car. Right now, I am more inclined to buy the Honda City.

[anup7649]

FIAT has been doing nothing past 12years from the day they went off the Premier Padmini manufacturing. The Uno came in and was said to be a outdated car and thus it lost the market. Then the palio, though a very good does not do good in numbers and oh my that "weekend adventure", not many would have heard too about it. I am sure the TATA service folks who take care of FIAT now would not know too.
With all this, they make the prospective customers who have known/ read/ and heard a lot about the Linea and Punto are made to wait, then for sure they aint get the market this time.
See for example YAMAHA who were market leaders once upon a time in India(I had a RX135 5speed though and was big fan of it always), because of their incompentant strategies in late 2000, lost the market and regain now, they cant do anything except take some different segment i.e by launching at a laughable bike R15.