Scoop - FIAT LINEA - Pics on Pg 1 & 5

[karanraheja]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Well with this pricing i wouldnt be surprised if the verna sales increase.

Well i guess its too early to comment on that. Lets see what Fiat does.
Im sure that Fiat wont price it very high . The same way they did it for Palio MJD ( which was lil cheaper than the Swift DDIS).

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Well with this pricing i wouldnt be surprised if the verna sales increase. That range touches verna, sx4 and city. Would be fun to see them slug it out.
Frankly i feel its too much they are asking for.

I dont get it - if the pricing is close to Verna its a good thing right? The car has the dimensions of a Civic, and if we can get it at Verna price - why not?

[opendro]

Originally Posted by windsurfer

Pricing is a very sensitive subject in our country. we have seen how GM and Hyundai has killed some very good cars with a bad pricing. And they are very established brands in India.

In our country people tend to compare the cars with the competition, and there should not be a major difference here. Features are ignored most of the times.

FIAT should launch base version of Diesel (with same features as competition) atleast 50-75k less. They need to improve their market share first as well as A** before pricing on par with their competitors.

just my thoughts.

I don't agree that the degree of brand establishment matter any more. Skoda was new, didn't have any brand image in India, they overpriced their stuff, still did very well, because they built good cars. Maruti was always considered cheap and economical brand, still managed to sell Swift much costlier than Indica or even at the price of some of sedans. People always look at the product.

I also don't agree that features are ignored. Maruti expected to sell more of SX4 LXI and there were inproportionately high demand for VXi and ZXi. I guess same is true for Swift.

I agree that Fiat to have a version of what the competition sells well if it intends to sell a decent number. It does not have to be trimmed down version. If the competition is selling more of a higher version, Fiat should ensure to give the same. That is simple logic.

[opendro]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

I dont get it - if the pricing is close to Verna its a good thing right? The car has the dimensions of a Civic, and if we can get it at Verna price - why not?

Exactly, Verna at 10L does not even have air bags and steering audio control, forget A/C air vents for the rear passengers.

[tez]

Originally Posted by opendro

I don't agree that the degree of brand establishment matter any more. Skoda was new, didn't have any brand image in India, they overpriced their stuff, still did very well, because they built good cars. Maruti was always considered cheap and economical brand, still managed to sell Swift much costlier than Indica or even at the price of some of sedans. People always look at the product.

I also don't agree that features are ignored. Maruti expected to sell more of SX4 LXI and there were inproportionately high demand for VXi and ZXi. I guess same is true for Swift.

I agree that Fiat to have a version of what the competition sells well if it intends to sell a decent number. It does not have to be trimmed down version. If the competition is selling more of a higher version, Fiat should ensure to give the same. That is simple logic.

well opendro, the establishment matters. FIAT for one has bad reputation in the market for having a bad A.S.S and costly spares. Maruti has the reputation of having the best after sales service. So keeping this in mind, FIAT should also work on increasing after sales service with a 8+ car. MJD in spite of being same engine as of swift D and better build is not a hot seller. Lets hope FIAT market the car aggresively.

[neoonwheels]

I guess this time FIAT wont do anything horribly wrong... After all they have got Indian brains in their management which to me was the most under performing one... Even if Linea is launches in Fiesta and Verna teretory, whats bad in that?? If it has much advanced features and good engine options with ok ok service, I would buy it... because, I will be spending may be 3-4 days for servicing in a year but rest of the year its a pleasure to drive. Of course I dont know its handling capabilities well but being its a FIAT, I know I am not wrong on that front...

[opendro]

Originally Posted by tez

well opendro, the establishment matters. FIAT for one has bad reputation in the market for having a bad A.S.S and costly spares. Maruti has the reputation of having the best after sales service. So keeping this in mind, FIAT should also work on increasing after sales service with a 8+ car. MJD in spite of being same engine as of swift D and better build is not a hot seller. Lets hope FIAT market the car aggresively.

Agreed. Fiat has bad reputation. But I don't agree that a bad A.S.S. spoils the sale. Example is Skoda. Maruti will still sell more numbers than anybody else because of its penetration to corners of the country.

Very often we always tend to see which one will sell better. I think to a great extent, the Indian consumers are immature (even more true a few years ago).

We should probably settle down on the simple questions "which of the cars will you buy for the similar variants (price/feature wise) if you were to buy one in that segment, considering all parameters such as A.S.S, brand image, technology, blah blah. There is no if/buts."

And the best selling may not always be the best choice for enthusiasts. Most of the members here are enthusiasts (including me) end up fighting over who will sell better.

[windsurfer]

Originally Posted by opendro

And the best selling may not always be the best choice for enthusiasts. Most of the members here are enthusiasts (including me) end up fighting over who will sell better.

Precisely, common man wants a car that is good VFM.

Maruti was able to do this very well. They priced their cars very well along with lot of features. This strategy would work for established brands like Maruti. Maurti's is the best in after sales. People need assurance like this to put their hard earned money. FIAT is not in that position today. That is the reason why it should generate good volumes and regain the faith which it had lost.

Skoda builds very good cars and surely it's after sales is not as bad as FIAT. If Skoda had same service problems, then it would not be selling so many cars. They are not the best but they are not worst either.

At the end of the day, common man usually goes by his friend's or relative's words before he buys a car. So, this would play against FIAT for sometime for sure. I am not saying that FIAT cannot bounce back but it cannot be done if FIAT does not improve in lot of areas.

Cheers

[tez]

Originally Posted by opendro

Agreed. Fiat has bad reputation. But I don't agree that a bad A.S.S. spoils the sale. Example is Skoda. Maruti will still sell more numbers than anybody else because of its penetration to corners of the country.

Very often we always tend to see which one will sell better. I think to a great extent, the Indian consumers are immature (even more true a few years ago).

We should probably settle down on the simple questions "which of the cars will you buy for the similar variants (price/feature wise) if you were to buy one in that segment, considering all parameters such as A.S.S, brand image, technology, blah blah. There is no if/buts."

And the best selling may not always be the best choice for enthusiasts. Most of the members here are enthusiasts (including me) end up fighting over who will sell better.

agreed that the best selling may not be the choice for enthusiasts but FIAT also is not launching a car just for enthusiasts. I wish FIAT take care of all their problems. Love to have this car in the parking lot.

[opendro]

Sometimes, I don't find the link to post a new thread. Since there is no thread for Avante to be launched this month, I wanted to post one.

[raul]

The Linea appears to be a good car. Pricing depends on many things, ultimately success depends on many things. The problem for Fiat in India has been a halfhearted presence, poor and inadequate dealership networks, ineffective marketing and the result bad customer service and perception problems. That's what they hope to address with the Linea and Punto. With both the cars half the problems of getting good products is solved, now they need to focus on the rest of the things that complete the car owning experience.

But you can't have a damocles sword hanging down on them, and expect them to sell cars for cheap because of a reputation problem. The solution to that is resolving the reputation problem and perceptions by action on the ground to improve the customer experience and designing good cars, not selling cheap cars or good cars for cheap. That's not a strategy, that a recipe for failure.

There is no reason for the Linea to be cheaper than the Fiesta or Verna, why should anyone expect that. Fiat will price it depending on apart from the normal factors that go into determining product price, their strategy for the Indian market. Ultimately they have to deliver a value proposition to the customer that is appealing in the current market context.

They are making a new start so to speak, have a new strategy and a decent set of products. The pricing we know about is far from unreasonable, global prices of basics are shooting through the roof.

[windsurfer]

Raul,
Good point. I agree completely. let's wait and watch.

[arajand]

Both the Fiesta and the Verna are mediocre cars. I see no reason why Fiat should try to learn from other cars like these.

By mediocre, I dont mean any 'uncomplimentary'. I only mean - a decent, middle-of-the-road car that gives VFM only.

And also, Fiat doesn't have bad A.S.S, Fiat has NO A.S.S. And Fiat car do not have costly spares. Its just that they are not available as easily (as Maruti).

I think there is great market potential for the Linea. It fits in the same perception space as the SX4.

[rajneeesh]

"I also don't agree that features are ignored. Maruti expected to sell more of SX4 LXI and there were inproportionately high demand for VXi and ZXi. I guess same is true for Swift."

Dude, the SX4 was just launched with 2 variants, The LXI and the ZXI . LXI was never launched so there is no question of expecting to sell more it.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

"I also don't agree that features are ignored. Maruti expected to sell more of SX4 LXI and there were inproportionately high demand for VXi and ZXi. I guess same is true for Swift."

Dude, the SX4 was just launched with 2 variants, The LXI and the ZXI . LXI was never launched so there is no question of expecting to sell more it.

I guess what Opendra meant was the Swift.

Learning lessons from the Swift (where Vxi and Zxi outsold the Lxi) they decided not to offer the Lxi version on the SX4. Remember reading this!