SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India - Team-BHP

sridharps · 29th July 2008, 15:23

Interesting article in ET today. Mods, pls remove if it is already there somewhere - I couldn't find it.
SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India
NEW DELHI: They are twins from the same product platform, yet Suzuki's success with the SX4 in India could mean curtains for Fiat's Sedici.

According to sources in Fiat India, the SX4's success in this market has meant that Fiat is not looking to launch the Sedici in this part of the world. The SX4 was first developed as a compact car jointly by Suzuki and Fiat and was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The car began production at the Japanese company's Hungary plant. Fiat simultaneously sells the same car, rebadged as the Sedici, in several global markets.

Meanwhile, a Maruti Suzuki's official spokesperson said that the understanding with Fiat is only for the European markets and that in “many markets”, both cars can sell alongside each other. “Suzuki has contract manufacturing understandings with companies like Subaru and Opel in Hungary, Mazda and Nissan in Japan where they make cars for these companies,” said the source.

Ever since its launch, the SX4 has been a success in the mid-size sedan market. Maruti Suzuki has now been able to match demand for the sedan and does not plan to introduce the hatchback version of the car in India. Initially, only 60,000 units of the car were to be produced, two-thirds to be sold by Suzuki and the rest by Fiat. Although originally intended solely for the European market, versions of the car are sold in Japan, India, South America, Australia and North America.
Maruti Suzuki has been aggressively marketing the SX4 first through the positioning “the man amongst cars” or more recently with a Rs 25,000 exchange bonus. The Indian SX4 sports a 1.6 litre M series petrol engine which cranks out 102 BHP of power and 145 NM torque. The vehicle also comes with a switchable three mode 4x4 system.

The SX4's success has helped Maruti Suzuki's numbers in the A3 segment. In the first quarter, the company increased its share of that pie to 26.4% from 21.2% in the first quarter of the last financial year. This is largely on the back of the SX4 which has sold over 36000 units since its launch in May 2007.

The SX4 is pitted against cars like Honda City and Mahindra Renault's Logan. It even managed to pip the City as the segment's largest selling car for a brief period. Although they were launched in the same year and the Logan retails for less than the SX4, it's numbers have been higher.

The Logan has sold 26,000 units in the first year. The SX4's base model retails for Rs 6,55,735 (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Logan's base model is priced at (Rs 4,41,325 ex-showroom Delhi).

For Fiat, Sedici has also been a bestseller in its native Italy. Earlier this month, Fiat South Africa had clarified that it had no intention to release the Sedici on the South African market after Suzuki launched the SX4 there.
SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

deepakhon · 29th July 2008, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridharps

The Indian SX4 sports a 1.6 litre M series petrol engine which cranks out 102 BHP of power and 145 NM torque. The vehicle also comes with a switchable three mode 4x4 system.

What is he talking about? Indian SX4 has a switchable 3 mode 4x4 system? I know that the SX4 hatch and the Sedici have that.

ballkey · 29th July 2008, 15:41

Yeah that's interesting - a 4x4 SX4?

Maruti really needs to dieselize and wagonize the sx4. That would be awesome. A cut-price Skoda Combi, if you will

diabloo · 29th July 2008, 15:43

Looks like Fiat doesn't want to do anything in India - they busy are finding escape reasons.

srishiva · 29th July 2008, 15:53

I don't think there is a sedan version of Sedici. They can actually introduce Sedici with a diesel and 4x4 configuration. Would be good to have.

finneyp · 29th July 2008, 15:54

Fiat had no plans of bringing Sedici to India, so this is not news to me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Looks like Fiat doesn't want to do anything in India - they busy are finding escape reasons.

Please read other threads on this forum, Fiat India is all set to launch Bravo (CBU version), Linea in September'08 and G Punto in Dec or Jan'09!

karanraheja · 29th July 2008, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Looks like Fiat doesn't want to do anything in India - they busy are finding escape reasons.

I dont think Fiat had plans for the Sedici version for India. Its not that Fiat aint doing anything. They just delaying their launches. I guess they waiting for the right time to enter the market. Why would they find escaping reasons??? Plz dont temme you actually expected Sedici on Indian Roads!

amit · 29th July 2008, 16:59

Should we really trust this article blindly? Suddenly out of nowhere, ET reports quoting sources in Fiat India that they have dropped plans to launch the Sedici in India.

There were no plans to bring the Sedici into India. If there were, reports would first come in ACI and OD and not in ET! Let's not trust anything that comes in our media nowadays blindly.

Quote:

They just delaying their launches.

About Fiat's delayed launches, other then the Palio Stile, I don't think any other launch is delayed.

indivic · 29th July 2008, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridharps

The Indian SX4 sports a 1.6 litre M series petrol engine which cranks out 102 BHP of power and 145 NM torque. The vehicle also comes with a switchable three mode 4x4 system.

Since when does a SX4 have a switchable three mode 4x4 system, I guess there is a common disease now in all media to provide some junk info.

There is probably a person allocated in each paper to provide some c**p like this every day as news about every OEM

sridharps · 29th July 2008, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepakhon

What is he talking about? Indian SX4 has a switchable 3 mode 4x4 system? I know that the SX4 hatch and the Sedici have that.

I think it is a typo there by the journalist. This is not sold in India.

Quote:

Originally Posted by finneyp

Fiat had no plans of bringing Sedici to India, so this is not news to me!

Agree. We are all eagerly awaiting the Linea and GP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srishiva

I don't think there is a sedan version of Sedici. They can actually introduce Sedici with a diesel and 4x4 configuration. Would be good to have

No, you are right. Sedici is an SUV as sold in the European market. You may have a point here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Looks like Fiat doesn't want to do anything in India - they busy are finding escape reasons.

I think they are beginning to make a comeback of sorts with the palio MJD. With Linea and GP on the anvil, this comeback may be complete - if, and that is a big IF, they can get their A.S.S sorted out. I do think that there are enough Fiat enthusiasts out there and that the Indian market will give them one more chance to get things right.

sbasak · 29th July 2008, 17:23

It is not surprising.

In international market, SX4 and Sedici are same cars. They are sold as 4x4 hatchbacks. I think only in India SX4 is sold with a boot. Some variants of SX4/Sedici has 4x4 modes like 2WD, 4WD Auto & 4WD Lock.

amit · 29th July 2008, 17:41

Quote:

I think only in India SX4 is sold with a boot.

SX4 sedan is also sold in sedan crazy North America. They also get the hatch.

sridharps · 29th July 2008, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

Should we really trust this article blindly? Suddenly out of nowhere, ET reports quoting sources in Fiat India that they have dropped plans to launch the Sedici in India.

There were no plans to bring the Sedici into India. If there were, reports would first come in ACI and OD and not in ET! Let's not trust anything that comes in our media nowadays blindly.

I agree. This is the first time we have heard of it. As the rules go, the media is hardly to be fully trusted these days. That apart,as someone else here has also pointed out, a diesel with a 4x4 might have made sense and hence contemplated. After all, Sedici is sold as an SUV is the European market. Given the fact that SX4 diesel may or may not come and that Suzuki/Fiat understandings hold only in Europe, there might have been a story here.

fx45 · 29th July 2008, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

SX4 sedan is also sold in sedan crazy North America. They also get the hatch.

infact they have the sport version with i think 2.0L 4cyl engine and 17 incher alloys..

and a cool looking body kit to boot.

29th July 2008, 15:23	#1 (permalink)
sridharps BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 373	SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India Interesting article in ET today. Mods, pls remove if it is already there somewhere - I couldn't find it. SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India NEW DELHI: They are twins from the same product platform, yet Suzuki's success with the SX4 in India could mean curtains for Fiat's Sedici. According to sources in Fiat India, the SX4's success in this market has meant that Fiat is not looking to launch the Sedici in this part of the world. The SX4 was first developed as a compact car jointly by Suzuki and Fiat and was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The car began production at the Japanese company's Hungary plant. Fiat simultaneously sells the same car, rebadged as the Sedici, in several global markets. Meanwhile, a Maruti Suzuki's official spokesperson said that the understanding with Fiat is only for the European markets and that in “many markets”, both cars can sell alongside each other. “Suzuki has contract manufacturing understandings with companies like Subaru and Opel in Hungary, Mazda and Nissan in Japan where they make cars for these companies,” said the source. Ever since its launch, the SX4 has been a success in the mid-size sedan market. Maruti Suzuki has now been able to match demand for the sedan and does not plan to introduce the hatchback version of the car in India. Initially, only 60,000 units of the car were to be produced, two-thirds to be sold by Suzuki and the rest by Fiat. Although originally intended solely for the European market, versions of the car are sold in Japan, India, South America, Australia and North America. Maruti Suzuki has been aggressively marketing the SX4 first through the positioning “the man amongst cars” or more recently with a Rs 25,000 exchange bonus. The Indian SX4 sports a 1.6 litre M series petrol engine which cranks out 102 BHP of power and 145 NM torque. The vehicle also comes with a switchable three mode 4x4 system. The SX4's success has helped Maruti Suzuki's numbers in the A3 segment. In the first quarter, the company increased its share of that pie to 26.4% from 21.2% in the first quarter of the last financial year. This is largely on the back of the SX4 which has sold over 36000 units since its launch in May 2007. The SX4 is pitted against cars like Honda City and Mahindra Renault's Logan. It even managed to pip the City as the segment's largest selling car for a brief period. Although they were launched in the same year and the Logan retails for less than the SX4, it's numbers have been higher. The Logan has sold 26,000 units in the first year. The SX4's base model retails for Rs 6,55,735 (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Logan's base model is priced at (Rs 4,41,325 ex-showroom Delhi). For Fiat, Sedici has also been a bestseller in its native Italy. Earlier this month, Fiat South Africa had clarified that it had no intention to release the Sedici on the South African market after Suzuki launched the SX4 there. SX4 success means no Sedici from Fiat in India- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

29th July 2008, 17:23	#11 (permalink)
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 591 View My Garage	It is not surprising. In international market, SX4 and Sedici are same cars. They are sold as 4x4 hatchbacks. I think only in India SX4 is sold with a boot. Some variants of SX4/Sedici has 4x4 modes like 2WD, 4WD Auto & 4WD Lock. __________________ Gearbox acts as torque multiplier.

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29th July 2008, 15:41	#3 (permalink)
ballkey BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 399	Yeah that's interesting - a 4x4 SX4? Maruti really needs to dieselize and wagonize the sx4. That would be awesome. A cut-price Skoda Combi, if you will

29th July 2008, 15:43	#4 (permalink)
diabloo BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 1,400	Looks like Fiat doesn't want to do anything in India - they busy are finding escape reasons.

29th July 2008, 15:53	#5 (permalink)
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,135	I don't think there is a sedan version of Sedici. They can actually introduce Sedici with a diesel and 4x4 configuration. Would be good to have.