FIAT is back! Well almost there.

[roms]

Little Fiat, big recovery - Independent Online Edition > Features

Excerpts from the article-

Fiat has staged a remarkable turnaround. Its European market share is up this year, to 8.3 per cent from 7.8 per cent in 2006, and Fiat has returned to a trading profit. Its shares have gone from €4.20 in 2004 to €20 today. Part of the reason for that is its great new models, in particular the Panda, and Grande Punto (which has sold 420,000 since its late-2005 launch). The recently-launched Bravo should make a good fist of challenging the VW Golf. Fiat will be content if it sells 120,000 to 150,000 units a year. New models from Alfa Romeo such as the Spider and the exclusive 8C Competizione additionally promise much.
Yet Fiat's recovery is also down to strong management

Most promising, perhaps, is Fiat's tie-up with Tata of India, the first fruit of which will be a one-ton pick-up. Tata should also deliver a low-cost manufacturing base and access to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. A deal with Shanghai Automotive in China also demonstrates that Fiat understands where it needs to be in the long term. A new "world car" for emerging markets, to replace the Palio model, should come in 18 months.

FIAT is now the 5th biggest car maker in Europe!

[theMAG]

Fiat deserves the good life. That they've time and again made it difficult for themselves is a habit they consciously need to work on

[raajks]

Its great to hear that FIAT is back!
What would make FIAT click in India is if it could introduce the world-cars like Grande Punto and the especially the BRAV0 to Indian markets asap.

The release of BRAVO should be worldwide to stir some enthusiasm in the current market,
We in India have had enough!!!
Companies introducing models that are 2 generations back
Failure models introduced in the name of LOW COST models..

The trend is changing, but there is a whole lot of space for improvement

[1100D]

Our little 1100d will be very happy. However BRAVO will not work in India at the moment. Fiat got burnt by Palio, the then, big hatchback, which the Indian consumer did not realise was a big car as against the tiny hatches in terms of Fuel manners and pricing. Grand Punto will take the game a bit further, but there too pricing holds the key (it will be priced with the entry level sedans if not more - hatch at sedan prices will not set sales charts afire). Linea is the only product which looks promising now.


But they have a lethal weapon in their armor the 1.9 JTD. Considering offcourse that the 1.3 JTD's would be available everywhere else and the 1.6 JTD would take time for tooling and localisation. The 1.9 JTD engines Block is already localised here because of the Palio D.

[deepakhon]

They might have started doing well, but they have a long way to go in India. Fiat India should have been more proactive. The fact that Suzuki is using its engine all the way to glory whereas Fiat itself does not have any car with that acclaimed engine speaks volumes of its efficiency in India. It is high time Fiat India wakes up.

[Saurabh M]

Its good to see the news Roms. We have always fantasized Fiats since our childhood days. However, they really have a long way to go in India. To start with, they should have introduced the 1.3 MJD with the Stile. Very soon, I feel Maruti will introduce the SX4 SUV before Fiat manages to launch the Sedici in India. The 1.6 Stile should be promoted aggressively as a hot hatch. The Linea should be launched by this year and with a 1.9 MJD option.
Advertisements does matter. Last March, I was in Paris and could see billboards with the Bravo ad at many major intersections. Till date, I am yet to see any Stile ad on the road, atleast in Kolkata.
Its time Fiat wakes up from slumber and focuses on the huge Indian market.

[MaserQ]

Fiat are back to doing what they do best....building gorgeous automobiles. There was a lack of inspiration in its previous generation of cars like the Multipla. Now, a resurgent Fiat has put the spice back in all its products...and that includes Alfas and Maseratis. They desperately need to replicate their European success in India. Over to you Fiat...

[amit]

Some excerpts from the article:

Operating profit before special items, at the auto unit was 192 million euro (US$260.2 million), up from 57 million euro a year ago. Fiat's net profit increased to 376 million euro from 151 million euro a year ago, with sales rising by 8.9% to 13.7 billion euro.

Fiat Anticipates Being Almost Debt-Free in 2008

Fiat's chief executive (CEO) Sergio Marchionne has overseen the group's rapid turnaround over the last three years with the revamping of several models. He has set ambitious targets for every year until 2010, as he strives to emulate the success of Japan's Toyota, and outlined some key projects in the company's short-to-medium-term future.

Bravo orders topped 29,000 cars in the first two months of sale, while 11,000 units of the model were delivered in the first quarter

Fiat has also announced to continue with its plans for a low-cost car, along the lines of Renault's Logan

Full article: Global Insight