Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune

KuttappanAbhi · 22nd May 2012, 15:24

Team -
My friend had booked an Emotion 90 HP Punto Diesel (not the new Sports version) from a dealership at Kerala. He paid some money advance also 10 days back. Now they are telling that Fiat has stopped dispatching the 90 HP punto emotion diesel and only the new Sportz model is being send in 90 HP category - and it costs a hefty 50-60K more with no discounts. This is quite a fat rise in price - but we are not sure if suddenly the original 90 HP model is stopped since the web site still shows it, and there has been no announcement that was formally done. Neither has the news come anywhere.

Does anyone know the truth behind this? Will Fiat just like that stop their flagship 90 HP Punto Diesel for a limited edition model that they released?

My friend was actually planning to buy i20, and I coaxed him into test driving Punto after praising its suspension and handling. Once he test drove in the same pot hole ridden roads, both vehicles - he was bowled by Punto and he booked it. And that is when Fiat/Tata messes it up royally. Need someone to help in regaining the faith. :(

Fiest@DuraTec · 22nd May 2012, 17:22

I think the limited editions are rolled out on demanding for it. There should not be any affect of it on the regular versions which are already in the market.

In my opinion, its the dealer who's trying to be smart here and wants to earn that extra bit of money. Ask him to refund the money and tell him there is another dealer who is going to deliver the required version. I am sure he'll find a way out - You know what I mean, don't you ?

needforspeed88 · 22nd May 2012, 17:34

Fiat in India = Great products+ Bad strategy+ Poor A.S.S+ Total confusion=Total Chaos.

The Palio had a extremely successful launch with Tendulkar as brand ambassador. Apart from that the company has gone one way and that is downhill. Had it been more professional in approach , had clarity in product strategy and provided a decent A.S.S the story would have been completely different.

AutoIndian · 22nd May 2012, 17:35

Hello Abhi, your friends' is not the only case to have experienced such an absurd response from Fiat dealer. There is another one on the Punto Test Drive & Review thread. As per the info there the difference between the Sports & Non-Sports versions of the Punto is 15K (& not 50-60K as you have mentioned). Anyways I would suggest you to put up the query on that thread so as to get quick responses. Here is the link to the thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...eview-328.html

justin.das · 22nd May 2012, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by KuttappanAbhi

Does anyone know the truth behind this? Will Fiat just like that stop their flagship 90 HP Punto Diesel for a limited edition model that they released?
. Need someone to help in regaining the faith. :(

Which dealership please specify(me too from kerala). I dont think fiat will stop 90bhp punto let me know the details. i will try to figure it out let me check it with fiat dealerships.

sidindica · 22nd May 2012, 21:14

The regular 90 HP punto is very much available with the said discounts. Fiat just sent newly printed brochures which mention the 90 HP punto's specs and features to its dealers. In addition to that, the sport is available without a single rupee discount.

KuttappanAbhi · 24th May 2012, 09:03

Team, Thanks for all the replies and posts.
Here is the latest update:
Thankfully, in my friend's case - He just called me and updated that as he went to collect the advance money back, 90 HP normal car 'returned' to stock and that the dealer will give it. Hope it is true and he does get the car.
And to give more clarity on the price difference of ~50K that I mentioned:
~50K difference is including the benefits that you get like free insurance, corporate discount, exchange bonus that is available for the 90 HP non-sports model. After offers the 90HP normal model was avail at around 7.8 L OTR, while sports does not have offers and is at 8.26-8.3 L OTR. These offers are not available for the Sports model, and thats where a genuine buyer is blown apart!
<Sid> I am not sure dealers outside Cochin are giving offers to the Sports model, but we checked with couple of dealers here and what we got is 'No offers, sir. Sorry'. I think this may be standard to all dealers.

Anyway story closed for the time being, but not without a bad taste left.

volkman10 · 24th May 2012, 09:18

Fiat chooses new India head, mulls new brands in market

Quote:

Fiat is open to bringing all of its vehicle brands to the Indian market, said Enrico Atanasio, the future head of the Italian company's India operations.

Atanasio, who told Reuters he will take control of Fiat's Indian unit as its managing director within the next few weeks, added that the company was open to importing, assembling or locally manufacturing any of the group's brands in the fast-developing market.
"We are investigating all the brands ... we have a huge number of brands and models that we can look at, including those from the Chrysler stable," said Atanasio, who is currently head of commercial operations at Fiat India

http://www.autonews.com/article/2012...#ixzz1vktiLMzO

fiat_tarun · 24th May 2012, 14:59

Fiat marketing seems to be waking up now with the increased print and TV ad's.

In all this hurry, see what i received today - Most powerdul hatch !!

Palio_2005 · 24th May 2012, 15:08

first they don't have consistent quality and now they can't even get their english right
"Peroid" instead of "Period"
"Quiet" instead of "Quite"

Also they are just making claims about being most powerful hatch. It only has high BHP but the poor gearing does anything but make you feel the rush... unless they have changed the gear ratios which I doubt.

AutoIndian · 24th May 2012, 15:18

How can Fiat screw up the campaign of a new car so royally? This goes to show their utter lackadaisical attitude. This is not at all acceptable. So many mistakes in just one print ad. Though it not prudent to compare, but I cannot imagine how many mistakes they might have made in building the car itself, which has thousands of assemblies

fiat_tarun · 24th May 2012, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palio_2005

first they don't have consistent quality and now they can't even get their english right
"Peroid" instead of "Period"
"Quiet" instead of "Quite"

Also they are just making claims about being most powerful hatch. It only has high BHP but the poor gearing does anything but make you feel the rush... unless they have changed the gear ratios which I doubt.

Oh my god ! It's worse that I thought. I read Powerdul and stopped..!

This is terrible.

Fuldagap · 24th May 2012, 18:06

Looking at this, i feel underpowered

djpeesh · 24th May 2012, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikrantj

^^
I think a responsible forum like us should visit FIAT. Caffe and unobjectively give our feedbacks.

Surely you mean objectively. Unobjectively would surely mean PR which I don't think TBHP stands for

shimoo · 24th May 2012, 18:50

Fiat just does too little, too late. Stickers and chrome on a "Sport" version. The stickers, I can fathom, but the chrome handles and chrome interior trim are just not for anything called "Sport". And those wheel wells were sad enough on the Punto but on the Punto Sport, they are just ridiculous. I just think Fiat is digging itself into a deeper hole here. The dealer trying to push the newer sport edition forcibly to a customer just shows how much of a problem there is at the sales and service side of their operations. As I type this, I feel nothing but sadness, not many companies could capture the hearts of auto enthusiasts like Fiat did, but to not turn that into a succesful business is totally Fiat's fault.

22nd May 2012, 15:24	#31
KuttappanAbhi BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cochin Posts: 52 Thanked: 14 Times	Fiat stops dispatching 90HP Diesel Emotion for 90HP limited edition 'Sports'? Team - My friend had booked an Emotion 90 HP Punto Diesel (not the new Sports version) from a dealership at Kerala. He paid some money advance also 10 days back. Now they are telling that Fiat has stopped dispatching the 90 HP punto emotion diesel and only the new Sportz model is being send in 90 HP category - and it costs a hefty 50-60K more with no discounts. This is quite a fat rise in price - but we are not sure if suddenly the original 90 HP model is stopped since the web site still shows it, and there has been no announcement that was formally done. Neither has the news come anywhere. Does anyone know the truth behind this? Will Fiat just like that stop their flagship 90 HP Punto Diesel for a limited edition model that they released? My friend was actually planning to buy i20, and I coaxed him into test driving Punto after praising its suspension and handling. Once he test drove in the same pot hole ridden roads, both vehicles - he was bowled by Punto and he booked it. And that is when Fiat/Tata messes it up royally. Need someone to help in regaining the faith. :(
	() Thanks

22nd May 2012, 17:22	#32
Fiest@DuraTec BHPian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Gurgaon/MBD Posts: 185 Thanked: 73 Times	Re: Fiat stops dispatching 90HP Diesel Emotion for 90HP limited edition 'Sports'? I think the limited editions are rolled out on demanding for it. There should not be any affect of it on the regular versions which are already in the market. In my opinion, its the dealer who's trying to be smart here and wants to earn that extra bit of money. Ask him to refund the money and tell him there is another dealer who is going to deliver the required version. I am sure he'll find a way out - You know what I mean, don't you ?
	() Thanks

22nd May 2012, 17:34	#33
needforspeed88 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 381 Thanked: 474 Times	Re: Fiat stops dispatching 90HP Diesel Emotion for 90HP limited edition 'Sports'? Fiat in India = Great products+ Bad strategy+ Poor A.S.S+ Total confusion=Total Chaos. The Palio had a extremely successful launch with Tendulkar as brand ambassador. Apart from that the company has gone one way and that is downhill. Had it been more professional in approach , had clarity in product strategy and provided a decent A.S.S the story would have been completely different. Last edited by needforspeed88 : 22nd May 2012 at 17:35.
	() Thanks

22nd May 2012, 17:35	#34
AutoIndian Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: PCMC, Pune-MH14 Posts: 3,566 Thanked: 4,964 Times	Re: Fiat stops dispatching 90HP Diesel Emotion for 90HP limited edition 'Sports'? Hello Abhi, your friends' is not the only case to have experienced such an absurd response from Fiat dealer. There is another one on the Punto Test Drive & Review thread. As per the info there the difference between the Sports & Non-Sports versions of the Punto is 15K (& not 50-60K as you have mentioned). Anyways I would suggest you to put up the query on that thread so as to get quick responses. Here is the link to the thread. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...eview-328.html
	(1) Thanks

22nd May 2012, 21:14	#36
sidindica Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 4,892 Thanked: 8,121 Times	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune The regular 90 HP punto is very much available with the said discounts. Fiat just sent newly printed brochures which mention the 90 HP punto's specs and features to its dealers. In addition to that, the sport is available without a single rupee discount.
	() Thanks

24th May 2012, 09:03	#37
KuttappanAbhi BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cochin Posts: 52 Thanked: 14 Times	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune Team, Thanks for all the replies and posts. Here is the latest update: Thankfully, in my friend's case - He just called me and updated that as he went to collect the advance money back, 90 HP normal car 'returned' to stock and that the dealer will give it. Hope it is true and he does get the car. And to give more clarity on the price difference of ~50K that I mentioned: ~50K difference is including the benefits that you get like free insurance, corporate discount, exchange bonus that is available for the 90 HP non-sports model. After offers the 90HP normal model was avail at around 7.8 L OTR, while sports does not have offers and is at 8.26-8.3 L OTR. These offers are not available for the Sports model, and thats where a genuine buyer is blown apart! <Sid> I am not sure dealers outside Cochin are giving offers to the Sports model, but we checked with couple of dealers here and what we got is 'No offers, sir. Sorry'. I think this may be standard to all dealers. Anyway story closed for the time being, but not without a bad taste left.
	() Thanks

24th May 2012, 14:59	#39
fiat_tarun Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Pune / Mysore Posts: 1,934 Thanked: 3,770 Times View My Garage	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune Fiat marketing seems to be waking up now with the increased print and TV ad's. In all this hurry, see what i received today - Most powerdul hatch !! Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

24th May 2012, 15:08	#40
Palio_2005 BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 991 Thanked: 878 Times	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune first they don't have consistent quality and now they can't even get their english right "Peroid" instead of "Period" "Quiet" instead of "Quite" Also they are just making claims about being most powerful hatch. It only has high BHP but the poor gearing does anything but make you feel the rush... unless they have changed the gear ratios which I doubt.
	() Thanks

24th May 2012, 15:18	#41
AutoIndian Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: PCMC, Pune-MH14 Posts: 3,566 Thanked: 4,964 Times	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune How can Fiat screw up the campaign of a new car so royally? This goes to show their utter lackadaisical attitude. This is not at all acceptable. So many mistakes in just one print ad. Though it not prudent to compare, but I cannot imagine how many mistakes they might have made in building the car itself, which has thousands of assemblies
	() Thanks

24th May 2012, 18:50	#45
shimoo BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 103 Thanked: 130 Times	Re: Fiat Caffe & Fiat Punto Sport Launched in Pune Fiat just does too little, too late. Stickers and chrome on a "Sport" version. The stickers, I can fathom, but the chrome handles and chrome interior trim are just not for anything called "Sport". And those wheel wells were sad enough on the Punto but on the Punto Sport, they are just ridiculous. I just think Fiat is digging itself into a deeper hole here. The dealer trying to push the newer sport edition forcibly to a customer just shows how much of a problem there is at the sales and service side of their operations. As I type this, I feel nothing but sadness, not many companies could capture the hearts of auto enthusiasts like Fiat did, but to not turn that into a succesful business is totally Fiat's fault.
	() Thanks