[deetee]

bhpians,
try to identify the car in the picture..
[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/TCS164%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

wagon R ??? its not.
and this?



reminds of Uno?? may be so but it is not uno .
Well, this first one is second generation Fiat Panda and the purple one is a SEAT marbella ( a spanish car, design licensed from FIAT).
Wagon R being similar to design of Panda else where; i wonder whether maruthi/suzuki was inspired by this design.
Besides this , when fiat could provide four airbags (two front and two side) in developing market like brazil, why cant they do it here? is it that security policies in brazil are stringent? Seems like Palio stile we are seeing this year has been launched back in 2004 itself in brazil. Also Punto was already launched in brazil in 2006. Why does Fiat show so much affection towards brazil where as they seem to look at indian consumer with a step mother love.

[midlifecrisis]

What year is the Fiat Panda? From what little I know, the Wagon R is one of the first "tall boy" designs in the world. A car designed by the Japanese for the Japanese.

[amit]

Originally Posted by deetee

Why does Fiat show so much affection towards brazil where as they seem to look at indian consumer with a step mother love.

Not only that, log onto you tube and check out Fiat adverts in Brazil. Some very brilliant adverts with lots of humor.

As for why Fiat is doing that, could be because the Palio is the largest selling car in Brazil beating even heavyweights like Opel Corsa and VW Gol/Fox. But, lets not forget that even in India, Fiat was the first company to give a 1.6L 100hp engine in a hatchback with ABS and Airbags. The mistake they did was that the Palio was way ahead of it's time. Even today, no hatch comes with a 100hp engine (closest is the Swift with 87hp) and it was only last year that a hatch (Swift) offered ABS and Air Bags. So in some areas, Fiat did try and offer what it does internationally, it's just that the Indian car buyer chose price over safety.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by amit

Even today, no hatch comes with a 100hp engine (closest is the Swift with 87hp) and it was only last year that a hatch (Swift) offered ABS and Air Bags.

I would compare Palio with the RD 350. Way ahead of its time. We will have another 100bhp+ hatch with the Getz D when its "actually released"

[Technocrat]

If i remember correctly there are quite a few Auto companies who use Wagon R under their own badge. Suzuki is world over known for its expertise in small cars & a quitea few models from its stable are used by other companies. This was posted a few years back in some auto mag(cant remember the name right now)

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

If i remember correctly there are quite a few Auto companies who use Wagon R under their own badge.

There is Opel who brand it as Opel Agila.
And Vauxhall as Vauxhall Agila. (To same few i know of)

Opel Agila


Vauxhall Agila

[AMATMO]

Originally Posted by fx45

dunno why.. but i dont see ne similarities in em.. and our indian stuff..
agreed tht its the same owner.. ie. fiat.

yes ,exactly i didnt see any similarity either

[Sparkie]

I would say that second pic more resembles the Sipani.

As far as Fiat is concerned, they screwed up at the start. They almost revamped the Indian auto market with the Uno, but the strikes never helped. To add to their woes, they have a poor after-sales experience for which they are squarely to blame. Their second opportunity, the Palio started off with good numbers but some basics like fuel efficiency and their dubious reputation for servicing cars pulled that product down too.

Fiat has been a let down as far as I am concerned. They should have learnt from their mistakes instead of repeating them again and again. They have to tighten things up. When they launch another product yet again, they will be walking on thin ice. They better get it right this time. A country with booming sales which has been touted as one of the most important markets for the future ought to be dealt with greater care. Now Fiat, just get things in the right gear!

[deetee]

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

What year is the Fiat Panda? From what little I know, the Wagon R is one of the first "tall boy" designs in the world. A car designed by the Japanese for the Japanese.

panda in this pic is produced from 2003 onwards. ref: Fiat Panda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this page of wikipedia has rear end pic of panda also. rear end however looks different(note that extra boot space).
@fx45, similarity is pronounced in headlights, front bonnet bluntness,tallboy design(from front). Rear however looks different.

[trinadha]

did u compare opel astra and maruti baleno

[kpbhatt]

did anyone try and compare the Original Zen and the Getz -- Getz looks like a grownup zen from a couple of angles