[ashutoshb]

Fiat working on Palio successor for 2010: Report

• Fiat is working on a successor to the Palio.
• Would also make and sell the car in countries like China, India and Russia.
• Would be based on the platform for the Panda model but will be slightly bigger.

Full article:
Fiat working on Palio successor for 2010: Report- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

Lets hope Fiat India doesn't goof up this time, and get it here as soon as it can! IMHO.. the same time Fiat brazil gets it!

[1100D]

In anycase the current car, the 178 platform was based on the Uno. So having a Panda based product would take it downwards in the hierarchy. Earlier I hear they were going to base it on Punto (non Grande).

[speedzak]

Finally, Eh??
Atleast they are now thinking about a successor.

But again, it is going to be that same under developed, 3rd world country car and it is very unfortunate that they are counting India amongst it.

"We are working on a low-cost concept in our development centre in Brazil," he said in an interview in the latest issue of a car magazine. Fiat, a market leader in Brazil, would also make and sell the car in countries like China, India and Russia, he said.

Take it very clear. This car, again is going to be developed with low cost R&D. It will never be a true European hatchback we all wish to see from FiAT. Just another under developed car for under developed countries (and they call it with a fancy name or GROWING markets)! What we will get is another heavy weight piece of moving metal which will have some very unfriendly spare parts. The local component manufacturers won't easily give in to manufacture those rare items. And that will always remain a problem as long as the car is sold here.
Why doesn't FiAt understand that India is a good developed market now and if worked closely with different local component manufacturers closely like others, they too will be able to sort out most of their spare parts problems??? They will be able to bring in a good car which will sell well and will be easy to provide assistance later too. They can do this for a true European car like bravo etc... There will be many components of the same car which can be shared amongst some other cars and the local component manufacturers will be happy too.

But, the root of all the problem lies in this low cost R&D. To hell with that! Please give us a genuine European hatchback and please stop giving us some cheap thingys made in some South american backyards! We want something truely Italian!

Sorry FiAT! Another disappointment!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by speedzak

Please give us a genuine European hatchback and please stop giving us some cheap thingys made in some South american backyards! We want something truely Italian!

Sorry FiAT! Another disappointment!

Chill! The Grande Punto is coming anyway, though one may argue, when?

Low cost R&D isn't a problem, its just that R&D for an Italian (or German)car made outside Italy does not make it Italian. However, if the base cars, on which this so-called low-cost R&D puts its magic spell on, is from its original country, some of the genes do get percolated down.

[karanraheja]

They should rather launch Uno to compete in the lower B segment and Palio should continue to compete against Swift , Getz & all. I dont think they should try to make it cheaper which will show on the interiors .

[Ajay_J]

Originally Posted by karanraheja

They should rather launch Uno to compete in the lower B segment

Uno...Ha ha ha. If they some how price it to compete with NANO, still NANO will sell loads more .

[diabloo]

Good that they are working on at least something.

[karanraheja]

Originally Posted by Ajay_J

Uno...Ha ha ha. If they some how price it to compete with NANO, still NANO will sell loads more .

For your info Brazil has got the facelifted Uno which looks ok. But its more of a VFM .

[karanraheja]

Could this be the next Palio?? I found an article on autoexpress:

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by 1100D

In anycase the current car, the 178 platform was based on the Uno.

That's what the original plan was but it was abandoned midway and a new and bigger platform was created from scratch.

Originally Posted by 1100D

Low cost R&D isn't a problem, its just that R&D for an Italian (or German)car made outside Italy does not make it Italian. However, if the base cars, on which this so-called low-cost R&D puts its magic spell on, is from its original country, some of the genes do get percolated down.

On the contrary, the Fiats based on the 178 platform were superior to the Italian Fiats. They were designed to withstand the harsher road conditions of emerging economies and were therefore built sturdier and better.

Recently one Palio Users' Group member took a ride in a Grand Punto taxi in Germany and the found the car much inferior to his Palio!

Only 12 replies in a Fiat thread two days old?
Where have all the Fiat fans gone?

Originally Posted by TomRider

2010 will be too late. Anyways, it is a good news!

In 2010 they'll introduce Palio Mark IV that currently sells in Brazil.
This one will be introduced in 2014!

[thalavoy]

Originally Posted by directinjection

Only 12 replies in a Fiat thread two days old?
Where have all the Fiat fans gone?

Where else? Driving their Fiats

[finneyp]

I feel Palio has run its course in India, don't think Fiat India will invest further on Palio facelifts, better to bring in newer hatches like G Punto, Panda, Stilo etc.

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by speedzak

But again, it is going to be that same under developed, 3rd world country car and it is very unfortunate that they are counting India amongst it.

What is India? A developed country?

Originally Posted by speedzak

But, the root of all the problem lies in this low cost R&D. To hell with that! Please give us a genuine European hatchback and please stop giving us some cheap thingys made in some South american backyards! We want something truely Italian!

What is a South American backyard? Do we go by GDP or Per Capita? Some figures to help you (from Wikipedia of course)
Brazil
GDP (PPP) 2007 2 estimate
- Total US$1.804 trillion (8th)
- Per capita US$11,873 (65th)
GDP (nominal) 2006 2 estimate
- Total US$1.067 trillion (10th)
- Per capita US$6,842 (61st)

India
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
- Total $ 4.726 trillion[8] (3rd)
- Per capita $ 4,182 (118th)
GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate
- Total $ 1.089 trillion (12th)
- Per capita $ 1004 (132nd)

I don't think denigrating some one else is a nice thing to do. No matter how strongly you want to make a point. There are people from South American backyards who browse this forum and this is not a face we should be showing them.

What is something 'truly Italian'? (Fiat is and is known for reliably breaking down as well. Across the world.)

The way things are going, I think we all should be getting rid of the M800, Indicas, Altos etc etc etc.
-----------------------------
On an aside, I have heard aspersions about how foreign manufacturers are dumping products for 'developing markets' in India. Come on, what else do you expect? A Merc at the price of a Nano? Sometime back there was this thing on how Renault has cheated us by getting the Logan here and selling it at a ludicrous amount. No one bothered to dig in deeper and check and figure out that it was the babus at Mahindra who were equally to blame.

[speedzak]

Originally Posted by finneyp

I feel Palio has run its course in India, don't think Fiat India will invest further on Palio facelifts, better to bring in newer hatches like G Punto, Panda, Stilo etc.

X100!!
BRAVO!!!!! That's what we want. And finally, myself and Finney has voiced something similar for once! Now, is FiAT listening???

Originally Posted by thalavoy

Where else? Driving their Fiats

If those are still in driveable condition!! Or else will be in the garages! LOL!!!


EDIT:

What is India? A developed country? ...............

What I meant in my post is that we dont want these fake FIATs to be sold in our country which has nothing similar to their real European siblings.
If it sells well in Brazil, good for them. But as much of experience gathered here in India, we don't want the Palio scenario happening again in our country. If only Fiat could take India as a developed market for cars and consider bringing in better European cars in, then there will be success written all over their faces. Bet!!

And I don't want to go into GDPs and Per capita etc... But I think our country has matured itself into a better developed car market than many other countries in the world.

There was no harm in saying that I don't like a car designed in some South american backyard. Do you think so???? It is my preference of seeing a true italian Fiat than a south american developed one! It is same like many people preferring the MADE in JAPAN Alpine than the MADE in PRC!
I am not trying to harm anybody here. Sorry, if you felt so!

[ram_hyundai]

The news is that about a new Palio.So ultimately the result is that the current Palio would be out of production in 2 yrs time.Thats not fair by any means.Reliability of a manufacturer would not only depend on the quality but also on their product life too.
I dont think its a good move at all if they bring in yet another new Palio in 2 yrs time to India.
ram