Fiat India small car to take on Alto

sarmarishi · 30th June 2010, 13:49

Fiat India is gearing up to launch its small car in India by 2012. It will compete with the Alto and have a 1 litre engine.

Taken from Economic times
Fiat India small car to take on Alto-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

Mods: Please merge this thread if a similar thread exists. I didnt come across any.

xingamazon · 30th June 2010, 14:24

Whatever it is hope they dont launch it with the name Uno. It has already earned a bad reputation in India.
By the way 1L engine comes above the Alto category into the Spark, A Star range, dont think it will compete with Alto

supremeBaleno · 30th June 2010, 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by xingamazon

By the way 1L engine comes above the Alto category into the Spark, A Star range, dont think it will compete with Alto

With rumours (hoping they come true) of 1litre K-series being plonked in the Alto, the Fiat car can compete with the Alto.

sarmarishi · 30th June 2010, 14:48

The article says that it wont be named UNO and they are still deciding on the name. It will be competition to Alto as it will be priced similarly.

aargee · 30th June 2010, 20:09

My question will be why 2 more years & that too for a litre class engine? Why is Fiat India taking right decisions late instead of right time?

KiloAlpha · 30th June 2010, 20:19

I might be wrong, but -
Does 2012 coincide with the launch of a redesigned Fiat Panda for EU market? If so, then we can expect a face-lifted current generation Fiat Panda with a newly developed 1 litre engine. They can easily compete with an Alto on price if they bring an entire assembly line lock stock and barrel from Poland/Italy to India thus saving a lot on tooling & setup.

How else do you think Ford has managed to price the Figo so keenly? After all, it is a re-skinned previous generation EU Fiesta.

NutsNBolts · 30th June 2010, 21:16

They will be wrong to pitch it against Alto IMHO. By 2012, Maruti will come up with a different offering and all others will be doing is playing catch-up. If they want to be capture volumes, they have to think boldly, not just call their products "bold drive". Large part will be played by a very very efficient A.S.S. I can't help but compare it with how printers are built cheap and huge earnings are made on cartridges/refills. Maruti has fine-tuned this art. Provide cheap, efficient cars and ensure every nook and corner of entire nation is covered to provide service.

xingamazon · 30th June 2010, 22:01

I dont get the point in Fiat doing this, if I were them.
I would first try to get a deep foothold on the segments that I am in. I mean push Punto to the hilt and get the Linea to its right engine propotions.
There is no point in getting to a deeper fight when you have not completed the primary war yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

How else do you think Ford has managed to price the Figo so keenly? After all, it is a re-skinned previous generation EU Fiesta.

At any given day, I would prefer a company which sells a re-skinned version to a company which still sells the old version of the car(without making any changes) along with the new car. In this case, read Maruti (800>Alto>Astar) Hyundai (Santro>i10).

MihirC · 1st July 2010, 17:57

With the Palio gettinng phased out in BSIV cities , there is a gap in FIATs model line up in the 3-5L range. FIAT is very well aware how crucial the small car segment is in India.

Whatever the new model might be named The basic model "might" compete with an Alto, but it wont stop there. With the right features and engines FIAT will take this fight till the i10/Ritz/Swift range.

FIAT already has the widely used 1.1/1.2/1.4 ltr engines in petrol but the major advantage would be the 1.3 MJD in this segment.

.sushilkumar · 1st July 2010, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by MihirC

With the Palio gettinng phased out in BSIV cities , there is a gap in FIATs model line up in the 3-5L range. FIAT is very well aware how crucial the small car segment is in India.

Whatever the new model might be named The basic model "might" compete with an Alto, but it wont stop there. With the right features and engines FIAT will take this fight till the i10/Ritz/Swift range.

FIAT already has the widely used 1.1/1.2/1.4 ltr engines in petrol but the major advantage would be the 1.3 MJD in this segment.

That shouldn,t be the case anymore as Govt is Keen on doing away with diesel Subsidy and bringing Diesel Prices in Synch with international markets and going by PM's recent press statements , I expect that too happen any time in near future ...

PAVAN KADAM · 1st July 2010, 23:08

Alto is on its last legs of existence. Maruti is lucky that they could sell this contraption for this long in the country. The Alto might not even stay that long to compete with the Fiats new car.

Atleast we get to see some entry level cars from the Fiats.

Well, Best of luck Fiat.

airbender · 2nd July 2010, 02:05

Finally, it's good to see some competition for maruti's age old products. 800 --> Nano
Alto -->fiat,hyundai,GM, Tata
More than the Nano segment it is the alto segment which is getting flooded. Alto being it's largest seller, Maruti is expected to come with a better product. More the competition better it is for customer.

What about omni? Any competition here.

nurni76 · 2nd July 2010, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Alto is on its last legs of existence. Maruti is lucky that they could sell this contraption for this long in the country. The Alto might not even stay that long to compete with the Fiats new car.

Atleast we get to see some entry level cars from the Fiats.

Well, Best of luck Fiat.

A Decade old Alto with the Astar engine will kick the life out of any new Fiat. Just see what the Swift is doing to the Punto. I think Fiat is confused. To be a mass player, A** is crucial. Fiat should first try and consolidate its position in the existing Punto and Linea segments rather than proliferating without building the necessary capabilities. One thing they can do is to license Suzuki petrol engines for smaller cars. They may meet with some success

jinojohnt · 2nd July 2010, 13:57

I think the current tie-up with Tata for Service is in-adequate if Fiat plans a small car. We would need workshops in every corner, like Maruti has. May be Fiat could tie-up with another Company just for the service of this small car?

MihirC · 2nd July 2010, 16:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

That shouldn,t be the case anymore as Govt is Keen on doing away with diesel Subsidy and bringing Diesel Prices in Synch with international markets and going by PM's recent press statements , I expect that too happen any time in near future ...

I agree with you but the person who clocks 1.5k + kms a month will go for the diesel irrespective of the price right.

At the moment diesel is priced lower than the petrol but still the people going for petrol are the ones who go as per their monthly requirememt or either they are petrolheads and vice-versa

30th June 2010, 13:49	#1
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	Fiat India small car to take on Alto Fiat India is gearing up to launch its small car in India by 2012. It will compete with the Alto and have a 1 litre engine. Taken from Economic times Fiat India small car to take on Alto-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times Mods: Please merge this thread if a similar thread exists. I didnt come across any.
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 14:24	#2
xingamazon Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,400 Thanked: 121 Times	Whatever it is hope they dont launch it with the name Uno. It has already earned a bad reputation in India. By the way 1L engine comes above the Alto category into the Spark, A Star range, dont think it will compete with Alto
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 14:48	#4
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	The article says that it wont be named UNO and they are still deciding on the name. It will be competition to Alto as it will be priced similarly.
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 20:09	#5
aargee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TSTN Posts: 6,236 Thanked: 9,641 Times	My question will be why 2 more years & that too for a litre class engine? Why is Fiat India taking right decisions late instead of right time?
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 20:19	#6
KiloAlpha Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Cubicle Posts: 1,605 Thanked: 3,002 Times	I might be wrong, but - Does 2012 coincide with the launch of a redesigned Fiat Panda for EU market? If so, then we can expect a face-lifted current generation Fiat Panda with a newly developed 1 litre engine. They can easily compete with an Alto on price if they bring an entire assembly line lock stock and barrel from Poland/Italy to India thus saving a lot on tooling & setup. How else do you think Ford has managed to price the Figo so keenly? After all, it is a re-skinned previous generation EU Fiesta. Last edited by KiloAlpha : 30th June 2010 at 20:21.
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 21:16	#7
NutsNBolts BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Jammu Posts: 817 Thanked: 41 Times View My Garage	They will be wrong to pitch it against Alto IMHO. By 2012, Maruti will come up with a different offering and all others will be doing is playing catch-up. If they want to be capture volumes, they have to think boldly, not just call their products "bold drive". Large part will be played by a very very efficient A.S.S. I can't help but compare it with how printers are built cheap and huge earnings are made on cartridges/refills. Maruti has fine-tuned this art. Provide cheap, efficient cars and ensure every nook and corner of entire nation is covered to provide service.
	() Thanks

1st July 2010, 17:57	#9
MihirC BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 534 Thanked: 71 Times	With the Palio gettinng phased out in BSIV cities , there is a gap in FIATs model line up in the 3-5L range. FIAT is very well aware how crucial the small car segment is in India. Whatever the new model might be named The basic model "might" compete with an Alto, but it wont stop there. With the right features and engines FIAT will take this fight till the i10/Ritz/Swift range. FIAT already has the widely used 1.1/1.2/1.4 ltr engines in petrol but the major advantage would be the 1.3 MJD in this segment.
	() Thanks

1st July 2010, 23:08	#11
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,602 Thanked: 2,549 Times	Alto is on its last legs of existence. Maruti is lucky that they could sell this contraption for this long in the country. The Alto might not even stay that long to compete with the Fiats new car. Atleast we get to see some entry level cars from the Fiats. Well, Best of luck Fiat.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2010, 02:05	#12
airbender BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: miami. fl Posts: 452 Thanked: 205 Times	Finally, it's good to see some competition for maruti's age old products. 800 --> Nano Alto -->fiat,hyundai,GM, Tata More than the Nano segment it is the alto segment which is getting flooded. Alto being it's largest seller, Maruti is expected to come with a better product. More the competition better it is for customer. What about omni? Any competition here.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2010, 13:57	#14
jinojohnt Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 1,124 Thanked: 794 Times	I think the current tie-up with Tata for Service is in-adequate if Fiat plans a small car. We would need workshops in every corner, like Maruti has. May be Fiat could tie-up with another Company just for the service of this small car? Last edited by jinojohnt : 2nd July 2010 at 14:02.
	() Thanks