Fiat eyes taxi market in Kolkata after Ambassador's exit

With the production of the Hindustan Ambassador halted, manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors have quickly moved in to take the place of the old warhorse in the taxi market in Kolkata. Now, Fiat India is also looking to grab a share of the market with a stripped down version of the Linea sedan.

The Ambassador, which was manufactured at Uttarpara in West Bengal, was the undisputed ruler of Kolkata's taxi market. Since Hindustan Motors suspended operations earlier this year, Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki have introduced the Indigo and Dzire respectively, exclusively for the taxi market. Additionally, the state transport department announced that it would be giving 3,000 new taxi permits. Fiat believes that it can do well in the market too. The company is already selling the Linea as a taxi in Delhi and Mumbai and is now waiting for the West Bengal to approve its proposal. The approval is expected in a week's time.

The stripped down version of the Linea is likely to be priced at Rs. 6.22 lakh approximately - about Rs. 60,000 more than the Ambassador.

Source: Business Standard