Fiat’s Italian market share drops a little, Fiat 500 orders hit 60,000
August 2nd, 2007Fiat SpA’s share of the rapidly growing Italian market for new cars fell in July compared to June, as the revitalised automaker lost ground on European and U.S. competitors. This is according to figures from Italy’s Transport Ministry released this Wednesday.
In its monthly review of car data, the ministry said Fiat, Europe’s fifth-biggest car maker by volume, registered a total of 30.5% of all Italian new cars last month for all its mass-market car brands, including Alfa Romeo and Lancia. This is down from June’s 31.7% market share, but still a healthy 10.1% higher than the equivalent month of 2006.
These figures come as no surprise as Fiat’s own product range begins to mature and new models are brought to market by competing manufacturers.
Late in January the company, regarded as a specialist in small cars, launched the Bravo, its first major new model in 17 months. The Bravo is positioned in a segment of the market in which Fiat has struggled in the past.
July, of course, saw the launch of the new Fiat 500.
In a statement issued as a response to these latest figures, Fiat said on Wednesday they had received more than 60,000 orders for the new Fiat 500 in less than a month. The vast majority of these orders are from home market customers.
Overall, the number of new cars registered in Italy, overwhelmingly Fiat’s biggest market, rose in July to 211,475 from 192,083 in the same month a year earlier.
Sales of Fiat’s eponymous brand fell to 23.2% of all new cars registered in July from 24.1% a month earlier.
Entries
August 9th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Fiat still has work to do. Call me a Jeremiah, but I am not convinced by the Bravo. I reckon the Kia Cee’d and the Huyundai? will give it a real run for its money. The Italians are a hard-headed bunch when it comes to cars, and if they feel the Koreans have produced the better medium car they will let Fiat know. So will the rest of Europe.
Novelty will sell the 500 for a year or so, then the company will need the new economical engines to keep it ahead.
The Grande Punto is not as well built as it should be and has a poor interior (see the Corsa), and the Croma is very ordinary indeed. The upcoming medium Lancia looks to be just a rehash of the Bravo.
Fiat also needs some truly avant garde designs. The current models are beginning to look just a tad conservative - pretty enough - but a bit yawny.
More bravery please Fiat.
August 9th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I haven’t gotten up close with the Cee’d, but it’s been raising a lot of eyebrows and impressing a range of the motoring press. Got to be worth a look.
I was snooping around a Bravo today though and I thought the interior in particular looked nicely put together, after all it’s the place you see and spend most your time in your car, so very important. Another car in that segment I like and I’m sure with which comparisons are drawn is the Seat Leon, but with Seats I always feel their interior lets them down.
August 10th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
The Cee’d is beautifully finished. It is plainer than the Bravo, but the materials are good and everything is in the right place. It feels quality. Also, the seating position is better - the driver’s seat gives good support under the thighs, unlike the Fiat, and there is plenty of room for the clutch foot, and a footrest - unlike the Fiat. These two points would swing it for me if I was in the market for a car of this type. Now add in really generous rear legroom, unlike the Fiat, and a seven year guarantee, unlike the Fiat, and it seems a no-brainer. Oh, and there is a very economical 1.6 Diesel too, the like of which Fiat is still working on.
Now, agreed, the Bravo is more stylish from the outside, but it isn’t as roomy or as comfortable, or as economical - and I wonder if the Cee’d has a real spare wheel? The Bravo comes with a stupid aerosol.
I think the Cee’d is even slightly cheaper too. OK, no Blue and Me, which is a great idea, but I reckon that the Kia and its sister the Hyundai? will give the Bravo a ral run for its money. Fiat should watch out here, because the limited driver comfort, allied to poor rear visibility and back seat space, plus the other negatives, will tell in the long run. I hope Fiat is working hard on a fix for at least some of these failings.