In order to effectively market a new small car, Fiat is still strongly considering a new, low-cost brand. We first reported that Fiat was considering a brand for low-cost cars earlier this year, but it looks as though the idea has gained some momentum since then.
Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne told Automotive News that if the Italian automaker ultimately decides to give the new brand the green light, it will be completely developed internally. Whichever direction Fiat decides to go, Marchionne says a decision will be made in the next 12 months.
The first car that would be sold under the new brand would be a new model that is intended to bridge the gap between the A-segment Panda and the recently-upscaled B-segment Grande Punto — currently being developed under the codename Project 327. The yet-to-be-named car is scheduled for a 2011 launch.
05/22, 11:16 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
I wish that Osama bin Laden had ordered attacks of FIAT factories instead of American targets.
05/22, 11:23 AM
posted by:
trooper1
^lame. I always thought the Fiat as a whole was a low cost brand. Automakers that specialize in smaller fuel effecient cars will be the big success stories of the auto industry in the future. Brands like MB, BMW, and Lexus will also do very well despite their fast powerfull cars due the quality and prestige image. Domestic automakers are going to get hit even harder in the future because they don’t have enough international appeal to keep afloat. They may be somewhat popular in the domestic market, but thats not enough to survive in a global economy.
05/22, 12:18 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
^Gotta agree with you. I always thought Fiats were the affordable car for the Italian working family. Perhaps they now see themselves as the Italian ‘Chevy’.
05/22, 12:35 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Yep, they are Italian Chevy: Chevy brings to US cars from Korea, FIAT from Poland to Italy. FIAT is having renaissance. Maybe Chevy should bring cars from Poland instead of Korea.
05/22, 12:45 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Point of order…isn’t Fiat already a low cost brand?
05/22, 3:05 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
At approx $24000 the 500 is hardly low cost
05/22, 4:10 PM
posted by:
Zip
they’re pushing upmarket. the new punto and 500 are much more premium than their predecessors.
the panda is the only ‘low cost’ model. i think they’re going to try and rival the koreans for the cheapest sector (at least in europe, where kia + hyundai purchases are forms of social suicide)
05/23, 6:40 AM
posted by:
Rover3500
Fiat is already a budget brand as some posters have already suggested. Although they have a dose of Italian style that other low budget cars - Kia for example could never hope to achieve. they are very likeable cars and should just keep doing what they’re doing. Don’t muddy the waters by introducing a new bull**** brand - especially when you haven’t sorted out Lancia yet and to a lesser extent Alfa.