Fiat Automobiles

This article is about the FCA subsidiary that produces Fiat branded cars. For the parent holding company, see Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. For the FCA subsidiary grouping automotive brands, see Fiat Group Automobiles.
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A.
Public
Industry Automotive
Founded July 11, 1899 in Turin, Italy
Founder Giovanni Agnelli
Headquarters Turin, Italy
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 John Elkann (President)
Olivier François (CEO)
Products Automobiles
Production output
 1,455,650 units (2010)[1]
Owner Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, NV
Parent FCA Italy S.p.A.
Website Fiat.com

FIAT (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) is an Italian automaker which produces Fiat branded cars, and is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles through its subsidiary FCA Italy S.p.A.., the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy. The company, Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., was formed in January 2007 when Fiat reorganized its automobile business,[2] and traces its history back to 1899 when the first Fiat, or Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino automobile, was produced.

Production output

Year Cars
19981,197,680
19991,198,000
2000 1,120,000
2001 1,115,000
20021,102,000
20031,080,000
20041,220,000
20051,310,000
20061,370,000
20071,510,000
20081,611,000
20091,430,555
20101,455,650
20111,602,355
20121,704,021

Fiat in Europe

Fiat Punto
Fiat Panda

Fiat's main market is European one, mainly focused in Italy. Historically successful in citycars and supermini sector, currently Fiat has a range of models focused on those two segments (in 2011, those accounted for the 84% of its sales). Fiat does not currently offer any large family car, nor an executive car.

Fiat's share of the European market shrank from 9.4 per cent in 2000 to 5.8 per cent in the summer of 2004. At this point Sergio Marchionne was appointed as Fiat Chief Executive. By March 2009 their market share had expanded back to 9.1%.[3]

Fiat's built their five-story Lingotto plant in 1915 through 1918, at the time it was Europe's largest car manufacturing plant.[4] Later the Mirafiori plant was built, also in Turin. To prepare for production of the all new Fiat 128, Fiat opened their Rivalta plant in October 1968. Until the 128 could enter production, the plant was used to build sports versions of the 850 and 124 as well as parts for the Fiat Dino.[5]

Fiat current range of passenger car engines comprises eleven units, eight petrols and three diesels.[6] Current range of models is the following:

Future models announced by Fiat include the 500X in 2014 to replace the Sedici.

Fiat sales of 2011 were up to 676.704 (minus 17.3% vs. previous year):[7]

Model 2011 Sales
Fiat Punto 220.343
Fiat Panda 189.527
Fiat 500 156.301
Fiat Linea 35.499
Fiat Bravo 31.673
Fiat Sedici 14.777
Fiat Freemont 13.651
Fiat Albea 8.951
Fiat Idea 5.982

Light Commercial Vehicles are sold in Europe under the brand Fiat Professional.

Fiat in South America

Fiat Uno, specifically developed for Brazilian market

Fiat has invested for a longtime in South America, mainly in Brazil (where has been the market leader for many years) and in Argentina.

The Brazilian range is similar to European one, with the addition of a special family which derives from a common platform (called "Project 178"): Fiat Palio, Fiat Palio Weekend, Fiat Palio Adventure, Fiat Siena, Fiat Grand Siena.

Recently a brand new model developed in Brazil has been launched: the Fiat Uno.

Other European models are currently imported to Brazil: Fiat 500, Fiat Freemont. Some others are still in production: Fiat Punto, Fiat Idea, Fiat Bravo and Fiat Linea.

Fiat sells in Brazil under the Fiat brand, European Fiat Professional light commercial vehicles as:

Fiat in the United States

Fiat re-entered the North American market in 2011 with the new Fiat 500

Fiat has a long history in United States. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the country and a plant in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., began producing Fiats a year later. These luxury cars were produced long before Chrysler Corp. started in 1925.[8] Fiat was sometimes used as a jocular backronym for 'Fix it again Tony', referring to poor reliability and problems, such as rust, which some Fiat owners in the United States encountered in the 1970s and 1980s.[9][10][11] Partly as a result, Fiat sales in the US fell from a high of 100,511 cars in 1975 to 14,113 in 1982.[10] In 1983, Fiat left the United States car market with a reputation for poor quality cars.[12][13] However, Fiat has made significant improvements since then.[12]

In January 2009, the Fiat Group acquired a 20% stake in US automaker Chrysler LLC.[14] The deal saw the return of the Fiat brand to North America after a 25-year absence. The first Fiat-branded model to appear in the US was the popular Fiat 500 city car. The Fiat 500 model is built at Chrysler's assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico which currently makes also the Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont crossovers.[15]

Fiat in Asia

Fiat's presence in Chinese market is poor compared to its European, Japanese, Korean and American rivals. At the beginning of 2012, Fiat was only importing Fiat Bravo and Fiat 500 model. However, in 2012 Fiat and GAC opened a Joint Venture plant to produce the first Fiat vehicle specifically developed for Chinese market ever: the Fiat Viaggio, a compact car derived by another model of Fiat SpA group, the Dodge Dart (in turn derived by another Fiat Group car, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta).

Fiat currently offers to Japanese consumers the 500 in both coupe and convertible bodystyles, and the Panda. Both vehicles are in compliance with Japanese Government dimension regulations affording the Japanese public to purchase a non-Japanese vehicle without having to pay an annual tax for driving a car that exceeds the regulations.

Fiat is also present in Indian market since 1948. Current presence is in Joint Venture with Tata Motors, although current car sales (Fiat is currently offering the Fiat Punto and Fiat Linea) are poor (approx. 20k units in 2011).

Western countries markets models

Fiat 500L
Fiat Freemont

The Fiat 500 (Italian: cinquecento, Italian pronunciation: [ˌtʃiŋkweˈtʃɛnto]) is a car produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975, with limited production of the Fiat 500 K estate continuing until 1977. The car was designed by Dante Giacosa. Redesigned in 2007, it is currently distributed worldwide.

The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. Current version is the third one distributed as from 2012.

The third generation Fiat supermini to bear the name Punto, codenamed Project 199, the Grande Punto was unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show and went on sale later that year. Styled by Giugiaro, the car is based on the Fiat/GM SCCS platform. Whilst the model shares some of its name with the previous Punto, a large number of its components are new, including a new chassis and body shell. After facelift in 2009 it was named as Punto Evo and sold as bare Punto name.

The Fiat Bravo is a small family car that has been produced since 2007 for the European and Australian markets. It is only available as a 5-door hatchback.

The Fiat 500L enlarges, as from September 2012, the Fiat 500 family with a Mini MPV which replace the Fiat Idea. The model is produced in the new Fiat plant in Serbia. The platform is the same of the Fiat Punto.[16]

The Fiat Sedici is a mini sport utility vehicle co-developed by Fiat and Suzuki mainly for the European market. It was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, and is built at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Hungary. The expected production volume is 60,000 units per year, 1/3 to be sold by Fiat and 2/3 by Suzuki, badged as the SX4. The Design was handled by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio, and it is an alternative to mini multi-purpose vehicles (MPV), which have a more "boxy" appearance.

Introduced in 2011 to replace Fiat Multipla, and according to the manufacturer, also the last version of the Fiat Croma. It is a rebadging of the Dodge Journey, following the Cooperation with Chrysler.

Emerging markets (production in Europe)

Albea
Main article: Fiat Albea

The Fiat Albea is the sedan version of the Fiat Palio small family car, built in Turkey at the Tofaş facilities of the Italian automaker Fiat.

Linea
Main article: Fiat Linea

The Fiat Linea is a small family car released on March 26, 2007 by the Italian automaker Fiat as a world car in Eastern Europe, India, Latin America and Middle East. The Linea is also sold in Western Europe.

Emerging markets (production in South America)

Palio Weekend
Main article: Fiat Palio

The Fiat Palio is a supermini designed by Fiat as a world car, aimed at developing countries. The Palio Weekend is a small family car station wagon; an extended version of the hatchback Palio.

Siena
Main article: Fiat Siena

The Fiat Siena is the four-door sedan version of the Fiat Palio, a small family car especially designed for developing countries. The car is similar to Fiat Albea.

European Cars of the Year

The European Car of the Year award has been awarded twelve times to the Fiat Group over the last forty years, more than any other manufacturer. Nine of these awards were won by Fiat Automobiles models. Fiat models awarded the title:

CO2 emissions

Fiat Automobiles, one of Europe's 10 best-selling automotive brands, has for the second year running been confirmed as having the lowest average value for CO2 emissions from vehicles sold in 2008: 133.7 g/km (137.3 g/km in 2007). This was corroborated by JATO, a provider of automotive data.[18]

Electric vehicles

Fiat started development of electric vehicles back in the mid 1970s, with the concept Fiat X1/23. More recently in 2008, Fiat showed the Phylla concept,[19] and the Fiat Bugster concept in Brazil.[20]

Fiat joined utility companies Cemig and Itaipu to develop new electric vehicles for Brazil, with production in 2009 of the Palio Weekend Electric.[21]

Fiat launched the electric 500e in California in 2013, but no sales planned for Europe.[22] Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne claimed in 2014 that each one sold was at a loss of $14,000.[23]

Fiat concept vehicles

Motorsport

In 1971 the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was prepared for the World Rally Championship when Abarth became involved with its production and development and from 1972 had relative success with two wins in 1972, one in 1973 and won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 1974 Portuguese TAP Rally.[27]

The Fiat 131 Abarth was a very successful rally car replacing the 124. Between 1976 and 1981 the Fiat 131 won 18 World Rally Championship events,[28] and winning the WRC three times: in 1977, 1978, and in 1980.[29]

Lancia took over the role of motorsport for the Fiat Group during the 1980s. After a long break of factory-supported entries, in 2003 a Fiat Punto S1600 won the Italian Rally Championship, and 2006 the Fiat Grande Punto S2000 won the FIA European Rally Championship,[30] followed by three successive wins in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Marketing

Logo

Fiat logo 1968 to 1999

The FIAT initials was first used in the distinctive logo form 1901.[31] In 1968 the "rhomboid" logo (as it was known internally) was introduced which featured the FIAT initials spelled out on four interconnected rhombuses. The rhomboid was slowly phased in during the early 1970s, although the older "laurel wreath" style FIAT badge was used to denote sporting models such as the 124 Spider, 127 Sport, X1/9 and the tuned Abarth models. A new corporate nose based on the rhomboid logo was first introduced in 1983 on the Uno, which consisted of five chrome bars inclined at an angle of 18 degrees to mirror the rhomboid, which usually appeared in reduced size at the corner of the grille.

In 1999 the wreath style logo was re-introduced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company.

Motor Village and Flagship stores

Fiat launched its Motor Village flagship stores concept in 2006 with its Mirafiori Motor Village in Turin, followed by London's Flagship store in Wigmore Street opening in 2008[32] and Paris opening in 2010 on the Champs-Élysées.[33]

BSM-Fiat deal

In 2009, BSM (the British School of Motoring) ended a 16-year relationship with Vauxhall Motors and signed a deal with Fiat UK to swap its learner vehicle from the Vauxhall Corsa to the new Fiat 500. Fiat UK will supply 14,000 cars to BSM over four years in a marketing deal.[34]

References

  1. ↑ "WORLD MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION" (PDF). oica.net. 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  2. ↑ Hussain, Aijaz (January 23, 2007). "Fiat SpA reorganizes auto business, changes name to Fiat Group Automobiles". AP Worldstream. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Fix it again, Sergio — and then fix the rest of 'em". The Irish Times. May 6, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  4. ↑ Eyewitness Travel: Italy. DK. 2005. pp. 26–27. ISBN 1-4053-0781-1.
  5. ↑ Becker, Clauspeter (1971), Logoz, Arthur, ed., "Fiat 128", Auto-Universum 1971 (in German) (Zürich, Switzerland: Verlag Internationale Automobil-Parade AG) XIV: 88
  6. ↑ http://driventowrite.com/2014/08/19/theme-engines-a-survey-of-fiats-2004-and-2014-ranges/
  7. ↑ "New Vehicle Registrations: Provisional Figures (ACEA Press Releases)". ACEA. January 15, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Anyone less than 30 years old probably never has seen -- or at least doesn't remember seeing -- a Fiat automobile in the flesh.". bankrate.com. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  9. ↑ Nelson D Schwartz (April 25, 2009). "Would Detroit Sound Any Better in Italian?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Fiat Finito". Time (magazine). January 31, 1983. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  11. ↑ Krisher, Tom (January 31, 1983). "Problems of old Chrysler linger at 'new' Chrysler, US". The Guardian (London). Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Szczesny, Joseph R. (May 1, 2009). "Can Americans Learn to Love Fiat? Chrysler Hopes So". Time (magazine). Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  13. ↑ Lo Vecchio, Roberto (August 27, 2009). "Fiat-Chrysler I PRIMI CENTO GIORNI DI MARCHIONNE". Quattroruote. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of Chrysler by Fiat". europa.eu. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  15. ↑ "Toluca started Fiat 500s, 2011 Journeys". www.allpar.com. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  16. ↑ "Architecture - Fiat 500L, design "cab forward"". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  17. ↑ English, Andrew (November 19, 2007). "Fiat's Cinquecento voted car of the year". telegraph.co.uk (London). Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  18. ↑ "Fiat keeps the low-CO2 crown for second year in a row". Autoblog/FiatAutoPress release. March 3, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Fiat's electric Topolino | Auto Express News | News". Auto Express. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  20. ↑ "Fiat Bugster A Plug-In Electric Car | Other Motorsports". Auto Racing Daily. 2008-11-16. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  21. ↑ "Meet the First Electric Car Produced in South America: Brazil's Fiat Palio Weekend". Treehugger. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  22. ↑ "Fiat 500e most efficient electric car in the USA". Autocar. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  23. ↑ "Sergio Marchionne asks customers not to buy Fiat 500e". Auto Express. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  24. ↑ "Fiat Turbina".
  25. ↑ "Fiat Abarth 2000".
  26. ↑ "Fiat Firepoin (1994)".
  27. ↑ Giacosa, John Tipler ; foreword by Dante (1993). Fiat & Abarth 124 Spider & coupé. Godmanstone, England: Veloce Pub. Plc. ISBN 1-874105-09-X.
  28. ↑ "Fiat Manufacturer Profile & Rally History". rallye-info.com. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
  29. ↑ "Walter Röhrl". rallybase.nl. Retrieved 2007-07-03.
  30. ↑ "Fiat Wins European Rally Championship". Fiat UK. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  31. ↑ "Fiat Logo History". Worlds Best Logos. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  32. ↑ "Fiat opens new flagship store in West London". Wed, 12 March 2008 publisher=Motortorque. Retrieved December 12, 2009. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ↑ "Fiats join Jeeps in Paris for first time in Fiat-owned store". Automotive Europe. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  34. ↑ Mortished, Carl (July 28, 2009). "Cheeky Italian Fiat takes British out of BSM as Vauxhall is dumped". The Times (London). Retrieved December 5, 2009.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fiat vehicles.
« previous — Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. car timeline, European market, 1980s–present
Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
0123456789 0123456789 0123456789 012345
City car 126 Cinquecento Seicento / 600
500
Panda I Panda II Panda III
Supermini Hatch 127 Uno Punto I Punto II
Palio Grande Punto Punto Evo Punto
Saloon Duna Siena Albea
Small family car Hatch Ritmo Tipo Bravo I / Brava Stilo Bravo II
Saloon 131 Regata Tempra Marea Linea
Large family car 132 Argenta Croma I Croma II
Cabriolet Ritmo Cabrio Punto Cabrio 500C
Coupé Coupé
Spider Spidereuropa Barchetta Barchetta
Sports car X1/9
LCV/LAV Fiorino I Fiorino II Fiorino III / Qubo
Doblò I Doblò II
Mini SUV Sedici 500X
Mini MPV Idea 500L
Compact MPV Multipla
Large MPV Ulysse I Ulysse II Freemont
Van Daily Scudo I Scudo II
Ducato I Ducato II Ducato III
Mini pickup Strada
Off-road Campagnola (1107)
Legend

Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. car timeline, South American market, 1980s–present

Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
0123456789 0123456789 0123456789 012345
Economy car Hatch 147 / Spazio Mille
Uno Palio I Palio II
Uno II
Sedan Oggi Prêmio/Duna Siena Grand Siena
Supermini Punto
Small family car Hatch Tipo Brava Stilo Bravo
Sedan Tempra / Tempra SW Marea / Marea Weekend Linea
Coupé Coupé
LCV/LAV Fiorino I Fiorino II Fiorino III
Doblò
Mini MPV Idea
Mini pickup City Fiorino Pick-up Strada