Fiat India, the domestic arm of Italian auto marque Fiat S.p.A, has declared its 2013 sales target for the India auto market, which stands at 25,000 units. With this target, the auto maker is also looking ahead to capture a minimum of 1 per cent share of the Indian auto sector. It must be noted that in 2012, Fiat India just delivered around 10,000 units to the domestic audience, and was counted among the lowest selling auto makers in the country.
The car maker is also planning to expand its service and dealership network across the length and breadth of India, following the launch of several new models. Reportedly, in 2012, around 2.6 million units were sold in the Indian auto market.
Recently, the auto maker inaugurated its exclusive outlet in Mumbai, which happens to be its first independent dealership in India. The senior officials of Fiat confirmed that they are aiming to open the doors of 65 independent showrooms by March itself and will further take this number to 100 by the end of calendar year 2013.
The Indian division of Fiat has also planned a number of launches for the Indian market in the ongoing year. During 2013, the launch of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler is on the cards of Fiat India, along with the introduction of its performance oriented brand Abarth. The auto company has also planned to pull off the curtains from a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) by the end of 2015.
During last year, the auto maker confirmed that it shipped few models to right-hand drive markets, including South Africa, Nepal and Sri Lanka. However, it will now focus on the demand of Indian auto market, wherein it is looking ahead to create a strong foothold in near future. Interestingly, Tata Motors also manufactures its several models at Fiat’s facility, and also utilises it as an export hub.
The officials of Fiat India said that the auto maker will mainly concentrate on the production of diesel engines, despite the increase in diesel prices and higher tax being implied on the diesel models. Amid all these crucial factors, the Italian car maker is still expecting a higher demand for the diesel models in India. Taking in concern that Fiat has least share in the Indian auto market, industry experts believe that the auto maker is all set to create a buzz among the domestic auto enthusiasts this time. Interestingly, in rest of the world, the car maker rejoices with a decent market share. In Latin America, it trades at 18 per cent share, while in North America, it has 15 per cent of the total market hold.
