India will celebrate its 66th Independence on 15th of August and the entire country is expected to rejoice the flavour of patriotism. It must be noted that car makers operating in the Indian market are hoping to cash on the festivities and boost their sales by offering lucrative packages. Interestingly, Fiat, the Italian auto maker, has also joined the bandwagon and is introducing the 'Freedom Drive' programme on the eve of Independence Day. In this scheme, customers get the opportunity to drive a Fiat car to a location of their choice for a period of three nights. This is one of the most unique offers being given by a car maker to customers in order to make its fortunes.
This programnme, introduced by Fiat, offers free gifts to buyers who book the Punto and the Linea. In additon to this, there is an exchange package on offer, which allows buyers to avail benefits of up to Rs. 1 lakh. Apart from this, Fiat also offers buyers the option of getting free checkups for its cars on 14th and 15th of August through the 'Pit Stops' deal. Free checkups can be done in major cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune.
Officials from the company are pretty upbeat about this development, terming it as an important way to connect with Indian customers. Nagesh Basavanahalli, the President and Managing Director at Fiat Chrysler India Operations, described the commitment the company has shown towards its Indian consumers. “Fiat has been present in India for decades and has always been committed to the Indian consumers. With this initiative we intend to bring customers closer to our brand and give them the freedom to explore different places using their favourite Fiat car. This unique initiative gives our customers an opportunity to create innumerable positive memories with their beloved Fiat cars,” Basavanahalli explained.
Industry experts have termed this move by Fiat as an intelligent step to gather some momentum as the festive season approaches. The condition of the Indian auto market has been worsening each month as sales have been declining continuously. In times like these car companies have been offering discounts on premium models, introducing new products and providing lucrative insurance and warranty deals. Fiat is not the only firm that has been involved in the introduction of new programmes.
Only recently, General Motors-owned car maker Chevrolet offered discounts and benefits on its cars, including Beat, Spark, Sail and Cruze. The festive season will see a number of cars being launched in the Indian auto market from different companies. A few days back, Czech-based auto maker Skoda unveiled the new Octavia in Mumbai. Analysts feel that these packages and offers are bound to attract customers as it directly targets the main factor that influences a buyer's decision, the affordability.
