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During the presentation of the new Fiat Sedici
and Panda Cross yesterday, Luca De Meo confirmed that sales of 20,000 and 5,000 units will
be targeted respectively for next year.
Both of the new four wheel drive models will be launched into
the
public glare for the first time on the occasion of next week's Bologna Motor Show,
to be held in
Italy. The Panda Cross will be launched in Italy next month,
before rolling out across Europe during the new year, while the
bigger Sedici will officially arrive on the Italian market on 10th March 2006.
Fiat will be
targeting sales success in one of the "hottest" segments in
Europe: that of SUVs, four-wheel drive lifestyle vehicles,
so commented Fiat Brand & Commercial Manager, Luca De Meo, as he
presented the new Sedici and the Panda Cross. De Meo went on
to call them "two models that hit the right note, that
represent a free style of living." He sees the new Sedici as
a genuine alternative to the C-segment contenders already on
the market, but which is offered at a similar price, but with different
advantages: practicality, versatility, functionality, and
beauty.
Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Sedici has been called a
radical shock, and possessing radical chic, a car amply
designed for those who have never never previously owned a
four wheel drive vehicle. There will be two models and two engines (a 1.6-litre 16v petrol
with 107bhp and a 1.9-litre JTD with 120bhp). The JTD engine
option though is expected to account for around 70-80 percent of
total sales.
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While the new model - which has been jointly developed with
Suzuki Motor Corp and will be assembled at the Esztergom
plant in Hungary - is to be sold in Italy from 10th March 2006.
It will be previewed at the XX Winter Olympic Games in
Turin, as Toroc (the games' organiser) will receive the
first two hundred vehicles. Fiat (as well as IVECO, Lancia
and Alfa Romeo) are major sponsors of this most high
profile of sporting occasions, which will run from 10th to 26th
February.
De Meo expects that of the 20,000 sales target he has in
mind for 2006
(which is actually limited due to the assembly plant's capacity) will
be split between 12,000 sold in Italy, while the remaining
8,000 across the other
major European markets.
Meanwhile, Fiat's other new four wheel drive SUV, the chunky
little Panda Cross, will be launched into the showrooms in
Italy during December, with a retail price in excess of
15,000 euros. The Panda Cross - the latest of a line of
Panda variants - will build on the instant sales success of
the Panda 4x4.
De Meo said
yesterday that the arrival of the Panda Cross reflects Fiat
Auto's current policy of maximising development of its car
model ranges, with a particular focus on introducing to the
market higher margin products.
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