During the launch of the new Fiat Ducato X250 range this week Fiat Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) brand manager Lorenzo Sistino said the the division is targeting an increase of sales to 400,000 units this year, helped by the arrival of new models. He hopes to see European market share climb from 10.8 pct last year to 12.5 pct, building on a dominant Italian market position. Last year Fiat LCV sold 339,000 units, a range which starts with the Panda and Punto van going through to the new Ducato X250.

Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters during the Ducato media launch that the LCV division is strategic to Fiat Auto's future plans. "Light commercial vehicles are strategic for Fiat. The Ducato model is key for this strategy, including via the joint venture with Peugeot." Both Sistino and Marchionne referred to the new 'Minicargo' van - due in 2008 - which is being developed by Fiat's Turkish manufacturing partner, Tofas, and a project that PSA are also a partner in. 'Minicargo' is expected to open up a whole new market segment.
 

Sistino revealed during the press conference that Fiat Auto and PSA Peugeot-Citroën have together spent a total of 1.1 billion euros in getting the new X250 van range - which will be branded under all three carmaker's names - to the market. The new model, a 50-50 joint venture between the Italian and French firms, will be built at the Sevel plant in Italy with an annual production of around 260,000 units. To achieve this higher production total, capacity at Sevel has been raised by 30 percent after recent infrastructure investments.

Fiat's LCV division will account for half (130,000 units) of the projected annual production of the X250 at Sevel, up from the 116,000 Ducato variants it sold during last year. Fiat LCV hope to raise the Ducato's European market share from 16.1 pct to 17.6 percent, while outside Europe they expect the new van sales to breach the five-digit number for the first time, up from 6,500 sold worldwide in 2005. There are more than 2,000 options available on the Ducato chassis and Fiat will look to continue its leading role as a supplier of chassis for conversion to many applications - such as the 'camper/combi' vans which are hugely popular in Northern Europe.