The 61st edition of the Hanover International Motor Show, the most important commercial vehicle showcase in Europe, will be held from 19 to 28 September. This international event will attract large numbers of professional drivers and major commercial vehicle and light commercial vehicle manufacturers to the German city. These will include Fiat Auto, which has always played a leading role in the German light commercial vehicle sector and is the main imported brand. The company will bring an extensive array of vehicles representing its working vehicle range to the event. These include:

The New Fiat Ducato with different standard versions and conversions, including: Ducato for Ducati, the result of a joint venture with Ducati Corse, specifically designed for carrying and servicing motor bikes; Maxi van with load compartment lined with wood and racks with storage compartments; Van with variable load compartment height due to the flexiloader specification produced by the body builder Ruthmann; Drive cab with ALKO chassis converted to a pickup truck by Jotha.

The following versions of the Doblò Cargo: Refrigerated van with inner load compartment lining in composite material, condenser built into the engine compartment and evaporator in the load compartment; Short wheelbase high top van with second floor in the load compartment, produced as a joint venture with Sortimo.
 

Three large removable drawers between the 2 floors and wall racks with storage compartments; Van with methane fuel system, load compartment lined in wood and racks with storage compartments. As well as these there will be the Rotwild version of the new Fiat Strada pick-up with a load compartment for bicycles; and – last but not least – the Truckster show van.

This international event is also a good time to unveil our figures for the first half of 2006, which closed with an excellent result for Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles in Europe. Sales amounted to nearly 121,000 compared with 109,000 in 2005, with a volume increase of 11.2%. The market share rose by 0.7% from 10.6% to 11.3%. The New Doblò Cargo did particularly well with sales of approximately 30,000 in 6 months, which confirm the positive attributes of the vehicle voted Van of the Year 2006. The Ducato also sold very well, and was the second most popular model in the segment with sales of 51,000. Good positions were achieved in all European countries and Germany in particular, where the Fiat Light Commercial Vehicle brand continues to achieve the highest shares after the local manufacturers.