Fiat Auto sales soared across Europe last month as the new Fiat Grande Punto model bounced to the top of B-segment, and both Alfa Romeo and Lancia posted healthy gains. The figures for January 2006 were released this morning by European car manufacturer member body ACEA, and relate to the fifteen European Union (EU) member states, plus the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) signatories.

As a whole Fiat Auto (including the Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and LCV brands) recorded a 19.8 pct rise year-on-year, giving the resurgent Italian carmaker an 8.5 pct share of the total pan-European car market (up from 7.3 pct held in January 2005.) Jan 2006 saw 102,771 new Fiat Auto vehicles registered as opposed to 85,789 for the equivalent month last year. Overall, the European car market climbed by 2.9 pct, led upwards by Belgium (+14.1 pct), Ireland (+12.5 pct) Germany (+10.8 pct) and Italy (+10.7 pct). Biggest losers included the UK (-13.3 pct) and Greece (-6.6 pct) while Spain was flat.

It was a superb performance from Fiat, driven on by demand for the new 'compact' Grande Punto model which outshone its B-segment rivals as it rolls out across Europe, although January's figures don't include the UK, the fourth biggest new car market, where it only went on general sale last weekend. It has been reported that the Grande Punto sold 37,977 units last month, ahead of the 'Car of the Year' Award-winning new Renault Clio (36,016) and Ford's venerable Fiesta model (31,470.)
 

Splitting the Fiat Auto brand's performances apart, Fiat-branded vehicles (including LCV) were up by a massive 26.2 pct year-on-year last month, with 78,080 new registrations as opposed to 61,892 in Jan 2005. This gave Fiat a 6.5 pct share of the overall European market, up from 5.3 pct year-on-year.

The 'sporty' Alfa Romeo division turned in a very solid month's figures, up by 6.2 pct in January year-on-year, as the new Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Alfa 159 sedan continues to build marketplace acceptance, and as the Milanese brand now puts a long run of falling sales firmly behind it. They sold 12,430 new cars in January, up from 11,700 year-on-year, keeping their market share steady at 1.0 pct. As well as the new Alfa 159, they are being helped by the arrival of the Brera sportscar which is now on sale in Italy, and a market repositioning for entry-level Alfa 147 hatchback versions.

Lancia too stemmed a recent lacklustre run, during last month, up by 1.8 pct year-on-year, helped mainly by very strong domestic market conditions on which the brand is at present somewhat overreliant. Fiat Auto's 'luxury' division is being stymied by a lack of truly new models, although the recent arrival of new versions of the Ypsilon model range have gained a market edge. Lancia sold 12,430 new cars last month to take a 1.0 pct share of the European market, up from 11,619 registered in January 2005.