The Italian market surrendered its positive run last month with new registrations falling 6.3 pct year-on-year, however Fiat Auto continued its recent run of increasing sales, taking its market share to 31 pct, well up from the 27.24 pct it achieved in April 2005, and the 30.6 pct it achieved in March, according to data released by Italian automotive trade body ANFIA.

After three strong months of new car sales the Italian market was pegged back in April, 185,244 new vehicles leaving the showrooms equating to a 6.3 pct drop on April 2005's total of 197,706. The decline had been expected by market-watchers as the month of April was two working days shorter this year, and the recent general elections had also served to cloud the picture. After the first third of 2006 (Jan-April) total registrations, at 886,976 units, are up by 5.5 pct on the equivalent period last year when 840,195 new vehicles were registered.

Almost uniquely amongst the main brands Fiat Auto was the big winner once again. Fiat-branded vehicles (including Light Commercials) climbed by 8.19 pct after 43,435 were sold in April, as opposed to 40,147 in the same period last year. This equated to a healthy 23.45 pct market share (up from 20.31 pct in April 2005). Joining Fiat in turning out a positive performance was the Alfa Romeo brand which saw its sales climb a pleasing 20.97 pct year-on-year to 6,051 cars, up from the 5,002 it shifted in April 2005. This gave them a market share of 3.27 pct last month, up from 2.53 pct a year ago. Lancia though, with it smaller model range, continued its recent downward trend, down 8.97 pct, although in real terms sales were almost unchanged from the 8,708 it achieved a year ago, to 7,927 last month. Their share of the overall market last month was barely changed, down to 4.28 pct from 4.4 pct.
 

The niche Italian brands had a pretty mixed month, Ferrari was down 17.19 pct after selling 53 cars last month (64 in April 2005,) Maserati was down 38.98 pct with 36 sales (59 in April 2005,) while Lamborghini were the best specialist performer, up 18.18 pct although they sold a meagre 13 cars, just two more than they achieved at the same time last year.

Most of Fiat's rivals suffered badly last month. Toyota (including the Lexus brand) dropped 15.39 pct to an overall market share of 5.56 pct, after shifting 10,299 units; VW fell 12.67 pct to a 5.64 pct market share, after selling 10,440 vehicles; GM's Opel division was down 16.06 pct (12,664 units, 6.84 pct market share,) while Renault lost 7.46 pct after selling 13,607 vehicles, which puts them on a 7.35 pct market share. The only other significant automotive brands to make up any ground last month were BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The new Grande Punto continues to dominate Fiat's sales, with Italian car buyer's appetite for the 'compact' class model still very strong. 18,232 Puntos (including the outgoing model) were sold last month, while the Panda also kept its tight grip on second spot (11,739) ahead of the Ford's Fiesta (6,355) and Focus (5,757.) In a respectable fifth place last month was the Lancia Ypsilon (5,573.) In four months Fiat have now sold 95,383 Grande Punto and Punto models, almost double the figures of the next-best selling car, the Panda (52,400,) which is itself well out in front of the third placed Ford Fiesta (30,451). The Lancia Ypsilon is in a solid fifth place (26,300.)

Almost half of Punto (9,422) sales last month were diesel-powered, while 3,631 oil-burning Panda sales put the little A-segment in fourth place in the diesel top-ten for April. With the JTD turbodiesel being the power unit of choice in the new Alfa Romeo 159, the stylish new sports-sedan crept into the last place in the diesel top ten last month with 2,371 sales, just behind the ever dependable Fiat Stilo (2,764.) The Punto model has now sold 48,312 diesel-powered versions this year while the Panda, despite its blip last month, is in second place.