Production of
the Fiat Siena in Iran is scheduled to get underway on 22nd
September 2006, the first stage of an ambitious plan that
will see a range of Fiat Auto models being built in the
country.
The Fiat Siena - the popular sedan model in Fiat's 'World
Car' family - will go head-to-head with Renault's new
low-cost Dacia Logan which is scheduled to start being sold
in Iran later this year. Initially the C-segment contender
will be supplied in CKD form by Fiat's Turkish industrial
partner Tofas, who will have technical input into the
project. It the first step of a 200 million euro investment
programme currently being undertaken by the Pars Industrial
Development Foundation (PIDF,) an Iranian private-sector
company that is Fiat's partner in the project.
Last January an agreement was signed between Fiat Auto and
PIDF that will eventually see a raft of Fiat Auto models
being built in Iran. The Siena will be joined on the new
assembly lines early next year by the other members of the
'World Car' family, the Palio (in hatchback and estate
format) and the Strada (pick-up.)
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The Fiat Siena (above) will be joined in assembly in
Iran early next year by the other members of the
'World Car' family: the Palio (hatchback) and the
Strada (pick-up.) |
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Production of the Fiat Siena in Iran is scheduled to
get underway on 22nd September 2006, the first stage
of ambitious plans that will see a range of Fiat
models being built in the country |
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The initial production phase will see output rising to
100,000 units a year once all the 'World Car' models are in
production with an eventually annual figure of 250,000 being
targeted. Significantly Fiat also plan to make Iran an
operations centre for the production of 'enviro-friendly'
vehicles with the Doblò and Multipla both scheduled to be
built in natural gas (CNG) format. While the Palio, Siena,
Strada and Doblo are all already assembled by Tofas in
Turkey, it will in fact be the first time that the
Mirafiori-built Multipla will have been assembled outside
Italy.
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