Autoitalia Group, the official importer of the Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ssang Yong and Maserati brands, as well as Honda motorcycles, for Romania has announced a 2.87 million euro profit for the 2006 financial year, up by 215 percent against the 0.91 million euros it posted in 2005, according to information provided by Autoitalia to Ziarul Financiar in Bucharest.

During the same period, the company's turnover increased by 66.8 percent to reach 80.3 million euros, up from the 48.17 million euros it recorded in 2005. The rise in the company's financial results was prompted by an increase in the company's volume of sales, led by strong demand for Fiat cars. In 2006, the company sold 10,452 cars, 10 percent more than Autoitalia's initial estimate, and 50 percent more than the approximately 7,000 units it sold during the previous year. For 2007, company representatives have estimated that they will see a 20 percent rise in sales, which could therefore reach 12,000-13,000 units.

Last year, the best-selling brand in the company's portfolio, Fiat (including LCV), witnessed a 56 percent year-on-year increase to 6,491 units. This was led by demand for the new Grande Punto as well as the A-segment Panda and the Doblò light commercial van range. The Albea sedan was also introduced last year and it racked up 856 sales during his first two months on the market alone. Alfa Romeo sold 237 units during 2006, 27 percent more than in 2005.

In July 2006 Autoitalia Group broke through the 1,000 unit sales in a month barrier for the first time in its history, after selling 1,073 cars. This figure was boosted by the Grande Punto which arrived in Romania in July and accounted for 149 units during its first month on the market. Auto Italia Group believes that - while the Fiat Grande Punto is number one in Europe, the recent record of the Group confirms the tendency for Fiat sales growth on the local market as well as the success of new model launches, underlined by a growing recognition of AutoItalia’s presence on the Romanian auto market.
 

Autoitalia started in 1993 as the sole authorised importer for Romania of the Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands. During its early development period the company joined with Interauto, the importer for Romania of 4x4 vehicles produced by the Korean concern SsangYong; Premium Brands, the representative of Sparco, MS Design, Remus, Foliatec, Eibach and AHB; Maserati Romania - a dealership for the famous Italian luxury car brand; and most recently, Inter Motorcycle the sole importer of Honda motorcycles, to form the Auto Italia Group, and become a major automotive importer and distributor in the Eastern European country. With Inter Motorcycle, the latest automotive brand to be added to the Auto Italia Group, the portfolio of representative brands now covers the entire automotive market segments.

Since 1993, the year when they first started activities on the Romanian market, Auto Italia has created one of the strongest distribution and service network among the nationwide car importers; it is based on a well-organized dealer system, covering all the country regions: Bucharest, Constanta, Galati, Focsani, Iasi, Botosani, Bistrita, Targu-Mures, Brasov, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Baia Mare, Craiova, Pitesti. Recently, the Auto Italia network was joined by the Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealer from Chisinau.

Auto Italia is among the founder members of The Romanian Car Importer Association (APIA), Mr. Herbert Stein - President of Auto Italia - being Vice-President of this Association and one of the promoters of the first car show to be organised in Romania. By the end of 2002, Auto Italia signed a sole distributor agreement for the Maserati brand, Romania becoming one of the 44 countries where this brand is present.