With the launch of the new Palio Stile, Fiat India Pvt expects to sell more than 3,000 cars in India this year, doubling the numbers it achieved in the country last year. "In the last fiscal, we sold 1,500 Fiat branded cars and this year we hope to sell more than 3,000 cars through our distribution network," commented Mudit Gupta, the senior manager of Tata Motors' passenger car division, shortly after the launch of the Palio Stile.

The revised Palio Stile last week joined the Palio Adventure in the compact Fiat India model range, which is now sold through 63 jointly-branded Fiat-Tata dealerships in 42 cities, with more outlets planned for this year. The new dealer network aims to address aftersales issues that previously dogged Fiat's Indian operations. Next year these two models will be supplemented in the Indian showrooms by the B-segment Grande Punto hatchback and the forthcoming C-segment Linea '3 box' saloon, with the A-segment Panda 'city car' also being considered for launch.

The new Palio Stile became available for ordering late last week after its full production was inaugurated at the Ranjangaon plant. The revised version of the hatchback member of the "World Car" family sees a number of detailing changes made which are aimed at positioning it slightly more upmarket than its predecessor, with its higher specification level including an improved interior and better standard equipment. It is available with two petrol engines (1.1 and 1.6) and four trim versions (1.1 SL, SLE, SLX and 1.6 Sport). The latter model is the only 'sports' model presently on sale in India in this category, while the former allows the car to fall into the low excise duty bracket, downsizing from the previous 1.2 litre engine.
 

The engines come from Fiat's acclaimed FIRE family and successful effort has been made to improve low down acceleration and torque of the Palio, issues that concerned the outgoing model. "We believe that coupled with the right features and price, the new Fiat Palio Stile is slated to be a runaway success on the Indian roads," said Giovanni de Filippis, Managing Director of Fiat India.

Fiat India meanwhile has also shifted its advertising account from incumbent Leo Burnett to its sister business Orchard Advertising, a switch that is believed to have been necessitated by the agency winning the Chevrolet Spark account. Leo Burnett has held the creative brief for most of this decade. "Yes, there was a bit of conflict," a Fiat India source was reported as saying this week, adding "but with Orchard on our business, that has been sorted out. Now, there are two distinct teams working on the two businesses." Orchard will initially handle the Rs 10 Crore advertising account for the new Palio Stile model which is being targeted at the strategically important 18-25 year old market under the new banner of "The Fiat of the New Generation".