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Fiat Automóveis
kept up its leadership of new car and light commercial vehicle
sales in the Brazilian market during the first quarter of the year, with
119,073 units sold corresponding to 25.4 percent of the total sales. The
performance of the Brazilian operation division of Fiat
Group Automobiles, which last year celebrated 30 years of
car manufacturing in the biggest and most populous Latin
American country, represents an excellent 25.2 pct growth in the number of sales in relation to
the same period of 2006.
During March Fiat sold 46,837 units and this strong performance also placed the brand in the leadership of the monthly rankings,
building on the top spot it gained during January and
February. The New Palio 2008, the final facelift of the
compact hatchback model, which was launched onto the local
market at the beginning of March strengthened the success of
the Fiat during this period. The new model achieved 18,081
sales last month and this added up to 44,695 units during
the first quarter,
representing a 56 percent growth on the volumes that were sold compared to the three first
months of 2006.
The Palio has not been Fiat's only winner this year as its
sedan-sister model, the Siena, has notched up sales of
17,106 units during the first quarter,
which represents a growth of 79 percent compared to the same
period of last year.
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The Fiat Strada pick-up, which is the absolute
leader of sales in its light commercial segment,
achieved 13,479 units sales during the first three
months of this year, which represents a 49 percent
growth in relation to 2006. |
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The New Fiat Palio 2008, the final facelift of the
compact hatchback model, which was launched onto the
local market at the beginning of March strengthened
the success of the Fiat during this period. |
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Meanwhile another member of the "World Car" family, the Strada
pick-up which shares its underpinnings with the Palio and
Siena, is the absolute leader of sales in the light
commercial segment, and it achieved 13,479 units sales
during the first three months of this year, which represents
a 49 percent growth in relation to the same period of 2006.
The popular Fiat Mille continues to be Brazil's market
"entry level" car of choice boosted by its very low running
and component costs. This month it has been improved with
the addition of a new package of optional equipment, which
included power steering becoming available, a feature
considered the most desirable by Brazilian customers. The
new version offers more user comfort to the cheapest model
on the market. The Mille is the former Uno model, and since
1984 it has been one of the best sellers for Fiat in Brazil.
Fiat Automóveis - who recently took over responsibility for
Fiat in South Africa - will reintroduce the Uno to this
southern hemisphere market during 2007.
by Claudio Perlini in Rio de Janeiro
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