The Italian new vehicle market's positive run slowed right up in September although Fiat Group Automobiles was able to outperform the flat month to raise its overall domestic share to 31.13 percent, up from the 30.55 pct slice to claimed during the same month last year.

With 184,774 new registrations during September, a figure just over 300 units up on the same period last year, the Italian new car market was up by just 0.20 pct. Fiat meanwhile was up 2.08 pct year-on-year, with 57,510 new vehicles sold compared to 56,329 during September 2007. Splitting up the Fiat Group Automobiles brands', the Fiat brand (including Fiat Professional) was the best performer, and with 45,000 sales it was up 3.52 pct year-on-year. Lancia was also in positive territory during September, with 7,428 sales last month it was up 2.67 pct year-on-year, although the Alfa Romeo division endured a difficult September,  with 5,008 of its cars sold it was down by 9.86 pct. Of the specialist brands, Maserati sold 43 cars last month while Ferrari notched up 31 units. This result sees the Fiat brand increasing its September Italian market share year-on-year from 23.57 to 24.35 pct, Lancia climbs from 2.67 to 4.02 pct while Alfa Romeo loses some ground, going from 3.01 to 2.76 pct.

For the year-to-date Fiat Group has reached a total of 605,652 new vehicle registrations, up a healthy 9.33 pct on the 553,997 vehicles sold during the first nine months of last year. The Fiat brand (including Fiat Professional) has sold 463,452 vehicles for YTD, and it is up 10.4 pct year-on-year; The 'luxury' Lancia unit has shifted 82,989 units YTD and is up by 7.08 pct year-on-year while the 'sporty' Alfa Romeo arm has 58,233 units sales YTD and is up 4.18 pct year-on-year. Ferrari is now on 511 units YTD while Maserati accounts for 457.
 

For YTD the Fiat Group has a market share of 31.51 pct, up from 30.73 pct during the opening three quarters of 2006. Of the brands, Fiat has 24.10 pct share YTD (23.27 last year), Lancia is on 4.32 pct (4.30) while Alfa Romeo is on 3.03 pct (3.10).

The Punto (including Punto and Grande Punto) was Italy's best-selling car last month with 14,074 being registered, adding up to a total of 174,022 units so far this year. The Fiat Panda (12,021) was second last month and is also second for YTD (136,224). The Lancia Ypsilon (4,798) was fifth, and it is also the fifth best-seller for the year so far (54,177). The Punto was also the best selling diesel in Italy last month (6,769) while the new Fiat 500 (2,600) made it into the oil-burning top-ten in seventh place, just one ahead of the Fiat Bravo (5,548).

In A-segment the Panda (12,021) was the top-seller ahead of the 500 (6,378) while the ageing Fiat Seicento (2,736) was fourth. After three months on sale the 500 is now on 12,836 sales for YTD. In B-segment Punto was first and Ypsilon third, while in C-segment the Bravo was fourth having shifted 3,046 units last month (31,054 YTD). The Alfa 147 (2,629) was sixth in C-segment after seeing its sales climbing year-on-year (25,638 YTD). In D-segment the Alfa 159 (1,959) was second to the BMW 3-series and has now notched up 25,997 sales YTD while the Fiat Croma (1,214) was sixth (15,527 YTD).

In the niche categories the Alfa 159 Sportwagon (1,264) was fifth in the station wagon class, one place ahead of the Croma. For YTD the 159 Sportwagon is on 15,090 units. In the SUV class the Fiat Sedici (1,325) came out on top ahead of the Toyota RAV4 (1,090). The Sedici is also top of the category for the YTD (14,812). In the class for small SUVs the Lancia Musa (2,414) was top, well ahead of the Fiat Idea (1,725). For YTD the Musa is the segment's best seller (26,249). Elsewhere, Alfa Romeo sold 210 GTs, 114 Brera and 72 Spiders. In the Coupé segment the irrepressible GT is the third best seller YTD (3,154). In its category the Doblò (591) was far out in front as usual, and has 6,982 unit sales YTD.