The Fiat Palio ends 2007 as the market's second most popular car and having sold 221,751 units in Brazil, a growth of 36.3 percent compared to the figures it achieved 2006. The Fiat Strada pick-up retains its leadership amongst the light commercial vehicles this year with 61,332 units of the low cost model being sold; an increase of 44.8 percent in relation to 2006.

Fiat has once more taken its place as the leader in the sales of automobiles and light commercial vehicles in Brazil with 607,598 vehicles sold during 2007, which correspond to 25.9 percent of the market's total sales.

The performance of the Italian brand in South America's biggest new car market represents a growth of 30.5 percent compared to 2006, and well above the average level of sales in Brazil that was of 27.8 percent, according to data released by Renavam (National Registration of Vehicles in Brazil).

During December, Fiat’s sales in Brazil achieved a level of 57,898 units, which kept the brand once again in the monthly leadership of the ranking and enlarged its leadership in relation to the second place by an amount over 69,000 vehicles. One in four cars sold in Brazil is from the Italian carmaker. The Palio and Mille (Uno) are in the second and third places in the rankings respectively. In the Palio family, the Siena saloon model has been having its best results in terms of sales, thanks to the successful recent facelift.

The Fiat Palio ends 2007 having sold 221,751 units in Brazil, a growth of 36.3 percent compared to the figures it achieved 2006, while the Fiat Siena, turned in a growth of 87.4 percent during the same period, with 88,732 vehicles sold on the market.

The Strada pick-up retains its leadership amongst the light commercial vehicles with 61,332 units sold, an increase of 44.8 percent in relation to 2006 and a result that has increased further its supremacy in this segment. The Brazilian market's entry level car of choice, the Fiat Mille, with a year-on-year growth of 11.3 percent, arrived to the end of the year with 128,196 sold units.

Another model from Fiat to impress during 2007 is the Punto; the model was launched in August and conquered lots of prizes across Latin America, amongst them the Car of the Year in Brazil and the Interamerican Car 2008 in Latin America. The new model overcame its initial sales targets and reached 13,851 units by the end of the year.

by Claudio Perlini