The Fiat 500 is available in India, although through imports, which means that hefty duties limit it to being just a fashion accessory and it sells in very niche numbers. Despatches of the new low-cost Tata Nano to customers finally got underway last month, and the deliveries added up to 2,475 units. Tata Motors last week revealed that the Nano is set to be jointly sold by the two companies in South America.

Fiat's resurgence in India is rapidly gaining ground with the Italian manufacturer selling an impressive 2,690 cars in the country during July which equates to six and a half times the number it managed during the same month last year. In July 2008 Fiat sold 412 cars across India. After the first seven months of the year Fiat now has amassed 7,544 car sales in India compared to just 1,813 during the same period last year.

Since its Indian relaunch last year Fiat Automobiles India Ltd, a joint venture split between Fiat and Tata Motors, has been busy adding new products to its portfolio and increasing its dealer network. Initially it relaunched with a facelifted petrol version of the Palio (called the Palio Stile). The comeback took a big leap forward with the arrival in the showrooms in January of the C-segment 3-box Linea sedan which was very well received and heaped with awards by the Indian automotive media that has traditionally been highly sceptical of Fiat products. The range's diversity was further boosted by the addition of the 1.3 Multijet turbodiesel to the Palio Stile range while the 500 is also now available in India, although through import which means that hefty duties limit it to being a fashion accessory and it sells in very niche numbers. In June the Grande Punto became the third model to be manufactured in India at the joint Fiat-Tata factory at Ranjangaon, Pune, and its presence is now being felt in the sales data for July.

The data comes from Fiat's joint venture partner Tata Motors’ which reported total sales (including exports) of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for July 48,054 vehicles (including the Fiat totals), a growth of 18% over 40,729 vehicles sold in July 2008. The company’s domestic sales of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for July 2009 was 45,599, a 23% growth over the 37,033 sold in July last year. Cumulative sales (including exports) for the year-to-date stands at 171,168, was lower by 1%, compared to 172,462 sold in the same period last year.

Tata Motors' passenger vehicle business reported a total sale and distribution of 19,881 units (made up of 17,191 Tata branded and 2,690 Fiat branded) in the domestic market in July 2009, a 32% increase compared to 15,064 n(14,652 Tata + 412 Fiat) it achieved in July last year. Despatches of the new low-cost Tata Nano to customers finally got underway last month, and the deliveries added up to 2,475 units. Tata Motors last week revealed that the Nano is set to be jointly sold by the two companies in South America. For the year-to-date Tata Motors' passenger car sales stand at 70,572 units (63,028 Tata + 7,544 Fiat), against 67,559 (65,746 Tata + 1,813 Fiat) during the same period last year, a growth of 4%. Year-to-date sales of the Indica range are at 37,412 units, a growth of 13%, sales of the Indigo family so far this year are 12,422 units, lower by 29% while year-to-date sales of the Sumo/Safari range are 10,690 units, lower by 29%.