The Caffe has opened at Tolstoy Marg in New Delhi and is the first Fiat Caffe in the country. A second Caffe will be launched in Pune which will makes India the only country in the world to proudly house two Fiat Caffes.  

At the Caffe, customers can see Fiat India's Punto and Linea (both of which have just benefitted from a mild Model Year upgrade) as well as taking a test drive, or browse through Fiat worldwide or India details guided by trained personnel. The collection of Fiat merchandise, giant video screens running Fiat ads, unique furniture and fittings aim to add a special feel to the Caffe.

Fiat India also plans to use the venue to host special events, product displays and previews. An in house library will feature books on Fiat’s history, its sub brands and its sister companies. The guests can also drink authentic Italian coffee, which will be one of the highlights of the Caffe.

Speaking on the occasion of the New Delhi venue's inauguration, Mr. Rajeev Kapoor, President and CEO of Fiat India Automobiles Ltd said, “The launch of Fiat Caffe is an integral part of our strategy to showcase our commitment to the Indian customer and market. With this Caffe we aim to promote our Italian heritage and the ‘real’ Fiat brand, by engaging a passionate connect amongst the audience and prospects with Fiat automobiles. The Caffe will provide us with an opportunity to hold an array of events, both car and lifestyle related, demonstrating the values and culture we share at Fiat, amidst the Italian ambiance while sipping on authentic Italian coffee.”

Fiat will display its merchandise and accessories at these new brand stores. The Caffe concept is a new marketing initiative with the idea of trying to create a buzz around the brand which is struggling to stem falling sales in India, and, according to Fiat, this concept will aim at making a bold and crisp statement about the brand's presence on this potentially important market.

Fiat India is trying to stem falling sales with fresh new initiatives that less involve its local joint venture partner, Tata Motors, and it has just improved the equipment and trims levels for its two core models, the Punto and Linea. Last year Fiat sold 10,875 cars in India, down by a third on 2010 when it sold 15,185 units for the full year. For the final month of 2011, December, sales amounted to just 501 cars although this was a decent jump on December 2010 when sales came in at 274 units.