Fiat’s Alto competitor coming in 2012

The segment covering the price band Rs 2-2.5 lakh seems to hold the jackpot. Every manufacturer from Maruti themselves (VW-Suzuki’s Alto replacement) to Nissan-Ashok Leyland 2.5 lakh car to Hyundai (800cc car) and  Tata are working on new models targeted at the hugely successful Alto. The latest to jump into the bandwagon is Fiat who have confirmed a new model under development to compete with the Alto. They have announced that the new model, due in 2012 will not look anything like the new Uno launched abroad.

Fiat are currently lagging behind when it comes to sales figures and they expect this car to give them the much needed boost. Fiat is targeting a modest sales of 40,000 units in FY’09-‘10. What plagues Fiat at the moment is the dealership count which is nowhere near market leaders Maruti and Hyundai.

Mr. Rajiv Kapoor, MD Fiat India said

“It will be an all-new car, nothing to do with any of our other models and will be priced aggressively. It will compete with the Alto and will have a one-litre engine. The new car will be an India-specific one, made in India, made for India, keeping in mind the country’s unique terrain and temperatures. Our R&D team is working day in and day out to develop the car that meets consumers’ needs in the best manner. The small car market in India is blazing and there is intense competition. The entry level car space excites us,” .

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