Sunday July 20, 02:19 AM
Fiat may drive in light commercial vehicles
|
|
By Shweta Bhanot
Fiat Group Automobiles SpA is eyeing the market for its light commercial vehicles and alternative fuel technology in India. However, it will be not through Iveco but Fiat Professional. Fiat Professional, earlier Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles SpA, is a brand controlled by Fiat Group Automobiles. "We are studying the Indian market for our light commercial vehicles," said Silverio Bonfiglioli, COO, international operations, Fiat. Group company Iveco has an MoU with Tata Motors to examine the feasibility of cooperating across markets in areas such as engineering, manufacturing, sourcing, distribution and component manufacture for commercial vehicles. The companies may look at markets in Latin America, South Africa, India and China. Bonfiglioli added that alternative fuel technology is another area where the group would scout for opportunities. "One needs to see how the Indian market will prepare itself for alternative fuel technology. We have the expertise and leadership in this in South America," he said. CNG/LPG variants of the Palio are expected by next year." Fiat is on its way to change the age-long Premier Padmini image in India to the so-called the "real Fiat image", Fiat India president and CEO Rajeev Kapoor said after flagging off the Fiat 500 or Cinquecento, as the car is known in Italian, in India. The company will launch Bravo and Linea later this year. Grande Punto will be launched by early 2009. Nothing is final yet on Alfa Romeo though market prospects are being studied. Priced at Rs 14, 82,500 (ex-showroom Delhi), Fiat 500 will be sold through only select Tata-Fiat joint dealerships in cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh (Mohali). The car is Euro V compliant and will be available as CBU in two modelsLounge and Sport. Fiat 500 has 51- year history attached to it. The car was originally designed by Dante Giocosa and was launched in 1957 in Turin . Last year, it was re-launched with 1,60,000 units already sold.
|