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Public | |
Industry | Automotive |
Founded | July 11, 1899Turin, Italy | in
Founder | Giovanni Agnelli |
Headquarters | Turin, Italy |
Area served
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Worldwide |
Key people
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John Elkann (President) Olivier François (CEO) |
Products | Automobiles |
Production output
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1,455,650 units (2010)[1] |
Owner | Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, NV |
Parent | FCA Italy S.p.A. |
Website | Fiat.com |
FIAT (Italian: Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, Italian Automobiles Factory, Turin) is an Italian automaker which produces Fiat branded cars, and is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles through its subsidiary FCA Italy S.p.A.., the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy. The company, Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., was formed in January 2007 when Fiat reorganized its automobile business,[2] and traces its history back to 1899 when the first Fiat, or Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino automobile, was produced.
Contents
- 1 Production output
- 2 Fiat in Europe
- 3 Fiat in South America
- 4 Fiat in the United States
- 5 Fiat in Africa
- 6 Fiat in Asia
- 7 Current production
- 8 European Cars of the Year
- 9 Electric vehicles
- 10 Fiat concept vehicles
- 11 Motorsport
- 12 Marketing
- 13 References
- 14 External links
- 15 FIAT fan clubs worldwide
Production output
Fiat in Europe
Fiat's main market is Europe, mainly focused in Italy. Historically successful in citycars and supermini sector, currently Fiat has a range of models focused on those two segments (in 2011, those accounted for the 84% of its sales). Fiat does not currently offer any large family car, nor an executive car.
Fiat's share of the European market shrank from 9.4 per cent in 2000 to 5.8 per cent in the summer of 2004. At this point Sergio Marchionne was appointed as Fiat Chief Executive. By March 2009 their market share had expanded back to 9.1%.[3]
Fiat's built their five-story Lingotto plant in 1915 through 1918, at the time it was Europe's largest car manufacturing plant.[4] Later the Mirafiori plant was built, also in Turin. To prepare for production of the all new Fiat 128, Fiat opened their Rivalta plant in October 1968. Until the 128 could enter production, the plant was used to build sports versions of the 850 and 124 as well as parts for the Fiat Dino.[5]
Fiat current range of passenger car engines comprises eleven units, eight petrols and three diesels.[6] Current range of models is the following:
- City car: Fiat 500, Fiat Panda
- Supermini: Fiat Punto
- Compact car: Fiat Tipo
- Mini MPV: Fiat 500L
- Large MPV: Fiat Freemont (rebadged Dodge Journey)
- Mini SUV: Fiat 500X
Fiat sales of 2011 were up to 676.704 (minus 17.3% vs. previous year):[7]
Model | 2011 sales |
---|---|
Fiat Punto | 220,343 |
Fiat Panda | 189,527 |
Fiat 500 | 156,301 |
Fiat Linea | 35,499 |
Fiat Bravo | 31,673 |
Fiat Sedici | 14,777 |
Fiat Freemont | 13,651 |
Fiat Albea | 8,951 |
Fiat Idea | 5,982 |
Light commercial vehicles are sold in Europe under the brand Fiat Professional.
Fiat in South America
Fiat has invested for a long time in South America, mainly in Brazil (where has been the market leader for many years) and in Argentina. They built their first Brazilian car plant at Belo Horizonte in 1973, after having begun by building tractors there.[8]
The Brazilian range is similar to European one, with the addition of a special family which derives from a common platform (called "Project 178"): Fiat Palio, Fiat Palio Weekend, Fiat Palio Adventure, Fiat Siena, Fiat Grand Siena.
Recently a brand new model developed in Brazil has been launched: the Fiat Uno.
Other European models are currently imported to Brazil: Fiat 500, Fiat Freemont. Some others are still in production: Fiat Punto, Fiat Idea, Fiat Bravo and Fiat Linea.
Fiat sells in Brazil under the Fiat brand, European Fiat Professional light commercial vehicles as:
- Fiat Strada (developed in Brazil, has the same platform of Fiat Palio and Fiat Siena;
- previous versions of European Fiat Doblò, Fiat Doblò Cargo, Fiat Fiorino (called here Fiat Fiorino Furgao), and Fiat Ducato;
- the old European Fiat Uno Van called here Fiat Uno Furgao.
Fiat in the United States
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20160412065422im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Fiat_Cinquecento.jpg/220px-Fiat_Cinquecento.jpg)
Fiat has a long history in United States. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the country and a plant in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,[9][10] began producing Fiats a year later, like the Fiat 60 HP and the Fiat 16-20 HP.[11] These luxury cars were produced long before Chrysler Corp. was formed in 1925 from older manufacturers that were acquired by Walter P. Chrysler, the founder.[12] The New Jersey factory was closed when the United States entered into World War I in 1917.
Fiat returned to North America in the 1950s, selling the original 500, Fiat 600 Multipla, Fiat 1100, Fiat 1200, and the Fiat 1300.[13] The company name Fiat was sometimes used as a jocular backronym for 'Fix it again Tony', referring to poor reliability and problems, such as rust, which some Fiat owners in the United States encountered in the 1970s and 1980s with the Fiat 124 Sport Spider and the Fiat X1/9.[14][15][16] Partly as a result, Fiat sales in the US fell from a high of 100,511 cars in 1975 to 14,113 in 1982.[15] In 1983, Fiat left the United States car market with a reputation for poor quality cars in North America.[17][17][18]
In January 2009, the Fiat Group acquired a 20% stake in US automaker Chrysler LLC.[19] The deal saw the return of the Fiat brand to North America after a 25-year absence. The first Fiat-branded model to appear in the US was the internationally popular Fiat 500 city car. The Fiat 500 model is built at Chrysler's assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico, which currently makes also the Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont crossovers.[20] Fiat is also selling their commercial vehicles in North America, rebranded as Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City.
Fiat in Africa
Fiat passenger cars begun assembly in South Africa in 1950, and full production in their Rosslyn plant commenced in 1966.[21] Sales reached a peak marketshare of about five percent around 1970 but then dropped precipitously. A new 128-based half-ton pickup truck helped turn the situation around.[22]
Fiat in Asia
Fiat's presence in Chinese market is limited compared to its European, Japanese, Korean and American rivals. At the beginning of 2012, Fiat was only importing Fiat Bravo and Fiat 500 model. However, in 2012 Fiat and GAC opened a Joint Venture plant to produce the first Fiat vehicle specifically developed for Chinese market ever: the Fiat Viaggio, a compact car derived by another model of Fiat SpA group, the Dodge Dart (in turn derived by another Fiat Group car, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta).
Fiat currently offers to Japanese consumers the 500 in both coupe and convertible bodystyles, and the Panda. Both vehicles are in compliance with Japanese Government dimension regulations affording the Japanese public to purchase a non-Japanese vehicle without having to pay an annual tax for driving a car that exceeds the regulations.
Fiat is also present in Indian market since 1948. Current presence is in Joint Venture with Tata Motors, although current car sales (Fiat is currently offering the Fiat Punto and Fiat Linea) are niche market and limited (approx. 20k units in 2011).
Current production
Western countries markets models
The Fiat 500 (Italian: cinquecento, Italian pronunciation: [ˌtʃiŋkweˈtʃɛnto]) is a car produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975, with limited production of the Fiat 500 K estate continuing until 1977. The car was designed by Dante Giacosa. Redesigned in 2007, it is currently distributed worldwide.
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. Current version is the third one distributed as from 2012.
The third generation Fiat supermini to bear the name Punto, codenamed Project 199, the Grande Punto was unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show and went on sale later that year. Styled by Giugiaro, the car is based on the Fiat/GM SCCS platform. Whilst the model shares some of its name with the previous Punto, a large number of its components are new, including a new chassis and body shell. After facelift in 2009 it was named as Punto Evo and sold as bare Punto name.
The Fiat 500L enlarges, as from September 2012, the Fiat 500 family with a Mini MPV which replace the Fiat Idea. The model is produced in the new Fiat plant in Serbia. The platform is the same of the Fiat Punto.[23]
Introduced in 2011 to replace Fiat Multipla, and according to the manufacturer, also the last version of the Fiat Croma. It is a rebadging of the Dodge Journey, following the Cooperation with Chrysler.
Emerging markets (production in Europe)
Emerging markets (production in South America)
- Fiat Palio
The Fiat Palio is a supermini designed by Fiat as a world car, aimed at developing countries. The Palio Weekend is a small family car station wagon; an extended version of the hatchback Palio.
- Fiat Siena
The Fiat Siena is the four-door sedan version of the Fiat Palio, a small family car especially designed for developing countries. The car is similar to Fiat Albea.
European Cars of the Year
The European Car of the Year award has been awarded twelve times to the Fiat Group over the last forty years, more than any other manufacturer. Nine of these awards were won by Fiat Automobiles models. Fiat models awarded the title:
- 1967: Fiat 124
- 1970: Fiat 128
- 1972: Fiat 127
- 1984: Fiat Uno
- 1989: Fiat Tipo
- 1995: Fiat Punto
- 1996: Fiat Bravo/Brava
- 2004: Fiat Panda
- 2008: Fiat 500[24]
CO2 emissions
Fiat Automobiles, one of Europe's 10 best-selling automotive brands, has for the second year running been confirmed as having the lowest average value for CO2 emissions from vehicles sold in 2008: 133.7 g/km (137.3 g/km in 2007). This was corroborated by JATO, a provider of automotive data.[25]
Electric vehicles
Fiat started development of electric vehicles back in the mid 1970s, with the concept Fiat X1/23. More recently in 2008, Fiat showed the Phylla concept,[26] and the Fiat Bugster concept in Brazil.[27]
Fiat joined utility companies Cemig and Itaipu to develop new electric vehicles for Brazil, with production in 2009 of the Palio Weekend Electric.[28]
Fiat launched the electric 500e in California in 2013, but no sales planned for Europe.[29] Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne claimed in 2014 that each one sold was at a loss of $14,000.[30]
Fiat concept vehicles
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Motorsport
In 1971 the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was prepared for the World Rally Championship when Abarth became involved with its production and development and from 1972 had relative success with two wins in 1972, one in 1973 and won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 1974 Portuguese TAP Rally.[34]
The Fiat 131 Abarth was a very successful rally car replacing the 124. Between 1976 and 1981 the Fiat 131 won 18 World Rally Championship events,[35] and winning the WRC three times: in 1977, 1978, and in 1980.[36]
Lancia took over the role of motorsport for the Fiat Group during the 1980s. After a long break of factory-supported entries, in 2003 a Fiat Punto S1600 won the Italian Rally Championship, and 2006 the Fiat Grande Punto S2000 won the FIA European Rally Championship,[37] followed by three successive wins in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Marketing
Logo
The FIAT initials was first used in the distinctive logo form 1901.[38] Beginning in 1931, the company began using a single red shield with out a wreath. In 1968 the "rhomboid" logo (as it was known internally) was introduced which featured the FIAT initials spelled out on four interconnected rhombuses. The rhomboid was slowly phased in during the early 1970s, although the older "laurel wreath" style FIAT badge was used to denote sporting models such as the 124 Spider, 127 Sport, X1/9 and the tuned Abarth models. A new corporate nose based on the rhomboid logo was first introduced in 1983 on the Uno, which consisted of five chrome bars inclined at an angle of 18 degrees to mirror the rhomboid, which usually appeared in reduced size at the corner of the grille.
In 1999 the wreath style logo was re-introduced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company.
Motor Village and Flagship stores
Fiat launched its Motor Village flagship stores concept in 2006 with its Mirafiori Motor Village in Turin, followed by London's Flagship store in Wigmore Street opening in 2008[39] and Paris opening in 2010 on the Champs-Élysées.[40]
BSM-Fiat deal
In 2009, BSM (the British School of Motoring) ended a 16-year relationship with Vauxhall Motors and signed a deal with Fiat UK to swap its learner vehicle from the Vauxhall Corsa to the new Fiat 500. Fiat UK will supply 14,000 cars to BSM over four years in a marketing deal.[41]
References
- ^ "WORLD MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION" (PDF). oica.net. 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
- ^ Hussain, Aijaz (January 23, 2007). "Fiat SpA reorganizes auto business, changes name to Fiat Group Automobiles". AP Worldstream. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
- ^ "Fix it again, Sergio — and then fix the rest of 'em". The Irish Times. May 6, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- ^ Eyewitness Travel: Italy. DK. 2005. pp. 26–27. ISBN 1-4053-0781-1.
- ^ Becker, Clauspeter (1971), Logoz, Arthur, ed., "Fiat 128", Auto-Universum 1971 (in German) (Zürich, Switzerland: Verlag Internationale Automobil-Parade AG) XIV: 88
- ^ http://driventowrite.com/2014/08/19/theme-engines-a-survey-of-fiats-2004-and-2014-ranges/
- ^ "New Vehicle Registrations: Provisional Figures (ACEA Press Releases)". ACEA. January 15, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- ^ Wilkins, Gordon (September 1978). "Fiat: Italy's industrial giant". CAR (South Africa). Vol. 22 no. 8 (Ramsay, Son & Parker (Pty) ltd.). p. 65.
- ^ American built Fiats
- ^ Location of Fiat Poughkeepsie factory
- ^ American built Fiats
- ^ "Anyone less than 30 years old probably never has seen -- or at least doesn't remember seeing -- a Fiat automobile in the flesh.". bankrate.com. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ Copy of North American advertisement of Fiat products
- ^ Nelson D Schwartz (April 25, 2009). "Would Detroit Sound Any Better in Italian?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ a b "Fiat Finito". Time (magazine). January 31, 1983. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- ^ Krisher, Tom (January 31, 1983). "Problems of old Chrysler linger at 'new' Chrysler, US". The Guardian (London). Retrieved September 22, 2009.
- ^ a b Szczesny, Joseph R. (May 1, 2009). "Can Americans Learn to Love Fiat? Chrysler Hopes So". Time (magazine). Retrieved September 19, 2009.
- ^ Lo Vecchio, Roberto (August 27, 2009). "Fiat-Chrysler I PRIMI CENTO GIORNI DI MARCHIONNE". Quattroruote. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
- ^ "Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of Chrysler by Fiat". europa.eu. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
- ^ "Toluca started Fiat 500s, 2011 Journeys". www.allpar.com. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
- ^ Wilkins, p. 66
- ^ Wilkins, p. 67
- ^ "Architecture - Fiat 500L, design "cab forward"". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ English, Andrew (November 19, 2007). "Fiat's Cinquecento voted car of the year". telegraph.co.uk (London). Retrieved 2010-08-15.
- ^ "Fiat keeps the low-CO2 crown for second year in a row". Autoblog/FiatAutoPress release. March 3, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
- ^ "Fiat's electric Topolino | Auto Express News | News". Auto Express. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ "Fiat Bugster A Plug-In Electric Car | Other Motorsports". Auto Racing Daily. 2008-11-16. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ "Meet the First Electric Car Produced in South America: Brazil's Fiat Palio Weekend". Treehugger. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ "Fiat 500e most efficient electric car in the USA". Autocar. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ "Sergio Marchionne asks customers not to buy Fiat 500e". Auto Express. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ "Fiat Turbina".
- ^ "Fiat Abarth 2000".
- ^ "Fiat Firepoin (1994)".
- ^ Giacosa, John Tipler ; foreword by Dante (1993). Fiat & Abarth 124 Spider & coupé. Godmanstone, England: Veloce Pub. Plc. ISBN 1-874105-09-X.
- ^ "Fiat Manufacturer Profile & Rally History". rallye-info.com. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
- ^ "Walter Röhrl". rallybase.nl. Retrieved 2007-07-03.
- ^ "Fiat Wins European Rally Championship". Fiat UK. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ "Fiat Logo History". Worlds Best Logos. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ "Fiat opens new flagship store in West London". Motortorque. 12 March 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2009.
- ^ "Fiats join Jeeps in Paris for first time in Fiat-owned store". Automotive Europe. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ Mortished, Carl (July 28, 2009). "Cheeky Italian Fiat takes British out of BSM as Vauxhall is dumped". The Times (London). Retrieved December 5, 2009.
External links
- Official website
- Fiat Group Automobiles Press
- Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles
- Fiat Group Automobiles Press
- Old Fiat Concept Cars
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Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. car timeline, South American market, 1980s–present |
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Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
Economy car | Hatch | 147 / Spazio | Mille | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Uno | Palio I | Palio II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Uno II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sedan | Oggi | Prêmio/Duna | Siena | Grand Siena | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Supermini | Punto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Small family car | Hatch | Tipo | Brava | Stilo | Bravo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sedan | Tempra / Tempra SW | Marea / Marea Weekend | Linea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coupé | Coupé | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LCV/LAV | Fiorino I | Fiorino II | Fiorino III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Doblò | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mini MPV | Idea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mini pickup | City | Fiorino Pick-up | Strada |
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