The 500 has been the hottest nameplate that has the added advantage of being an icon of motoring and Fiat is now said to be working overtime to help it create variants to enter new and fast developing segments.

Shortly after the arrival of the 500L MPV at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, speculations began on a compact crossover, dubbed 500X, to arrive next year. Fiat could make a presentation of this model perhaps at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Details are scarce but what we understand is this is a top-hat on the 500 platform.

The 500X crossover competes with the likes of the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke. Although most of the versions of the 500X will be front wheel drive, expect a 4×4 model to drive in at a later date. Under the hood, Fiat will rely on the magic created by the 1.3-liter Multi-jet engine and the 900cc TwinAir engine, on so many of its other models, to provide the 500X motivation. The car’s length could be under 4.2 meters.

If Fiat decides to bring the Panda platform to India (which the 500 and its variants are also based on), it can quickly fill up gaps in its lineup and present a mini SUV that brands like Ford and Renault expect to lead them to treasure island.

[Source - AutoExpress.co.uk]

Fiat India has issued a letter of assurance to its existing customers after it ended its relationship with Tata Motors on the retail and distribution departments, to establish stand-alone dealerships across India.

Fiat India is working out a new strategy to bring up 100 dealerships in the next two years. To this effect, it inaugurated India’s first independent Fiat dealership in Hyderabad earlier this month.

Click to see the high resolution version in another window.

How does Fiat India benefit?

Fiat India, despite of being in India for donkeys years, does not have a strong standing in the Indian market. If it wasn’t for the Multijet engine, the company could have gone belly up a long time back. So an increased alliance with Suzuki, which currently accounts for 42 percent of the Indian market, would benefit Fiat in terms of establishing dealer network and expertise in the region.

How does Suzuki Benefit?

Suzuki may benefit from Fiat’s diesel engines and network of dealers in markets such as Brazil, Latin America where Fiat has a very strong presence.

What is the Mazda connection?

Yesterday, Mazda and Fiat joined hands to share the next gen Mazda Miata platform with Alfa Romeo. I agree that this development has absolutely no implication on India. But if we dig in a bit deeper we find that Mazda is struggling to be in the black for some time now. The automaker posted losses for 4^th straight year in a row.

Clearly, it requires a partner to share the R&D and manufacturing cost to stay afloat. Fiat has been looking for more automotive alliances after taking control of Chrysler – particularly an Asian partner to help it reach global sales of 6 million vehicles in 2014. Thus, rumors are rife that Fiat and Mazda may choose to join hands to fight the stiff competition from the German brands.

We’ll have to stick around to see how this tripartite venture can benefit these three companies.

[Source: in.reuters.com & leftlanenews.com]

Recently Fiat ended its joint venture with Tata Motors at the retail level wherein Fiat branded models were sold at 166 Tata-Fiat showrooms across 126 cities. The joint venture continues to exist in the manufacturing level but Fiat is working on a new retail plan of independent dealers.

A few days ago the second Fiat Caffe outlet was inaugurated in Pune where the company also launched its new limited edition Punto sport model. At the launch Mr. Enrico Atanasio, Fiat India commercial head mentioned that India and China are the two main markets for the company. Currently Fiat’s market share is 0.6% in India and the plan is to raise it to 1.5% in the coming months.

The officials are working on the strategies to achieve this goal. He also mentioned that Fiat has a 6% market share in places where they have their own manufacturing unit but Fiat India will have to wait till this target is reached.

Fiat India wants to set up 80-100 exclusive dealership in 66 cities within the next 18 months, though initially they would concentrate on the top 35 cities only.

Currently Fiat India has only two main products in their portfolio. Introduction of new models can help them improve numbers. A car below the Punto is necessary to realize this ambition. Launching the Fiat Viaggio is another option though it may not lead to rapid increase in dealer footfalls.

[Source:  theeconomictimes.indiatimes.com]

Fiat India is in the process of expanding its new dealership network after the break-up with Tata Motors on the retail front. Fiat is also working on bringing up more Caffe outlets across India, right now it is present only in Delhi and Pune. There are only 12 Fiat Caffes around the world and India already has two of them!

Fiat Punto Sport Image Gallery

The Punto Sport is powered by the same 1.3-liter Multi-jet diesel engine that produces 93PS @ 4,000 RPM and 209Nm @ 2,000 RPM and is equipped with a VGT (Variable Geometry Turbocharger).

Extras on the Fiat Punto Sport

• Chrome door handles
• Chrome exhaust tip
• Sporty decals on the body
• Metallic pedals
• Red stitching on the seats
• Door sill that has Punto written on it
• ORVM painted in red

The Fiat Punto Sport calls to mind a special edition Renault executed with the Logan dubbed Logan Play Edition.

It is available in a choice of three colors (Red, Black and White) and has features introduced on earlier models such as steering mounted controls, Follow Me Home headlamps, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, electrically adjustable ORVM units, steering-mounted controls for audio and phone and many more.

On the safety front the Punto Sport has ABS with EBD, dual front airbags and engine immobilizer. Refer the brochure below for the full list of features.

Fiat Punto Sport Brochure

Fiat Punto Sport Brochure

Fiat will inaugurate India’s second Fiat Caffe outlet in Pune this evening and on this special occasion, the Italian company, in the middle of a reshuffle, is previewing the Punto Sport variant.

Fiat relaunched the Punto as the MY2012 variant with new features in the first week of January and the Sport variant is expected to bear a spruced-up interior and source power from a 90PS Multi-jet engine.

We don’t have to wait very long as 7PM is hardly a couple of hours away. Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for details on the Fiat Punto Sport.

Fiat Punto Sport Brochure

Fiat Punto Sport Brochure

Under the agreement, Fiat will supply 28,000 engines to Premier for the next 3 years. The assembled diesel engines from Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant will be supplied to Premier’s factory at Chinchwad, Pune

The old Peugeot engine was an Achilles heel of the Rio. It lacked the punch and the refinement of a modern diesel engine. More importantly, it lacked BSIV compliance which made it unfit to be sold in metros – the Rio’s prime market. The petrol Rio was good but the rising fuel prices made sure it was a laggard in sales.

With the new diesel engine, Rio will get a bump in power from 64.8PS to a 76PS . It will also boost the fuel efficiency from 16 kmpl to 18 kmpl. Knowing that they have a winner in their hands, Premier is busy expanding their dealer network and sales and service network across the country to support the Rio. We have comprehensively covered Premier’s future activities over here.

Hopefully, Fiat engines will help boost Rio’s sales in the near future. Premier was supposed to launch the Rio Multijet in May, but it seems that the launch has been delayed to the festive season. The Multijet engine will give the Rio a fighting chance against onslaught of competition that is waiting at the doorstep of the Indian automotive scene.

Premier Rio Facelift Image Slideshow

Can’t see anything above? Head over to the Flickr Page for the images.

Though Fiat has not made an official announcement, sources suggest that the Viaggio would be exported from China to selected European cities. Fiat is said to be secretly working on the same platform to churn out a 5-door hatch which would take the place of the Bravo by next year.

The Viaggio is the first vehicle to be produced under the joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group. It will be manufactured at the GAC-Fiat plant in Changsha, Hunan province.

A look at the technical specs of the Fiat Viaggio

The Viaggio is one of the most important products from the Chrysler-Fiat joint venture. It is based on the CUSW (Compact Wide U.S.), which is the most advanced platform within the Fiat group.

Measuring 4,679 mm in length, 1,850 mm in overall width and with a 2,708 mm wheelbase, the Fiat Viaggio is is comparable to a few D segment cars. It will be offered with a choice of two 1.4-liter T-Jet turbocharged petrol engines producing 120HP and 150HP, mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission or the latest Dual Dry Clutch Transmission (DDTC) developed by Fiat Powertrain.

Fiat has announced that the first lot of the cars will be built by July and sell in China during the third quarter of the year.

[Source - QuattroRuote.it]

But have companies used it as a medium to sell goods? Fiat has!

That’s right, Fiat used Twitter to carry out an auction for its Fiat 500 America Limited Edition. Note that this is not a car for America even if the name suggests so. It is a special edition vehicle launched in Europe.

To participate in this initiative it is obvious that you have to be registered on Twitter and on “500America.fiat500.com”. Once the registration is complete, each user sends a tweet with the offer price abiding by the rules.

During this TwitBid, which lasted from March 1 to March 15, 293 users from 11 different countries made more than 700 “twit-offers”. The whole initiative registered 787 tweets with the official hashtag #500America and 140 retweets. The number may sound less but remember this wasn’t a sale or a giveaway. Only those who were considering the 500 as their next car tweeted.

The TwitBid came to an end with Fiat announcing “Adelheid D. Kieper” (@KanzleiKieper) as the winner. With an offer of 15,165 euros (approx 10.5 lakh INR) , she won the TwitBid and will be awarded with the first unit of the Fiat 500 America limited edition in Europe.

About the Fiat 500 America Edition

The styling and the concept inspiration is the United States of America. The car gets a blue metallic exterior paint job with the outside mirrors adorning USA’s national flag. Pinstripes on the body panels have been inspired by the national flag’s red and white colour scheme. Interiors have details which convey that the car is a limited edition model. To complete the look the car sits on multi-spoke 16” alloy rims.

Power is provided by a 1.2L, 69HP engine which is Euro5 compliant. ABS and EBD with driver, passenger and side airbags are equipped to provide high levels of safety.

I norder to make it extra special Fiat will provide a badge bearing the serial number ’1/500′ and the twitter nickname of the winner!

Sure it does not have the elegance of the India-spec model but we get the feeling that it looks much better in flesh, though we haven’t seen one yet!

These are the images of the refreshed Linea Fiat Turkey has released on its website. As we’ve explained before, the center console is new and the AC vents have been redesigned. The dashboard exudes a sense of continuity. Aside from the changes to car’s nose, there are very minimal changes to the car’s exterior.

Under the hood, Fiat is offering three choices – 1.4 petrol with 77hp, 1.6 diesel with 105hp and the 1.3 diesel with 95hp. The 1.6 diesel is married to a six-speed transmission while the other two engines process drive using a 5-speed unit.

Fiat India’s CEO Mr Rajeev Kapoor during an interaction with IndianAutosBlog.com in January this year said the company will work on the facelift without divulging a time frame. The whole of 2012 will be dedicated to the MY2012 Linea and Punto models and a facelift is not expected to show up until Fiat India has a new dealership network.

Fiat Linea facelift Image Gallery

[Source - Fiat Turkey]