Entry posted on November 18, 2011 by
Shrawan Raja;
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This is a video of the 2012 Fiat Palio launched in Brazil earlier this month. The video, besides highlighting the features and road presence also presents viewers a comparative look against the outgoing vehicle.
As Fiat India concentrates on revamping its retail network, we’re yet to understand if the company mulling this model to challenge the Liva, Brio and Swift. To fence its new models from confusion and cannibalization of Tata’s equivalent product offerings, Fiat could launch cars such as the Novo Palio in a stand-alone dealership setup.
Entry posted on November 6, 2011 by
Shrawan Raja;
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Don’t ask us if Fiat is planning the 2012 Palio for our market, because we don’t know. The last we heard from Fiat was on the postponement of the small car launch to 2013 leaving time for independent dealerships to go operational.
The next new product is said to be smaller than Punto with a 1-liter petrol engine. A diesel option is compulsory, a scaled-down derivative of the 1.3 Multijet is viewed as a good choice. New products such as the Uno, Panda and the Palio shown here are ready to use for Fiat India.
We’re doubtful of these three as there could be a fourth small car built exclusively for BRIC nations. Could it be smaller than the Palio to reach into the segment guarded by the Hyundai Eon and Maruti Alto?
Fiat is taking its time with new products and with independent outlets, customers while making decisions will not confuse their offerings with Tata’s counterparts.
Fiat Palio was a very successful brand in India. In fact, it was the first hot hatch in India with a 1.6L engine. However, due to lack of commitments from Fiat India’s senior management, the Palio showed a very lackluster sales numbers. Fiat did not upgrade the Palio to BS4 norms and it was left to fend for itself.
A long time back, Fiat decided that the new Palio will be initially launched in Brazil and then will make its way to the other parts of the world. Thus, Fiat Brazil was entrusted the responsibility of developing the 2012 Palio grounds up. Our good friends Eber and Moriah at NoticiasAutomotivas have kept us regularly updated on the developments surrounding the 2012 Palio.
Unless you’ve been marooned in a forest for the last few years, you will not know about Fiat’s small car than it intends to position under Punto. Fiat can revive its fortunes with one successful product. We’ve seen what Figo did to Ford India. It made Ford look like a completely different company. The morale of the company can change when a product wins big.
The learning from products like the Swift, Alto, City, etc is that to be a segment champion you don’t need to have the best styling, most features or the lowest price. Fiat has the advantage of Italian styling, the diesel technology widely acknowledged as world class, and many innovative features. The ingredients for a blockbuster is there.
While we can’t confirm which small car is coming to India, it is not the Uno and is unlikely to be the new Panda. We’re not aware of other small cars in Fiat’s international pipeline. Surely it has to be the new Palio you see testing here with tapes in Brazil. Fiat India might want to call it something else as bad blood simmers with Palio. We expect to see it at the Delhi Auto Expo next year.
Fiat’s small car for India will have a 1-liter petrol engine and the existing Multi-jet engine could be used in the original or modified form.
Entry posted on April 19, 2011 by
Shrawan Raja;
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The 2012 Fiat Palio (Project 326) has taken shape and Fiat engineers are now testing fully constructed prototypes sporting checkered sticker camouflage on Brazilian roads. Unconfirmed reports convey the debut takes place in July. Remember that Fiat India has spoken about entering the space below the Punto with an all-new small car and what you see here might be what they are talking about.
Fiat has no plans to introduce the Novo Uno in India. Instead it can take on the likes of the Ford Figo, Maruti Wagon R, Hyundai i10, etc with the Project 326. Fiat should have known by now that the Palio nameplate cannot exist on the new model. Fiat hardly sells a handful of Palios in India, and the updated diesel engine hasn’t helped boost sales. One can only imagine that it has got to do something with the image surrounding the Palio.
Having said that, it will take just one product to turn around Fiat’ fortunes. If the new Palio clicks, then consumer interest will automatically rise on some of its other products as dealerships will experience heavy activity. This might also benefit Tata products, but that debate is for another day.
Millions of cars are sold in the 3.5-5.5 lakh rupee segment which makes up 70% of the market share. The Project 326 might just be the lucky break for Fiat India.
There are no points for guessing what will be under the hood of this mini-Punto – Fiat will give it the 1.3-liter Multi-jet diesel motor and perhaps a 1.0-liter petrol engine. Fiat is not against the idea of bringing Multiair technology to India. The time and occasion has to be right and it could well be when this car premieres. Fiat, will you launch this car at the Auto Expo next year?
After countless rumors that the new Palio (a.k.a Project 326) has been delayed till the end of the year, we finally have some insider information. The new Fiat Palio will enter production in Brazil on June 15.
The official launch will be conducted in July and deliveries of cars would begin from there on.
Fiat India is working on a small car which it could show for the first time at the Auto Expo in January 2012. There is a good chance that the new Palio and Fiat India’s small car are one and the same. Fiat has to be careful with the branding of the new small car. In my opinion they can choose any name except Palio as the tarnished legacy is better left behind.
The next generation Fiat Palio is showing off itself all over Brazil. It is almost an onslaught of Palio spy pics all over the internet. We have earlier brought you the closest rendering for the new Palio till date. Codenamed Project 326, the 2012 Fiat Palio will be first released in Brazil. IAB feels there is a good chance for the 2012 Palio in India. The new Palio will be [ Read More ]
Fiat Palio (a.k.a Project 326) is being developed in full swing in Brazil. Now we have (what could be) the closest renderings so far of the new Palio. The new Palio will supposedly have larger dimensions than the current model. So we can expect a much better interior space. On the design front, the new Palio will be heavily influenced by the current Punto. The one place where the Palio [ Read More ]
