Yogima Seth Sharma / New Delhi Jul 20, 2010, 01:13 IST
Though a late re-entry into the growing automobile market, Fiat India Automobiles Ltd hopes to establish itself across all segments with a wide range of products and service network, says its president and CEO, Rajeev Kapoor, in an interview with Yogima Seth Sharma. Edited excerpts:
Fiat has brought in two good products in the Indian market but sales are yet to match industry levels. How do you plan to cope?
The basic principle of forming a joint venture with Tata Motors was to bring back the Fiat brand into India and share the Fiat engine technology with Tata Motors. Now that we have achieved both, I think it’s the right time for us to grow in India.
With Grande Punto, Fiat Linea and Fiat 500 in our product stable, we hope to almost double our sales in the country in 2010-11 at 40,000 to 45,000 units, as compared to 23,000 units in 2009-10.
What do you think are the strengths of Fiat in India?
Though we currently have just two models, along with Fiat 500, there are varied engine options across Punto and Linea that help us to cater to a wide spectrum of people. Our spare parts are not just easily available, they are also competitively priced, and Fiat India now has a widespread presence through 175 dealerships.
What are your expansion plans over the next two years?
We are adding another high-end variant of Linea later this year, over and above the high-powered diesel variant of the Grande Punto launched recently.
Our new small car, smaller than the Punto and powered by a 1.0-litre engine, would hit in 2012 and we expect it to be a volume product for the company. Our dealer network will touch 200 by the end of 2010-11 and over a period of time, localisation levels of Punto and Linea are expected to go up from 85 per cent now to 90 per cent, as we strengthen our vendor base.
What has been the progress on your small car?
We have just concluded our customer survey to understand what kind of car they expect in 2012. The product is being jointly developed by our research and development team in India and in Italy. While the styling and designing of the car is being done in Italy, our Indian operation will contribute in component aggregates and reliability test of the vehicle.
How do you see the new small car changing the image of Fiat in India?
The A+ or the B segment, where we have cars like Spark, Santro, etc, is growing very fast in India. In fact, it is a highly cluttered segment, with almost every player present. Despite this, I feel there is space for more to come in, primarily because of extremely low car penetration levels in the country.
Fiat’s ability to make high-tech products and sell these at highly competitive prices as we go down the price ladder will help us to regain our position in India.
i am a owner of punto.which i buy a last year in April,i had face a many problems like AC or engine.
now my car's engine seized and company's not giving any response to me they made a amount 1 lakh for it and its under gurntee period .i had did it many complaints to fiat motor no one listen . so i ask u to never buy any fiat car.
I am an owner of Fiat lenia the service which i received is the worst ever i got i will never ever suggest anybody to buy a fiat car
i am facing a problem of starting my car after i have given it for routine servicing to Authorized so called service center of Fiat ( Pandit Automotive Akurdi )for 15days my car is ideal & they are working
I am an unfortunate owner of grante puntho.It was purchased last year April.I am facing a major health hazardious problem with this vehicle.After some hours of parking especially in the sun ligt,when we open the door a burning smell coming from inside and for sometime we cant even open our eyes.This can be because of the inferior quality plastic used inside the car.This matter was reported to tata service team and so far no action has been taken.I find it very difficult for driving the car safly. Hope you will do the needful.
hi there,
i wanted to buy fiat grande punto emotion.. am confused and i read review in team bhp 2010, when yu will improve plastic quality??
if yu improve the plastic quality, surely the sales wil go away with miles.... am waiting for improvement of plastic quality.. then only i ll decide to buy.. we all are waiting till december, i hv more option buyin another hatch... plz do listen.. improve the quality... yu ppl ll rock..
ma frndz all waitng to buy punto with good ineririors nd improvement..
hope ur listening... plz make it.......
do it fiat....
gud luck...
i am an owner of fiat palio 1.9 diesel in jammu,but from the service point of view fiat dealer in jammu National Garage fails to provide spare parts in jammu in many of the time our car is standing in workshop for weeks and still in workshop for miner faults like starting problem. i was planning to buy fiat punto but the service your dealer and your company providing is not upto the mark so i cancelled my plan now i am planning to sell fiat palio diesel because most of the time this car creates problem,my suggestion is please improve your service otherwise it is very difficult to remain in market.
i had purchased a fiat grande punto on 28th may 2010 . from the date of purchase it is giving me various problems. The problem regarding air cutting noise is still not solved .I have always been given false assurances and unfulfilled promices by higer authorities of both fiat and tata motors.Tata motors cannot handel the technical aspects of fiat cars and thus leave the fiat customer unsatisfied.If fiat wants to remain in the market it has to improve its services.
Fiat's future in India seems to be in dark. I am an owner of 2 fiat cars and I have always been misguided by the service advisors at Tatamotors who are supposed to be taking care of Fiat customers. I feel that the alliance was just to have a knowhow of the technology of fiat and tatamotors will soon calll it off.
Posted by: girish
September 29 , 2010, 20:49 IST
you are exactely told what the tatas intention is
if fiat want to root in india it should keep its own platform
Content Guide
Though a late re-entry into the growing automobile market, Fiat India Automobiles Ltd hopes to establish itself across all segments with a wide range of products and service network, says its president and CEO, Rajeev Kapoor, in an interview with Yogima Seth Sharma. Edited excerpts:
