Overall Fiat brand sales for March were up 38 percent compared to February. All Fiat models showed a sales increase last month, signaling the beginning of the Spring selling season. Fiat 500 sales were up 50 percent, while 500L and 500X both enjoyed a 20 percent increase. Sales of the 124 Spider were up 54 percent.
However, this bit of good news is tempered by the fact that compared to last year, Fiat sales are still running 45 percent less than last year. Slow sales of passenger cars industry-wide and small cars, in particular, have taken its toll on Fiat sales, as well as a lack of availability of popular models and preferred option packages. The recent arrival from Europe of the newly redesigned 500X on US soil and the ramping up of deliveries of 2019 500 hatch and Cabrio models to dealerships should (hopefully) give sales a bump. As always, we will be watching.
The 2019 Fiat 500X began arriving on US shores in March. The 500X has received a mild refresh for 2019 and features numerous enhancements, including a new, more powerful engine, making the 500X even more enjoyable to drive and own.
In Europe, at the Geneva Motor Show, Fiat unveiled a new concept car called Centoventi that gives a glimpse of what future Fiats may be like. The stylish Centoventi offers extreme personalization and an innovative electric powertrain with a range up to 500KM. It should be noted the Centoventi is geared towards the practical side of Fiat offerings, like the Fiat Panda, while the 500 models are the more upmarket and aspirational cars from the company. What the new 500 will likely have in common in some form will be the Centoventi's electric powertrain. Look for a brand new Fiat 500 to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next year.
Fiat Brand Sales in the United States, January thru March 2019
| Fiat 500 | Current Month | Last Year | Vol Change | Current YTD | Last Year YTD | Vol Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 500 500L 500X 124 | 310 61 262 214 847 | 439 173 607 325 1544 | -29% -65% -57% -34% -45% | 778 168 755 513 2214 | 1309 395 1579 731 4014 | -41% -57% -52% -30% -45% |
| Feb 500 500L 500X 124 | 207 51 219 139 616 | 416 118 484 223 1241 | -50% -57% -55% -38% -50% | 468 107 493 299 1367 | 870 222 972 406 2470 | -46% -52% -49% -26% -45% |
| Jan 500 500L 500X 124 | 261 56 274 160 751 | 454 104 488 183 1229 | -43% -46% -44% -13% -39% | 261 56 274 160 751 | 454 104 488 183 1229 | -43% -46% -44% -13% -39% |
Sources: FCA US LLC.
Images: FCA and author
No comments:
Post a Comment