Automotive giant, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) currently has two brands for sale in the Indian market. The old and almost forgotten Fiat brand and the new and fast-growing Jeep brand. While one brand, Jeep, is quite established in our country and growing at a great pace, Fiat has become a slow seller over the years. Fiat has been selling two cars since quite some time now, the Punto and the Linea. The Punto has more variants like the Punto Abarth and the Avventura, made for two different purposes. The old platform of these vehicles cannot compete with the new and much more advanced cars of today and will soon not be road worthy with the onset of BS VI emission norms.
Moreover, the Indian audience has started migrating to SUVs now. When it comes to SUVs, Jeep is one of the first brands that pop into your mind, FCA does know that as well. It would make much more sense to divert the resources of the almost dead Fiat brand to Jeep, to deliver to the demands of the Indian audience. Jeep also is now working on to introduce a sub-4-metre SUV to compete against the likes of the Ford Ecosport and the Tata Nexon. Also, now the Jeep brand could use the manufacturing facilities of Fiat, increasing the production numbers. Fiat dealerships too would probably convert into Jeep dealerships, expanding the brand across the country.
Also Read: Fiat 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine’s production to be terminated by 2020
This fact goes to prove that no company can survive in the Indian market without offering new products from time to time. Another major brand to learn this the hard way was Chevrolet. Fiat may also be very well on its way to disappear from the Indian market, leaving many fans and loyalist disappointed. That said, for FCA, this will turn out to be a win-win situation as the Fiat has not been profitable since for quite some time and now it can expand the Jeep brand. Below are some images of our favourite Fiat, the Punto Abarth.
