Fiat may be getting ready for its first simultaneous launches in 2 different continents. This idea is based on what VW and other car makers have done in the past with some of their global models. In this case we’re talking about the 500L, which is doing quite good in Europe, and is now close to its American presentation. The big event may take place the 4th of July, which is the Fiat 500’s anniversary and the date chosen by Fiat to present all the versions and updates of its popular model. Hence, in the same day America will see the 500L (5 passenger version), and Europe will be the scenario for the official introduction of the 500L Trekking, and the first official presentation of the 500L long (7 passengers). Fiat wants to make use of this interesting MPV by selling it in global markets and bringing several versions and bodytypes that will certainly help the brand not to keep falling in the ranking sales. This information isn’t confirmed yet, but based on the latest activities coming from USA (they already showed the official pictures), and the imminent arrival of the larger 500L and the Trekking version (presented in Geneva 2013), it is expected this to happen in a while.
USA will receive the 500L and 500L Trekking starting at $19.100 for the Pop version with 160 hp and 6 manual speed gearbox. At the same time Fiat will introduce the 500L Trekking in Europe starting at 19.650 euros with 95 hp. The 500L for 7 passenger will also make its debut but official presentation may take place in Frankfurt 2013. Unfortunately the US version of the 500L will initially be offered with manual gear box and only one version with automatic transmission. This won’t help to have big sales. Photo by Autoitalia.nl, fiat500usa.com, and me.
Fiat has already sold almost 25.000 units of the 500L so far this year, making of it the best-selling B-MPV in Europe. The car is produced in Serbia, where output is expected to reach 100.000 – 160.000 units this year thanks to the introduction of the model in North American market. At the same time the 500L will help Fiat dealers in America to increase their sales by adding a model that is more suitable to American demand. The demand for the small 500 has dramatically stopped growing, with 13.500 units sold in USA (+6%), and 2.400 in Canada (-26%). Meanwhile Fiat is trying to sign a deal with Russian authorities so the Serbian made 500L can be exported over there paying zero taxes, as it happens to all Serbian products (except for cars) under the FTA that rules between Russia and Serbia. July presentations will show us how good the market receives the new members of the 500 family.
Fiat Group World 
Small thing. 2 new versions of a 2012 product.
Fiat need a new Punto!
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Russian authorities agreed to allow 10.000 units (per year) of 500L to be imported tax free. Cheers.
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Great! even if 10.000 units is nothing compared to the size of Russian market
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Ciao Juan Felipe , for Russia it’s already a good number of cars for a market where Fiat has poor sales…step by step it will help fiat to recover ciao Antonio 🙂
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It’s true Antonio, but Fiat should points higher if it wants a relevance in that market
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Serbia facility already twice in last three weeks halts operation due to lack of procured parts. In both cases its the Selmat Group being late with deliveries of plastic dashboard parts. While the first halt took only a few hours, this time halt is estimated to take days before the parts arrive in Kragujevac. Fiat management will have to stick to the fact that overall quality of an organisation does not mean just a quality of the final products, but also quality of whole operational, engineering and logistic processes. This means that all unreliable component makers such as Selmat cannot be relied on anymore, since customers wont tolerate excess times to get their pre-ordered cars being delivered. Serbian media report that production of right-handed 500L’s is the most affected with this issue, so knowint Fiat is doing particularly hard to fade away its bad reputation on the British market, if this leads to late deliveries of cars we will once again hear jokes like “Fix it again, Tony”…
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