FCA Italy 2014: SALES RESULTS INSIGHTS

FCA posted a positive growth in 2014 in Italy thanks to the Fiat 500L, Jeep and Maserati, which had very good results and offset the sales drop of Alfa Romeo (Giulietta) and Lancia (all models except for the Ypsilon). This happened at the same time Italian car market reported a 4,8% surge after several years of continuous plunge. Car registrations were specially propelled by SUV segment, with volume up a massive 27%, counting for 20% of total market. This means that for the first time, last year there were more new SUVs than new city-cars (A-Segment). Italy is Europe’s largest market for city-cars.

• FCA leads the market but VW and Renault-Nissan had better sales performance.
• For the very first time in Italian car industry history, SUVs outsold the city-cars. Luxury cars posted the largest gain thanks mostly to the arrival of the new Mercedes S-Class.
• MPV (where FCA has a clear leadership) plunged due to the mid-size and large ones.
• Small SUVs were almost as popular as the compact ones (C-SUV) thanks to the success of the French new B-SUVs.

• FCA sales registrations rose 0,9% thanks to Maserati and Jeep brands. However they continue to have a very low share on the group’s total sales.
• The group lost around 1 basic points of market share in 2014.
• As usual, the city-cars (Panda and 500) counted for 40% of FCA’s Italian sales. The Punto, Ypsilon and MiTo posted a negative growth but they continued to be relevant for the group’s overall sales.
• FCA sold 44% more SUVs in Italy during 2014 thanks to Jeep brand. It includes 4 months sales of the new Renegade (already the FCA’s 10th best-selling nameplate).
• The good results of the Ghibli were not enough to offset the sales drop of the Lancia Thema.

• Panda sales counted for 28% of the group’s sales.
• The Renegade made it to make part of the top 10 in only 4 months of sales.
• Very good for the Ghibli, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and 500L (which should had reached its sales peak). Too bad for the Giulietta and Freemont.
• The Fiat 500L dethroned the Freemont as the nameplate with the highest segment share. It got 53% of B-MPV total sales. The Panda, 500, Grand Cherokee and Ypsilon increased their respective shares.
• FCA is better positioned in A-segment, and large and small MPVs.

 

Italian Car Market 2014 by Segments/Share

• FCA is the absolute leader in A-Segment thanks to the Panda and 500, both posting positive growths in 2014. The 500 completed its 7th year on the market, while the Panda faced new competitors without any particular upgrade.
• Thanks to the success of the new i10, Hyundai and Kia outsold GM, Toyota, PSA and Daimler.
• The 500 sells 3 times more than the Up!, which increased its sales by 16%.
• The new Twingo and the Adam keep growing but they are still quite behind the leaders.

• Due to an old Punto and to an unpopular MiTo, FCA’s leadership in B-Segment is not that clear as with the city-cars. Last year the group lost share while Renault-Nissan kept its second place but increased the gap with VW Group.
• Despite the latest announcements about Lancia’s future, the Ypsilon managed to increase its sales and get close to the Punto as the best-selling Subcompact car in Italy.
• The Clio and Fiesta outsold the Polo, and the Yaris climbed one position.
• Very good results for the low-cost Dacias.

• Bad results for FCA in C-Segment as the Giulietta plunged and now is quite far from the Golf. The VW managed to increase its registrations doubling the Giulietta’s. The A3 comes third and gets closer.
• PSA impresses with the new 308. The French group jumped 3 positions outselling Daimler, Ford and GM.
• Too bad for the Giulietta, 1-Series and Astra. The Bravo and Delta said goodbye.
• Good for the Leon, 308 and Mazda 3.

• Mid-size sedans/wagons demand plunged as most of the former clients of this segment moved to the SUVs. VW leads again thanks to the A4 and Passat. BMW and Mercedes come next, with the new C-Class rising its registrations by 9%.
• The updated Insignia seemed to work in Italy.

• This segment posted also a negative change. The ranking remains more or less the same, with Volvo reporting an increase thanks to the old XC70 and S80.
• FCA lost one position as the excellent Ghibli results were not enough to offset the Lancia Thema’s plunge.

• The new Mercedes S-Class was the rock star of the segment, up a massive 44%. It allowed Daimler to increase its share and steal some of VW’s.
• The 7-Series gets old and its sales fell 12%.
• It seems that the Maserati Quattroporte has already reached its peak.

• B-SUV sales reported a 52% surge due to more offer and a general shift on consumers’ needs. The rising demand has benefited Renault-Nissan, PSA and GM.
• This segment was the 5th most popular one, behind the A, B and C segments, and the C-SUV. In terms of growth, the small SUVs posted the highest jump.
• Awesome results for the Peugeot 2008, wich outsold the Renault Captur and 2013’s leader, the Mini Countryman. The Opel Mokka and Dacia Duster had also brilliant performances.
• The new Jeep Renegade became Italy’s 7th best-selling small SUV in only 4 months.

• The alliance Renault-Nissan leads again but without the big gap of B-SUV segment. This is explained by the always succesful Nissan Qashqai, up a tiny 5%.
• That growth was less than its main competitors, the Hyundai ix35 and Kia Sportage.

• Mid-size SUVs aren’t as popular as smaller ones, but their sales volume rose 15% thanks to the Jeep Cherokee, Porsche Macan and the Nissan X-Trail.
• FCA was the big winner, and it was followed by VW Group, Renault-Nissan and Toyota.
• Very bad results for Mercedes, which offers the unpopular GLK, down 42%.
• In the case of BMW, the good start of the X4 was enough to offset the dramatic fall of the X3.

• Big SUV sales jump as well. The big winners are Land Rover and BMW.
• Big losers are Mercedes and VW Group.
• Amazing the results of the new Range Rover Sport, in pole position and followed by the Grand Cherokee. The X5 outsold the Mercedes ML, and the Porsche Cayenne had a very bad year.

• The results of the Fiat 500L are explained by two reasons: its sales climbed but most of its competitors’ fell. Thus, its segment share jumped from 42% to 52%.
• With the arrival of the Fiat 500X, the 500L sales may had reached the peak in 2014.
• Very good for the Nissan Note.

 Click here to see 2013 Italy results

Click here to see 2012 Italy results