Alexandre
If there's one brand at Stellantis that continues to grow year on year, it's Fiat. After being number 1 in the group in 2022, in 2023, with an increase of 12 %.
Fiat is announcing good figures, having sold 1.2 million vehicles by 2022, the Italian brand has announced 1.35 million units for 2023. This strong growth is mainly due to three markets: Europe, South America and the Africa-Middle East region.
The press release gives a lot of figures, but unfortunately, it mixes them up without giving enough details - too bad! For example, we learn that there were 230,000 Fiat 500s and Pandas registered in Europeexcluding the electric version, without giving details for either model. It also states that the Fiat 500 electric is the best-selling electric city car in Italy, without giving any figures... except that we know it is 4749 units... The press release also confirms some figures for France, with 60,000 units for all models combined, including 24,000 Fiat 500 electrics.
Concerning South America: 542,000 units out of 1.35 million worldwide. A sign that this market, which includes Brazil and Argentina, is extremely important for the brand.
And in Africa-Middle East, the brand continues to expand, particularly in the Turkish market where the Tipowhere it is produced and marketed under the name Egea, y a successful career. To give you an idea, between 10,000 and 14,000 Egea are registered every month in Turkey, including 11,328 in January 2024 alone. In 2023 Fiat also introduced 6 models in Algeria, including the 500, 500X and Tipo, and intends to gain market share there.
Olivier François, CEO of Fiat, said: "So we're ready for 2024. Soon, a second stage will begin for FIAT, which will bring to life another facet of our iconic brand, a facet synonymous with ingenuity, Italianness and globality."
Behind this message, Olivier François is obviously talking about the new Fiat Panda to be unveiled in July this year. In conclusion, the electric 500 has also been available in South America and North America for several months now... it remains to be seen how this model will be received.
The figures speak for themselves in South America, confirming a consistency in sales. This is what saves the group, with Jeep, Fiat 500, Egea, worldwide... In Europe, I'm not surprised by the 500e, which is a good model, even if I'm still not attracted by electric power...
That was Peugeot's interest when it signed Stellantis, especially when you look at PSA's figures today. A priori down in 2023.... The 2022 figures confirmed this in any case.......
For Peugeot, today's figures can't really be compared with those of previous years. Peugeot is selling less, but more expensively. The brand's move upmarket, with electrification galore, has inevitably driven up prices. Yesterday's customer who could afford a Peugeot can't necessarily do so today. So we're not talking about Audi, let's not exaggerate. But Peugeot's standing has really changed. The proof is that before the merger, Peugeot managed to boost profits by selling less. Renault is trying to adopt the same strategy.
Fiat does volume. And volume, if sold cheaply, is not necessarily more profitable. For example, Iran was once Peugeot's second-largest market after France and ahead of China in terms of volume. And yet it was far from being the most profitable, with low-cost 206s and 405s sold there. The same applies to Fiat today in MERCOSUR. As for the 500e, FIAT's strong presence in South America will facilitate its launch and generate good margins for the brand, with a model positioned as a premium in its segment. It will be a springboard for the future.
One ex-PSA brand in distress is Citroën. When I see what it has become, I might as well finish it off. Especially since the group's policy of making it an "access" brand puts it in competition with FIAT. I don't see the point...
Iran has long since lost its ties with 🇮🇷 and even the Middle East, and now has only Europe as a market, after never having broken through in South America to the north, and failing in China with a flagrant lack of image, viable products and the total failure of DS, as well as the closure of the factories taken over by Donfgeng and wiped out by the French state. Even if PSA had got out of the hole, the only market on which they depend is too weak, and their unreliable and weak engines made them either make a profit or end up Chinese.
Fiat/Abarth/Lancia thermal models have been more than profitable for a long time, and sell more than Citroën (wrongly neglected), DS, Opel and Peugeot (a generalist brand with a premium name). Europe and the Middle East, as well as South America, certainly bring in more profits per model for Fiat than PSA, even if for the Middle East and the USA 🇺🇸, they should have worked their asses off to keep the 124. The FCA group, apart from Maserati (with a Quatteoporte missed on the front end, no hybrid, a 4-cylinder that has no business being there during this one and renewals frozen or eliminated after the creation of Stellantis) or Alfa Romeo the financially difficult renewal for the Giulia by bringing too many engines (given the times 2 L4 petrols from 300hp to 400hp would have been enough V6, same for the Stelvio, but offering it as a hybrid, and the refusal to make a station wagon and a GTV coupe under it too. As for the rest of the brands, they were profitable thanks to the constant upgrades made to their range and the worldwide sales they achieved even without a hybrid or electric range. Now we'll see what's next for all of them!
Fiat is no longer really a budget brand. As for Peugeot, the move upmarket is highly illusory.
I couldn't agree more.
Peugeot's move upmarket is totally illusory and a pretty fiasco in the process for sedans, SUV coupes and other products above!
I deeply regret that the Fiat Tipo Cross is no longer sold in France, because as the proud owner of this car for the past 2 years, I can tell you that, in addition to its comfort and comprehensive equipment, the 1.0 fireFly engine is a marvel!
Yes, the Tipo only needed a 1.4 Turbo in its range to be complete.
It's about time Fiat woke up, because to hear Carlos Tavares tell it, Fiat is the fifth wheel.
Carlos should be more careful about what he says. His boss is going to slap him on the wrist, because the real boss of Stellantis, the majority shareholder, is John Elkan Agnelli. The proof is that he's the Chairman of the Board of Directors, so as soon as he doesn't like Carlos anymore, he'll be out.
He'll end up at Renault and De Meo will take his place.
Except that the 5th wheel 🛞 of the carriage is the one that keeps the whole thing going, but he doesn't brag about it!
at Renault it was a certain Carlos G who dismissed him
Maybe because he looked too much like her.