Category Blog

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Fiat is reaching its target on the American market

- Taking benefit from taking over Chrysler, Fiat Group was able to return to the U.S. market after decades of absence.

- The strategy to launch in North America the Fiat 500 (produced at Chrysler in Toluca, Mexico) and position this vehicle to compete with the premium small car Mini (BMW) and Smart (Daimler) has been very successful.

- Indeed, 45,000 Fiat 500 were sold in 2012 on the U.S. market, while BMW sold 66,000 Mini and Daimler 10,000 Smart.

- The sales gap between Mini and Fiat 500 will further decrease in 2013 and 2014, even though the Mini has been very successful over the last ten years in North America.

- Only a few analysts had foreseen such enthusiasm for the U.S. Fiat 500. The upcoming launch of the electric version (Fiat 500_e) should still boost the model .

Data source: File #55 - Registrations in the World by makes

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Brand-new models will be produced at the Melfi Fiat plant

- Brand new Fiat models will be produced at the Melfi Fiat plant from 2014 on. It is the second recent announcement of Fiat relating to a production of its models in Italy following the one relating to the Pomigliano plant.

- The Melfiplant (which produced traditionally Punto) will benefit from more than one billion euros of investment in the framework of the new strategy unveiled by the manufacturer in late October. It will eventually produce 1 600 cars per day (320,000 per year), including a small SUV Jeep and a small SUV Fiat (500X). Both models will replace the Fiat Sedici.

- Melfi, which has 5,500 employees, is the only plant to produce these two models. Once its modernization completed, the site will produce up to four different models on the same production line.

- The new Fiat strategy plans that Fiat Italian factories produce future vehicles intended primarily for export, as well as upper range models. The Melfi plant investment should be followed by a series of investments in other factories.

Data source: File #105 - Production in Europe detailed by model and plant

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Production on the soil of France: greater stability

- Production on French soil decreased sharply until 2009.
This was a consequence of delocalization of French manufacturers, despite the development of Toyota and Smart on the French territory.
Production in France should now stabilize, continuing the trend which can be noted since the beginning of the decade (see chart below).

- France, now competes with Spain, behind Germany, for the second European position in terms of quantities produced in a country.

- However, it is to be noted that the position of France appears in a totally different way when production controlled by the French manufacturers (and not production on the French soil) is considered. Worldwide production under the control of French carmakers (including in particular Nissan and AvtoVaz), accounts for about 12 million vehicles in 2012, close to that controlled by German carmakers(about 13 million vehicles).

Data source: File #105 - Production in Europe detailed by model and plant

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

The Korean group Hyundai-Kia sold more than 7 million vehicles in 2012

- The Korean group Hyundai-Kia sold for the first time more than 7 million vehicles worldwide in 2012.

-Hyundai sold 4.39 million vehicles (+8.6%), with 660,000 units in the Korean market (- 2.3%) and 3.73 million abroad (+10.9%).

-Kia sold 2.71 million vehicles (+7.1%), with 480,000 units in the Korean market (- 2.2%) and 2.23 million abroad (+9.4%).

- The group Hyundai-Kia has become the 5th worldwide car from 2009 on. It overpassed Ford group in 2009 and Fiat-Chrysler group in 2008.

Data source: Please contact us at: info@inovev.com

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Production on German soil: stability

- Unlike France, Germany has not conducted massive outsourcing.
It has now stabilized its production on its territory at a level close to where it was before the crisis of 2008/2009.
It could offset the European market weakness by exports outside Europe (where these exports have added sales from its local production), especially to China, USA and Russia.

- Worldwide production of German carmakers (PC + UV, more than 13 million vehicles), is in 3rd position behind that of Japanese carmakers (almost 20 million vehicles) and the United States (more than 14 million vehicles). It is just ahead of France (a little less than 12 million vehicles). It is, however, to be noted that this analysis is based on a consolidation of Chinese JV carmakers into quantities of traditional carmakers.