Nowe kompakty Fiata mają być proste i tanie. Niewykluczone, że pojawią się pod sub-marką Panda, tworząc z obecna Pandą rodzinę tanich aut (podobnie jak 500-tka tworzy rodzine tych droższych).
Although Europe?s Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus-sized C-segment accounts for a substantial 29% of the new market, profits are wafer thin, if they exist at all.Most analysts think the situation is caused by a combination of intense competition, high labour costs and increasingly generous standard specifications as the mainstream brands chase the sector-leading Golf.
Marchionne, according to sources, will counter these hurdles by launching a back-to-basics C-segment hatchback and estate, replacing the unsuccessful Fiat Bravo. These will be based on the same platform as the 500L MPV and will be built in Turkey, where labour rates are cheaper.
Insiders have told Autocar that the new models will not be as ?basic? as Dacia?s successful models, but will be ?very well priced?. Some rumours suggest that Marchionne will use the well-regarded Panda badge for the Bravo replacement, neatly rebuilding the Panda family as Fiat?s no-nonsense sub-brand.
