For all the noise, how is Fiat really doing?

If some one ask me which is a better car between Punto, Ritz and say Indigo CS, I would say Punto based on features and facts about these vehicles.

But if I myself is buying then I might go for RitZ. You may call this as a double standard but that’s how it is.

Sujit

You have reflected the exact thinking of any Indian customer & its was nice of you to admit it.

If a person who is active in Forum like this & is interacting with people , still think as accpeted by him then its certainly simmiler for any laymen who just get carried away by the brand name & thats what is exactly happaning.

Its like if you want a Noodle People will always think of MAGGIE first & it really took many others to reach even closer & I think they are still strugguling. Same is with Maruti.

I am sure people will certainly give a chance to another Noodle...opps I mean car company Like FIAT & slowly Fiat will be able to generate market share.

Ha.. ha .. ha.. The most funniest part of this thread.. you rightly said "A newcomer to the Indian Automotive scene would be forgiven for thinking that the Fiat is #1 seller in India." But is not true all we know. And second point you said "I am NOT saying that the brand or its products are failures"

I dont agree with this.. looking to the statistics you will see its a failure. Even GM, who were once leader in the automobile and now are in bad situation, they are selling their products in good numbers in India. And one most important thing, Punto and Linia are too new to get any problem, let pass one or two years, because after that you will see the ASS of Fiat. They have set milestones in ASS. After one or two years, I am sure we will see the figures of Linia and Punto challanging the figures of Palio and Uno (oh-no). 

I agree with the brand perception. I would have been counting "Fiat Ritz" on my finger tips if at all it was a Fiat car.

I will not say I am an expert / dude on cars, but with my (a little) knowledge of cars, I don't think Swift is a perfect car. Most of the simple problems reported on the Punto across the web, have more or less been reported to me by my friends on their Swifts but they do not necessarily hate the car, but they love it just like a Fiat buyer would love his.

Now that is why I think this is a ridiculous statement to make:

Still they are showing fake happiness with the units sold by the Fiat.

Now its another story that I have not seen Maruti cars discussed so openly on the web like a Fiat would be.

Naveen

Maruti cars are not discussed thats not true. They are discussed but not too much as Fiat Cars. Actually Marutis are not to be disscussed online, they are doing it on-road. I am not a marutian, but progress being achieved by them in such a competitive market, hats off to them. Still their sales are growing up and up, though market shares are coming down, due to so many other brands. The whole world automobile industries are focusing India, everyone want to sell their product here, but the Maruti is the main obstacle for them. So they come with some product, sales some, and go back to home and hope to come again with new plans and strategy, but again they find here Maruti with better strategy and plans. What you think about the sale .. that is 85,000 units per month, 2833 units per day (which is more than what Fiat sales in whole month),  118 units per hour, and 2 units per minut, isnt that awesome, fabulous, unbelievale, for a Indian based automobile industry.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/slideshow/top-10-small-cars-in-india.html

Just a quick question: Which car do you own BTW? I just read that you are not a Marutian (meaning you do not own a Maruti).

Cheers,
Naveen

OK, I have I-10 Sportz 1.2 Kappa. I have not written a single word about it. Becuase no need for that, it is self-speaking. I know I am fully satisfied with it. I shortlisted 4 cars, Swift, Aveo-UVA, Punto and I-10. Swift being a Maruti product, I dont like to follow the crowd and its costly too with nothing in interiors in base model, second Aveo-Uva, Good design, specious long hatchback, but lack in pick-up, miliage problem, and not too good on highways and also the sales figures did not allow me to buy it. Third, the Great Punto, I denied it, just only for the reason I dont wanted to take a risk as also the 1.2 Active (Petrol) is not worth buying. I wanted only a petrol car ranging from 4.5 to 5.0 L., So finally I got I-10 Sportz for Rs 4.25 lacs. 

Whoever asked you to write about I-10 as I am sure majority here will like that car. Like you are fully satisfied with the I-10, there are folks who are also fully satisfied with Palio/Linea/Punto even though it does not sell in large numbers.

So, I just wanted to put this across that there is no point making statements like this:

Still they are showing fake happiness with the units sold by the Fiat.

Nobody is trying to show fake happiness after having spent a lot of money in buying a product that they have liked (Or have I misunderstood your intentions here??).

And you just made the exact statement that I had in mind:

I dont like to follow the crowd...

Maybe Maruti sells more than any other because of the exact same reason - most of us following the crowd without giving other products (maybe better???) a chance, hmm.. I don't know...

Cheers,
Naveen

Friends let not get so serious on this topic.

On a lighter side, If you really do not like to follow the crowd, then go for Fiat! 

hahaha.. agree on that .

Cheers,
Naveen