From Autocar...


The British car market slowdown continued last month with Fiat among the biggest losers. The Italian marque's registrations were down a massive 62 per cent in June, with just 2412 units compared to 6359 in the same month last year. The figures for the year to date don't make much better reading: a drop of 53 per cent - worse than the now-defunct MG with 43 per cent - reduces its market share from 2.76 to 1.34 per cent.

Overall, June sales were down 11,454 units (4.8 per cent), with sales of 1,296,485 for the year so far, the lowest January-June figure since 2001 and 5.8 per cent below 2004 results. Things look equally bleak for what remains of the British motor industry. The closure of MG Rover's Longbridge facility has contributed to a drop in the percentage of British registrations built within the UK from 18.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2005 to 16.6 per cent.

Part of the reason for the drop in new registrations is a hefty fall in private purchases, blamed on high interest rates and rising fuel costs by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. From January to June there has been a fall of 72,295 units compared to 2004, dropping the market share from 47.9 to 45.3 per cent.

i blame the bad customer services

Personally I think its too many bargin bucket stilos and not enough fun stuff like this (the new 600)



Jim

thought we getting that in the autum, also new punto coming in autum so people may be waiting for that too

but will it have the cool fiat logos on the seats?

(getting quite adicted to the fiat vintage logo stuff)

Jim

How long before Fiat follow the example they set with Lancia?

MG sell more than Fiat?! lol

got some marketing tips for fiat (as if they eva gonna notice lol)
1. stop mass producing become more exclusive
2. make parts available ( its like bloody aprillia)
3. stop reinventing old model get some new ideas !!
xxxx

but all the old models sold by the bucket load......

Jim

Surely ALL car manufacturers are suffering at the moment, not just Fiat. They may have dropped in percentage ratings, but I wonder how this compares with all the other car makers?

Perhaps as well, I think Fiats are generally bought privately, and it's the private sector that is feeling the economic pinch more so than say Ford and Vauxhall who still have a big section of the fleet market.

Fiat needs to bring in some more 'cult' cars like the 600 pictured and the 500 that was shown at the motorshow last year. The 500 could do for Fiat what the new Mini did for BMW!

The Negotiator said:

MG sell more than Fiat?! lol

Click to expand...

Is that such a surprise given that these are UK sales we're talking about? I seriously doubt that MG sold more cars than Fiat in any other European country...

The older models did sell better, although Fiat i think is remembered only for several models; the Punto, 500 and a few others, i like the croma though although that was a complete flop like the F*** Granada (Scorpio).

As will the new Croma or whatever.

Point taken Steve, though it was a funny statement in the article I thought.