Fiat's Viaggio To Bolster Chinese Exports
Italy’s Fiat, late to the Chinese party, finally opened its first plant in China today. Reuters reports that “the plant, based in Hunan province, is the latest development in a 5 billion yuan ($786.73 million) joint-venture between Fiat and GAC, China’s sixth largest auto manufacturer.” The plant also should help improving China’s dismal car export statistics.
Fiat will build the Viaggio in Hunan, based on the Dodge Dart a.k.a. Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Some 140,000 Viaggio (“travel, journey, trip, tour, road” – the long march?) can be produced in Hunan. If the Chinese won’t buy them, someone else will.
“Just coming out of the press conference and the Viaggio will be exported,” texts Ashley Sutcliffe, proprietor of Chinacartimes.com.
Until Ash finds an Internet cafe from where he can file his report, just this: Everybody had been hysterical about cheap Chinese cars that would soon flood the market, but it didn’t happen. Quite the opposite is happening: Joint venture brands, led by General Motors and Volkswagen, are grabbing a larger and larger share of the Chinese market. China still imports more cars than it exports. Cars made by joint ventures feature prominently on the export list. GM started exporting its Sail a year ago, GM is at the forefront of this export from China move, others follow, as predicted two years ago.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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A Dart by any other name...
In another response to a post on this car I mentioned that Fiat needs to bring this car to BRazil asap. This car could give it the halo effect it needs and together with the Freemont and Cincuecento it could give the company the means to worm its way into the pockets of better-off Brazilians. I previously also said that even the name need not be changed for Brazil as it didn't bring up any 'negative' associations like it did in English. Well, scratch that. Fiat, please do yourselves a favor and offer it in Brazil. But change the name. I hadn't realized before. but in a conversation with a friend about this car he mentioned that the word had a similar pronunciation to a derogatory word in Portuguese. One that would not please potential red-blooded male buyers. It's true. Change the name and bring it.
Marcelo, did you mean Fiat Viagra ? A bit like the Mercedes Cialis I suppose.