Ram To Get Turkish-Built Fiat Doblo

by Derek Kreindler

Published: February 11th, 2013

A Turkish affiliate of Fiat had disclosed plans to import the Doblo as a Ram van, to compete with the Ford Transit Connect. Automotive News Europe reported that exports would begin in 2014 with expected volumes of around 20,000 units per year.

The Doblo van will be built by Tofas, a Turkish JV between Fiat and Koc Holdings. Tofas will also build two new compacts, which replace the Fiat Linea, though the Doblo will be important for Tofas as it seeks to diversify its exports beyond the slumping European market. The Transit Connect is also built in Turkey, though Ford is transferring production to Spain in the near future.

Since 2008, there has been significant growth in the commercial van sector, with European-derived product replacing the rear-drive, V8 vans previously offered by Detroit. But while Chrysler and Ford have been matching one another tit for tat with European commercial vans, GM has so far persisted in retaining the Savanna and Express full-size vans.

#CommercialVan #Fiat #FiatDoblo #FordTransitConnect #Ram #Turkey

Derek Kreindler

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5 of 29 comments

Sinistermisterman on Feb 11, 2013

I'm assuming that Fiat will pull the same trick Ford has done to avoid the chicken tax by having it imported with a couple of cheapo seats bolted in the back. Why do such retarded laws exist which are so easy to circumvent?

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- Pch101 on Feb 11, 2013
  
  "Why do such retarded laws exist which are so easy to circumvent?" The US doesn't have much motivation to unilaterally drop it. We don't stand much to gain by getting rid of it unless we get something else that we want in return, so the status quo remains. If the US ends up signing an FTA with the EU, then I suspect that the EU would be exempted from the chicken tax as just one component of a larger FTA package. But it's such a negligible part of the market that it won't matter very much for Ford, Fiat or anyone else. And yes, an FTA may be coming. Pay attention to the State of the Union tomorrow, as the president is supposed to be pushing for it: http://businessandleadership.com/exporting/item/39562-president-obama-to-announce/
  
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Commando on Feb 11, 2013

Those moans you hear, once again, are coming from the service department of your local Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealer. First was the German crap they had to learn to deal with, then the Italian fluster cluck engineering, and now some Turkish taffy.

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APaGttH on Feb 11, 2013

FWIW I know GM offer the HHR as a panel van and IIRC correctly you could get it sans back seats with a throw up cargo area. I know it isn't a Euro to US but it was a "small" cargo van offering of - errrr - sorts. [INSERT JUSTIFIED SNICKERS HERE] Oh - and that Fiat van is 20 gallons of ugly in a 10 gallon jug.

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Marcelo de Vasconcellos on Feb 13, 2013

the doblo is one of those cars that cause rejection at the first moment. However, those who see it for what it is end up loving it. It should appeal to pros, families who want something different than cuv or minivan and active people. I for one aspire to own one.

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