Fiat Passes on Milano Auto Show

by TTAC Staff

November 18th, 2013 9:45 AM

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If you were hoping to celebrate an early Christmas in Milan with Signore Marchionne next year, you’re out of luck: Fiat has declined an invitation to show at the 2014 Milano Auto Show in light of the weakened local market.

The Italian half of the Italo-American mashup stated that the shows in Paris, Frankfurt and Geneva are enough for all automakers to show off their latest and greatest to the masses and the press alike, and that current economic conditions may not be able to support another auto show, especially one in a market that took only 1.3 million cars out of the showroom in 2013 after a peak of 2.5 million units sold back in 2007.

In response, Chairman Alfredo Cazzola of Promotor, the production company responsible for organizing next year’s show, had this to say to the Italian daily La Repubblica:

Fiat’s business is to build cars, not to organize shows.

Cazzola also said that Fiat would change its mind once they’ve seen what his Promotor has in store for Milan. Previously, Promotor were responsible for the Bologna Auto Show until its reorganization as the Milano Auto Show, where 133 exhibitors displayed their wares in 2012. In contrast, this year’s show in Frankfort held 1,000 under their tent.

As for 2013, the 38th iteration of the Bologna Auto Show was cancelled due to a lack of exhibitors.

#AutoShows #BolognaAutoShow #EconomicDecline #Fiat #Italy #LocalMarkets #MilanoAutoShow #Promotor #Reorganization

TTAC Staff

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9 of 34 comments

Mjz on Nov 18, 2013

That FIAT pick-up looks like it was overtaken by the B.O.R.G. Resistance is futile.

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- Marcelo de Vasconcellos on Nov 18, 2013
  
  You should see the new model...
  
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Vipul Singh on Nov 18, 2013

Is that an A178 based trucklet in the main pic? Or is it based on the all new Palio? Marcelo: any clue?

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- Victor on Nov 18, 2013
  
  That's still a Project 178 derivative. Just last month the Project 326 had its commercial derivative launched, the New Fiorino - even though it carries the New Uno (aka Project 327) fascia, doors and dashboard, underneith the skin that's a full-on 326. Brazilian press says on the matter that FIAT is set to replace the 178-derived Strada - or at least its Adventure more expensive versions - with a bigger truck that could pass as a lighter and slightly smaller Dakota replacement for the US. Maybe then we'll see an open pickup version of the New Fiorino replacing the Strada's lesser, Working versions.
  
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- Marcelo de Vasconcellos on Nov 18, 2013
  
  @Victor Vpul, Viquitor is basically correct though my info is that they're developing CUV thing (think EcoSport) on the new Palio's bones. Could be out as early as next year. As to the future of the Strada and Palio SW, othing has been decided. One alternative is what you wrote, another would be a Strada developed from the CUV (it'd be bigger but not quite Dakota size). Alas, it seems the Palio SW will not be long for this world. Vipul, the main difference between Strada and Palio SW and the Palio you got in India was that they sat on a stretched version of the Palio and had beefier suspension bits.
  
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- Vipul Singh on Nov 18, 2013
  
  @Marcelo de Vasconcellos Thanks for the info Viquitor and Marcelo. FIAT needa to bring the project 326 cars India soon, especially the CUV. They are soldiering on with the Grande Punto and Linea - just doing a total of 1000 cars a month. I just cancelled the Ecosport booking a few days ago (having waited for 5 months). So the demand for a CUV is certainly there in India. We also got the extended wheelbase Palio Weekend and Adventure in India for a few years, but there were very few takers for it. In fact, these vehicles are a maintenance nightmare here. What is the parts aituation like for the first facelift of the A178 palio? My friend visited Brazil for a week and I asked him to get me a gear lever knob (leather) for my car. But none of the dealers carried the part. I ask because it is my great hope that eventually, once dealer support ceases in India, I would be able to keep my car alive by getting stuff from Brazil.
  
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- Marcelo de Vasconcellos on Nov 18, 2013
  
  @Vipul Singh Hi Vipul, I guess your friend could not get a leather knob 'cause that was not an original opton in Brazil. Leather seats could be had, but usually it was done by a third party (independent shop) in or out of the dealership. The Palio has sold a lot, so mechanical parts should not be a problem for many years. Finishing parts may vary as there were more common and less common versions. But if you do chose o do it like that, I imagine it would not be impossible.
  
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Ajla on Nov 18, 2013

I want to lick that truck.

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Tim_Turbo on Nov 19, 2013

Gee is that the new Subaru Baja?

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