NEWS

FIAT Group UK has appointed Jonny Miller as the firm’s new group remarketing manager. Miller will report to Simon Wheeler who recently took the role of fleet and remarketing director. He will be responsible for the remarketing and disposal of all Fiat Group vehicles; which includes Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Fiat Professional, and now Chrysler, [...]

THERE are few things stranger than an Italian maker’s launch – and the unveiling of the latest Abarths is no different. Last night I arrived in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, to try the latest Abarth 500C and Punto Evo – but it wasn’t until pre-dinner drinks I noticed something wasn’t quite right… You know that feeling [...]

FIAT has introduced an efficiency-boosting inventory management system across its Group dealer network. This, says the firm, will help dealers manage parts sales and availability more profitably. The PRIM2 system – Parts Retail Inventory Management – will solve a key dealer problem of obsolescence, promises Fiat Group sales manager John Murray. ‘Our confidence in PRIM2 [...]

ALFA Romeo chief Andrew Humberstone wants dealers to have a more strategic role in the network’s future. The Fiat Group Automobiles UK chief executive told Car Dealer he wants the network’s dealer council to become the ‘Alfa Romeo Dealer Association’. ‘We’d want them to come up with ideas and general topics that need addressing,’ said [...]

FIAT has won a brilliant fleet deal that will see it supply cars to both England FC and Wembley Stadium. The deal runs until 2014 and will include Fiat Group promotions at Wembley, too! This means England FC followers will see adverts for Fiat during England home internationals. It will also stretch to FA officials [...]

FIAT is launching its new low-mileage service plan with a bang by offering it FREE to 500 and Punto Evo buyers. The Feel3 scheme has been designed for those covering less than 10k miles a year. In usual service plan fare, it includes all regular routine maintenance. Usually, a sample 3-year, 27k plan will cost [...]

FIAT Marylebone has entered the digital age with 4 new car configurators and a bold external digital display. The ‘electronic poster’ display constantly changes, to show off a huge selection of Fiat special offers, deals and new car news. This means window space is far better utilised, at lower cost – and the clever display [...]

FIAT has unveiled the all-new Doblo, which will come to the UK from early next year in van and budget people carrier form. What’s more, the new model is also going to be sold in the US – as a Ram! It’s all part of the Fiat-Chrysler marriage, which will see the Dodge brand spin [...]

NEW car sales for October saw more big market share increases – led by scrappage winner Hyundai. Market share for the Korean brand was up 286 percent! That’s over 100 percent MORE than sister brand Kia’s otherwise-glittering 156 percent rise. Fiat’s sales were also up 117 percent, while Nissan scored 108 percent, Suzuki 106 percent [...]

CHRYSLER is to develop an integrated sales and marketing structure with Fiat Group in the future. This will replace the current Chrysler-owned sales and marketing channel, plus Daimler back office. The plans will, says the company, ‘leverage Fiat Group strength in Europe’, and will lead to a ‘significant expansion of dealer networks’. Chrysler, Dodge and [...]

FIAT will provide the base for more than half of Chrysler Group’s cars in a 5-year product overhaul. By 2014, 56 percent of Chryslers will actually be derived from Fiats. The plans were revealed yesterday in a marathon 5-hour meeting, as the struggling US brand explained how it is going to turn itself around. This [...]

NEW car sales rises are being driven by small cars, reveals latest registration data from the SMMT. Supermini sales are up 47.9 percent in October – and city car sales are up an incredible 200 percent! This has seen 7 out of the top 10 best-sellers being superminis.  It also means there are some surprises. [...]

STRICTLY Come Dancing winner Tom Chambers is back on TV, starring in a hit BBC1 drama series. Perfect time for Fiat to announce he’s just taken delivery of a new car. Yes, it’s a 500C. Inevitably, Chambers picked this up from the firm’s flash Wigmore Street outlet in Central London. Creating another handover job for [...]

FIAT’s posh Wigmore Street London car dealer has just hosted a reception for an Italian artist. Franco Brescianini turned the car dealer into an art exhibition hall, with over 100 guests including arty types, celebs and, of course, Fiat car buyers. This saw it take on a ‘white room’ appearance, to display the work which [...]

VOLKSWAGEN, Ford, Fiat and Renault are the makers behind a big European recovery in new car sales. The market rose 7.5 percent in September 2009, with massive sellers such as the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Fiesta, Fiat Grande Punto and Renault Megane leading the charge. They alone saw sales rise by 50 percent over September 2008! [...]

FIAT’S flagship Marylebone car dealer has just handed over a flash new 500C to TV actress Angela Griffin. The Corrie star, who’s also been in Holby City, bought a 1.2 Pop version of the eco city, after being won over by Tony Dittli’s team. What’s she doing down there, though, given her roots in Manchester? [...]

VERTU has taken on the Fiat franchise for the first time, to expand its 54-outlet UK footprint. Former Brooklyn sites in Cheltenham and Worcester have been earmarked for the Italian brand. ‘We have long wanted to add the Fiat car franchise to our portfolio,’ said group CEO Robert Forrester. ‘This is a very exciting development for [...]

PERRYS Portsmouth has just invested HALF A MILLION pounds into its booming new and used car sales centres. The Fiat, Mazda and Peugeot car dealers have also had to take on three extra managers to cope with demand. Opening this week is a completely updated used car centre. There’s also a 16-bay all-makes service centre, [...]

FIAT Group is celebrating, after sales in August turned the clock back to 2001 for the three-brand maker. Sales rose by more than 85 percent year-on-year, to give the firm its biggest market share since May 2001. Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Abarth snared 5.14 percent of total UK sales – and even the 4.5 percent [...]

WHICH? Car’s annual dealer satisfaction survey has rated Lexus top of the class for the 5th year running. The consumer body says Lexus dealers are virtually untouchable, both in sales and servicing. Indeed, one customer, it reports, said ‘even the coffee was great’. But equally praised was Daihatsu in second place; showing, said Which? Car, [...]