Fiat Planning Third Model for American Lineup
The Fiat brand has had a bumpy start in the U.S. market, but the Italian automaker hopes to change things around now that its dealer network has finally expanded.
Last year, Fiat 500 sales only hit 19,769 cars, way below its target goal of 50,000. But now with the Abarth 500 on the horizon, the recently revealed 500L wagon coming next spring, and the Fiat 500 EV coming next year, the Italian brand looks poised to become a formidable player in the compact car market.
Fiat U.S. brand chief, Tim Kuniskis, recently revealed that the American lineup may increase to three models. While Kuniskis wouldn’t detail what the third model is, he did say that styling will always be their emphasis and that “any car we sell has got to be different.”
So what could it be? Our guess is that Fiat will bring a crossover to America. It’s only a fitting addition to their existing subcompact coupe/convertible and incoming four-door wagon.
Fiat now has 142 dealers and hopes to reach 200 by the end of next year.
GALLERY: Fiat 500L
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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