Fiat tops auto sales in domestic market
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 12, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Italian automaker Fiat tops auto sales in Turkey last month. In April, Fiat had a 19.1 percent share in Turkey’s total passenger cars and light commercial vehicles market. But the industry already is looking to the weeks ahead, as the temporary tax cut introduced by the government expires as of June 15
Fiat, the Turin, Italy-based Italian automobile manufacturer, was the most preferred brand in Turkey last month in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
Fiat had a 19.1 percent share in Turkey’s total passenger cars and light commercial vehicles market in April, where 52,640 vehicles were sold. During the month, 10,032 Fiat vehicles were sold. That was an increase of 40 percent compared to a month earlier.
Fiat, which sold 61,043 light commercial vehicles and passenger cars in 2008, was able to sell a total of 19,781 vehicles during the first quarter of the year, which allowed the company to take 13.3 percent share of the market.
The market growth in April was just as anticipated, said Fiat Brand Manager Okan Baş. Fiat attained its goal of selling more then 10,00 units, he added. Steady work and good planning helped the company attain such success, he said.
Due to the global economic slowdown, many players of the automotive industry had excessive inventory, which was a problem, said Baş, who added that such trouble never existed for Fiat, which always manages to administrate its inventory very well.
"The government’s decision to implement a discount on private consumption tax, or ÖTV, on vehicles generated high demand. And although we were lacking in excess inventory, we still managed to act quite rapidly to meet that flow of demand."
High market share
Fiat owned 38 percent of the total market share in April, with its commercial vehicle sales, said Baş. "This was the highest market share we have ever owned. We also saw good results in the cumulative sum during the first four months of the year. Fiat has increased its total market share from 12.4 percent to 13.3 percent. At the end of the first four months of the year we ranked on top. We are aiming to carry on the same balanced policy," he said, adding that the company’s main goal is to manage to end this year with a 13 percent share in the total automotive market.
Some 9,000 vehicles out of the total vehicles sold in March by Fiat were produced locally, said Baş. "This has been a great answer from the market to government’s stimulus measures. The economy and the labor force have benefited quite a lot from the ÖTV discount. We recalled our employees and they have been working a lot since that day. We have reached this point with good planning, which was based on model and version, he said.
Fiat also enriched its product portfolio, Baş said. "One of those was Albea’s Premio version. After Doblo’s Safeline, Linea 1.6 multijet version was produced. The results show that these products met clients’ expectations. We also know Fiorino is s strong product," he said. " Last month Fiat sold 2,800 Doblos, 3,200 Fiorinos and 1,600 Lineas. We think, we were quick to answer to customer’s demands. Fiat increased its sales from 6,000 to 10,000."
"It is tougher to import cars than producing them locally. However, our waiting period for imported vehicles was less then a month, which was a success," said Baş. "Answering the demand quickly has the utmost importance, and we are aware of the fact that we have the strength to do so."
Consumers prefer to pay in cash
Last month nearly 70 percent of all purchases were paid in cash, said Baş, and added that banks have also been easing credit conditions for the past two to three months. He said he expected the loan applications to obtain vehicles to increase in May and June.
There has been an increase in vehicle prices, he said. "However, despite the pressure of ÖTV discount on production costs, the price increase was still kept at minimum."
"A new campaign was launched for Fiat Fiorino and Doblo that will last through out May. The campaign includes 2,000 liras upfront and then 466 liras in installment for the next 46 months."
The temporary decrease in ÖTV, or special consumption tax, revived the auto market, said Baş. ÖTV discount will end as of June 15, he reminded. "We will see together what will happen after June 15."
Fiat had a 19.1 percent share in Turkey’s total passenger cars and light commercial vehicles market in April, where 52,640 vehicles were sold. During the month, 10,032 Fiat vehicles were sold. That was an increase of 40 percent compared to a month earlier.
Fiat, which sold 61,043 light commercial vehicles and passenger cars in 2008, was able to sell a total of 19,781 vehicles during the first quarter of the year, which allowed the company to take 13.3 percent share of the market.
The market growth in April was just as anticipated, said Fiat Brand Manager Okan Baş. Fiat attained its goal of selling more then 10,00 units, he added. Steady work and good planning helped the company attain such success, he said.
Due to the global economic slowdown, many players of the automotive industry had excessive inventory, which was a problem, said Baş, who added that such trouble never existed for Fiat, which always manages to administrate its inventory very well.
"The government’s decision to implement a discount on private consumption tax, or ÖTV, on vehicles generated high demand. And although we were lacking in excess inventory, we still managed to act quite rapidly to meet that flow of demand."
High market share
Fiat owned 38 percent of the total market share in April, with its commercial vehicle sales, said Baş. "This was the highest market share we have ever owned. We also saw good results in the cumulative sum during the first four months of the year. Fiat has increased its total market share from 12.4 percent to 13.3 percent. At the end of the first four months of the year we ranked on top. We are aiming to carry on the same balanced policy," he said, adding that the company’s main goal is to manage to end this year with a 13 percent share in the total automotive market.
Some 9,000 vehicles out of the total vehicles sold in March by Fiat were produced locally, said Baş. "This has been a great answer from the market to government’s stimulus measures. The economy and the labor force have benefited quite a lot from the ÖTV discount. We recalled our employees and they have been working a lot since that day. We have reached this point with good planning, which was based on model and version, he said.
Fiat also enriched its product portfolio, Baş said. "One of those was Albea’s Premio version. After Doblo’s Safeline, Linea 1.6 multijet version was produced. The results show that these products met clients’ expectations. We also know Fiorino is s strong product," he said. " Last month Fiat sold 2,800 Doblos, 3,200 Fiorinos and 1,600 Lineas. We think, we were quick to answer to customer’s demands. Fiat increased its sales from 6,000 to 10,000."
"It is tougher to import cars than producing them locally. However, our waiting period for imported vehicles was less then a month, which was a success," said Baş. "Answering the demand quickly has the utmost importance, and we are aware of the fact that we have the strength to do so."
Consumers prefer to pay in cash
Last month nearly 70 percent of all purchases were paid in cash, said Baş, and added that banks have also been easing credit conditions for the past two to three months. He said he expected the loan applications to obtain vehicles to increase in May and June.
There has been an increase in vehicle prices, he said. "However, despite the pressure of ÖTV discount on production costs, the price increase was still kept at minimum."
"A new campaign was launched for Fiat Fiorino and Doblo that will last through out May. The campaign includes 2,000 liras upfront and then 466 liras in installment for the next 46 months."
The temporary decrease in ÖTV, or special consumption tax, revived the auto market, said Baş. ÖTV discount will end as of June 15, he reminded. "We will see together what will happen after June 15."