Fiat chief executive Sergio Marchionne has confirmed the company’s 2013 profit targets and an outlook for a European car market at last year’s levels.
“I don’t see any glimmer of hope (for a European market recovery) this year,” he told Reuters at a press conference at the Geneva show.
“The first quarter will be rough.”
German car sales on Monday were reported to have fallen 10% in February, indicating that consumers in Europe’s largest car market were also beginning to feel the pinch.
European car sales fell to a 17 year low in 2012, down about 8% year on year.
Marchionne said he saw the Italian car market falling to below its 2012 level this year when it returned to volumes not seen since the 1970s.

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData