Fiat is planning to launch a low-cost car in 2010 and a micro car in late 2009 or early 2010, according to the firm’s head of research and development.
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“We’re developing a basic concept in a dimension slightly above the current Panda”, Harald Wester said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport magazine that will be published Thursday.
Wester did not indicate a price range at which the low-cost car could be sold.
Wester also said Fiat’s low-cost car will help to bolster the company’s position in South America and to tap new markets, such as Russia, India and China.
He said the car would be produced in the market in which it is sold, if unit sales in that market reach at least 100,000 units.
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By GlobalDataWester said the car could be launched under a new brand.
“Internally, we are asking the question whether with such a model we would thwart the positive image of Fiat we have build up over the years,” the R&D chief said.
Wester confirmed Fiat is planning a new micro car, smaller than its 500 model, which will hit the market at the end of 2009 or early in 2010. He said Fiat targets unit sales of more than 100,000 and the car will be build at Fiat’s Polish Tichy production site.
Wester also said Fiat plans to expand production capacities for the 500 model.
“We are expanding production step by step and should be able to deliver almost 200,000 units this year,” he told the magazine. He said this would reduce queuing time, which is currently up to four months.
