Fiat brand models planned for introduction in India will be made locally, according to Nagesh Basavanhalli, CEO and managing director, India Operations for Fiat-Chrysler which has announced plans to launch nine products in the country by 2016.
However, Chrysler products, to be introduced through the Jeep brand, will be imported as completely built units (CBUs).
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Fiat will launch the new Punto, a compact SUV, the Linea Classic, and a new Linea in 2014. However, its small premium sports car, badged Abarth, will be imported CBU.
Speaking to the Hindu newspaper, Basavanhalli said: “As and when we are doing more products for India, our goal is always to get to a high level of localisation. Where there is a need to be quicker to market, we will go to the CBU route, and in cases where it is more price sensitive and we need to localise more to get to the consumer base, we will opt for the CKD route.”
Jeep plans to launch the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee later this year. It also plans to launch an SUV in the B and C segment each in 2015 and 2016.
Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility now makes the Punto and Linea and has a capacity of 165,000 cars and 300,000 engines and transmissions, besides being used by Tata Motors to make the Vista and Manza models.
