28 April 2016

Fiat Production In Italy: 2010-2014

It's hard to put a positive spin on what has happened to car production in Italy. Numbers dropped below 400,000 in 2010 and 300,000 a year later. Production was about as low as it could go without disappearing, for a mainstream brand needs volume. Yet somehow it is surviving. With the arrival of the 500X, it looks like things are turning around. Added to that the Jeep Renegade (not included here because we are talking Fiat only) and numbers are improving.


Panda: This tiny city car returned from Polish production to Italy in 2011 and that became the biggest model made here by 2013.


500X: This mini crossover vehicle has entered a growing segment and should bolster Fiat production. It had only just arrived in late 2014 so had little impact that year.


Model 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Panda - 3,148 104,373 149,193 157,130

Punto 268,283 224,565 138,454 116,391 91,402

500X - - - - 4,157

Bravo/Brava 44,685 30,065 16,833 9,803 2,604

Idea 5,864 5,874 2,381 - -

Croma 9,328 - - - -

Multipla 7,835 - - - -

Total 335,995 263,652 262,041 275,387 255,293

Data source: ANFIA.

Summary: A quarter of a million cars is chicken feed in today's market environment where volume is essential to viability. It does look like the situation is turning around but to what degree only Fiat could say. Most Fiat cars are made elsewhere but it is important that production is maintained in Italy for what is an Italian brand. 

27 April 2016

The Mazda MX-5 Hits One Million


Mazda are a lesser car maker in Japan. They have to work hard to be noticed and that means being a little different. One of those is making a sports car, one inspired by the British varieties such as MG and Triumph that were successful in years gone by. Mazda did it very well and had a winner on their hands. They have just made one million of the MX-5 to prove it.

In 1989, the car was introduced. Initial sales were good but over the years the popularity of the sports car genre has waned. Mazda has persisted nevertheless and nearly 29 years later, the fourth generation is here. First up the NA was made from 1989-1997. Then the NB went from 1998-2005. The third iteration (NC) was from 2006-2015. The ND has just been released and will also be sold as a Fiat.

Over the years, production has gone down. The data below shows the consistent trend, with spikes for new model introductions. The data below doesn't give 2016 figures and I assume 2016 production will not make this list hit the seven digit number. Therefore they may be slight inaccuracies in some of the figures but it is very close. Also, identical sales and production for 2015 doesn't seem likely. However, that is what I got.

With sports cars not enjoying as much popularity, I wonder if a fifth series would ever be made. I guess if the business case is sound, it would.


Year Sales Prod

1988
12

1989 35,843 45,266

1990 75,798 95,640

1991 71,538 63,434

1992 53,020 52,712

1993 45,145 44,743

1994 38,824 39,623

1995 35,649 31,886

1996 33,201 33,610

1997 32,035 27,037

1998 49,205 58,682

1999 46,402 44,851

2000 44,610 47,496

2001 39,266 38,870

2002 38,958 40,754

2003 33,004 30,106

2004 26,763 24,232

2005 25,263 29,950

2006 44,243 48,389

2007 41,574 37,022

2008 28,743 22,886

2009 22,139 19,341

2010 20,066 20,554

2011 16,582 14,995

2012 15,836 15,400

2013 13,770 11,639

2014 11,916 9,150

2015 12,209 12,209

2016 ? ?

Total 951,602 960,489

Data source: Everything explained.

24 April 2016

Fiat Production In Italy: 2005-2009

The Grande Punto from 2005

Production numbers had dropped below 500,000 in 2005 before a temporary revival and another fall. A new Mk III Punto model had lifted volumes in 2006 but not to the same level of earlier models. They had made over 700,000 per year of the first generation, but not anymore. The unpopular Stilo gave way to the Bravo/Brava's return but again in much lower volumes than the previous B/B of 1995-2001 vintage.

The Croma returned but not as a large family car but a wagon-come-MPV and was never going to be a large volume vehicle. The Multipla and Idea were on the way out. Overall, not a positive situation for Fiat production in Italy.


Model 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Punto 290,583 449,449 412,997 264,048 335,246

Bravo/Brava - - 115,328 86,051 63,785

Croma 25,393 34,991 24,992 26,772 11,363

Multipla 29,721 26,853 19,771 16,015 9,802

Idea 42,643 33,031 23,206 13,227 9,488

Stilo 69,655 46,798 12,507 281 -

Barchetta 242 - - - -

Total 458,237 591,122 608,801 406,394 429,684

Data source: ANFIA.

23 April 2016

Fiat Production In Italy: 2000-2004

For the year 2000, Fiat Italian production fell below one million with the Punto contributing about two thirds of the total. As the Punto waned, the Stilo took over from the Bravo/Brava but was not entirely successful in doing so. More cars were being made elsewhere and production barely made 500,000 by 2004. There were two new models:


Stilo: It came as a 3 or 5 door and wagon. It wasn't well received and it seems it was a loss making model.


Idea: Was this small MPV a good idea? It was well packaged and practical but production volumes look disappointing.


Model 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Punto 604,312 521,886 439,170 406,789 320,761

Stilo - 73,990 179,424 168,420 106,059

Idea - - - 12,680 61,735

Multipla 48,682 50,354 31,128 21,692 25,065

Barchetta 4,294 3,404 879 918 933

Panda 94,115 95,202 102,132 64,178 -

Marea 75,048 37,104 12,937 - -

600 Elettra 41 68 33 - -

Bravo/Brava 151,013 68,285 - - -

Coupe 2,299 - - - -

Total 979,804 850,293 765,703 674,677 514,553

Data source: ANFIA.

21 April 2016

Fiat Production In Italy: 1994-1999

The Fiat Punto

I would have liked to go back further, but 1994 is where the road begins for Fiat production in Italy by model. Around this time, just over a million cars each year were made there of the Fiat brand. About half of that number were the Punto model, a mini hatchback (plus a convertible). It was introduced in 1993 to replace the very successful Uno, and proved to be a winner as well.

The small Bravo (3 door) and Brava (5 door) replaced the successful Tipo but not with the same popularity. Likewise, the slightly larger Marea took over from the Tempra. The large Croma model seemingly wasn't replaced by anything, but I assume the Marea covered for that.

Of the other models, the small MPV Mulitpla was very spacious but also unusual looking. No, really (if you haven't seen one). The Fiat Coupé was a small sports car with angular styling and quite attractive. It was released in 1993 and finished in 2000. The Barchetta small roadster was pleasant in appearance but not a big selling model. Finally the 600 Elettra was an electric version of the regular 600.

In summary, 1999 was the last year production in Italy - for the Fiat brand - exceeded one million. That will become evident in the next article of the series.

Model 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Punto 559,260 666,705 563,601 656,283 568,590 552,260
Bravo/Brava - 93,464 293,746 254,293 192,848 181,437
Panda 72,925 76,327 61,783 130,108 123,788 129,825
Marea - - 53,545 141,228 93,951 87,468
Multipla - - - - 7,956 47,708
Coupé 17,987 13,483 11,359 12,186 9,023 6,361
Barchetta - 14,197 9,700 9,848 6,864 6,199
600 Elettra - - - - 81 138
Uno 144,068 71,864 43,920 13,632 - -
Tempra 76,136 43,830 6,135 1,680 - -
Croma 14,022 12,778 6,775 - - -
Tipo 178,812 108,684 2,304 - - -
Total 1,063,210 1,101,332 1,052,868 1,219,258 1,003,101 1,011,396

Data source: ANFIA.

The Marea saloon and wagon