Innocenti or Autobianchi revival? 2 new, small Fiats coming for developing markets

[nadepalma]

I thought this was interesting...would love to see the Innocenti name make a comeback.

Seems everyone wants a cheap World-Car to produce for the developing world and 3rd world countries. This would be a good segment for Fiat to exist in - and a 3rd brand could fit the bill; especially as Fiat seems to want to improve it's image around the world and would arguably want to "protect" its brand-revival.

And now that brands like Tata are planning on jumping in the fray, it makes it that much more attractive. We know Toyota is planning on playing here and GM has already said it was working on such a project.

Fiat already has a "world-car" range in the Palio class of cars (Palio, Weekend, Siena, etc) - but the lifespan of that range is coming to a close and Fiat is already looking at even cheaper vehicles for places like India.

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Originally Posted by AutoBlog

Fiat is toying with the idea of spinning off the car, currently dubbed the "new Uno", as a separate brand. Over the years Fiat has absorbed a wealth of Italian auto brands and, as it did with Abarth, could revive either the Innocenti or Autobianchi marques.

1972 Innocenti Mini 1.3


1963 Innocenti 950


1982 Innocenti Turbo De Tomaso

[Bravada]

I am afraid with Fiat's current hit-and-miss marketing (see: Alfa Romeo and Lancia), neither of the brands are in question, but rather some convulted solution of making something like "Gingo" a brand or sub-brand...

[tomprice]

Wasn't Fiat's Palio supposed to be a "world car"? or am I mistaken in thinking that?

Either way - one wonders if the new small cars would be sold in Europe (western europe?) as we already have a huge variety of small cars from Fiat itself - Nuova 500, Panda, Grande Punto, Idea - surely four separate models in what is essentially a pretty similar market is already enough, even before you factor in the 3dr/5dr Punto?!

[Bravada]

The larger model of the two is the "new Uno", the car that will replace the Palio as the world car and serve as Fiat's answer to Logan in Europe. The Palio itself is a largely rehashed Uno - though the new car will reportedly start off the old Punto platform, with bits borrowed from Panda.

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by Bravada

I am afraid with Fiat's current hit-and-miss marketing (see: Alfa Romeo and Lancia), neither of the brands are in question, but rather some convulted solution of making something like "Gingo" a brand or sub-brand...

So you think they'll create a new brand (if they decide to do this) rather than just reuse the Autobianchi or Innocenti brands?

I know that there is some history between Autobianchi and Lancia - the old Y10 was an Autobianchi model before it eventually became the Ypsilon over at Lancia (if memory serves). So I'd be less inclined to want to see Autobianchi revived as a brand. Plus there is an active registry that exists online for older Autobianchi models (http://www.autobianchi.com/eng/reg_storico.htm) and not sure if that would somehow mixup their marketing efforts (if they were to revive the brand that is).

Innocenti, on the other hand, appeals to me a great deal and seems the right move if they want something that is distinctive and cheap. It has a history steeped in this and would do well in this role - at least I think so.

Just my two cents.

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by tomprice

Wasn't Fiat's Palio supposed to be a "world car"? or am I mistaken in thinking that?

Yes, it was (and is), but it's shelflife is rather short right now. They've been talking of a replacement model for some time.

Still, I admire Fiat for what they did with the Palio-based range. It seemed as though every other year the cars got updated with revised front and rear fascias, small interior updates, and different variants (3/5-door, sedan, weekend, "micro-pick-up", etc).

I wonder what the next gen will look like.

[Bravada]

Innocenti is an "alien" brand to Fiat - it was a license vehicle for British Leyland for most of its time, and then a sales channel for Daihatsu hardware, competing directly with Fiat. They bought it mostly to eradicate all competition in Italy, and relegated it to selling rebadged Yugo Korals, Milles and Elbas (the Elba being the second most reviled Fiat in Italy after its sedan sister, Fiat Duna). I don't think there is much value in the brand name, let alone sentiment in the Fiat Group to revive it...

Autobianchi was founded to provide a channel to sell premium small cars, as well as test field for novelty technical solutions (like transverse FWD, pioneered in the Autobianchi Primula). Today, the first function is taken over by Lancia, Alfa and Fiat, all to some extent (Ypsilon, Musa, 500, Junior/MiTo), and the second is a necessity and not only a luxury a large automaker can afford. I love the brand dearly, but it is hard to pronunce and, by now, rather obscure, not to mention its premise doesn't fit the decribed function. I would LOVE Autobianchi back, but I'd doubt Fiat would do that.

Still, I admire Fiat for what they did with the Palio-based range.

They sure took a leaf out of the 1950s book of American automotive design in that they facelifted the cars beyond reason, but they didn't fix the obvious crappiness of the interior :/

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by Bravada

Innocenti is an "alien" brand to Fiat - it was a license vehicle for British Leyland for most of its time, and then a sales channel for Daihatsu hardware, competing directly with Fiat. They bought it mostly to eradicate all competition in Italy, and relegated it to selling rebadged Yugo Korals, Milles and Elbas (the Elba being the second most reviled Fiat in Italy after its sedan sister, Fiat Duna). I don't think there is much value in the brand name, let alone sentiment in the Fiat Group to revive it...

Autobianchi was founded to provide a channel to sell premium small cars, as well as test field for novelty technical solutions (like transverse FWD, pioneered in the Autobianchi Primula). Today, the first function is taken over by Lancia, Alfa and Fiat, all to some extent (Ypsilon, Musa, 500, Junior/MiTo), and the second is a necessity and not only a luxury a large automaker can afford. I love the brand dearly, but it is hard to pronunce and, by now, rather obscure, not to mention its premise doesn't fit the decribed function. I would LOVE Autobianchi back, but I'd doubt Fiat would do that.



They sure took a leaf out of the 1950s book of American automotive design in that they facelifted the cars beyond reason, but they didn't fix the obvious crappiness of the interior :/

Good info all around Bravada.

I knew that Innocenti was a BL linked brand, but still like it for some reason.

Autobianchi would be good too, but like you say, there really isn't a place today for the brand in it's historical context.

I have another article up that touches on this indirectly; seems Fiat is looking to possibly purchase Zastava and market/make cars with them. Could Fiat possibly want to do what Renault did with Dacia and use that as an outlet and brand for some markets? Could we see Zastavas sold in Eastern Europe and as a budget brand in Western Europe?

Here's the link: Buying cheap brands, getting cheap labor: Fiat to start talks with Zastava