You read it first on MotorBeam. Fiat India will launch the Linea Classic on the 25th of September 2013. The launch will take place in New Delhi. However don’t get too excited as the Linea Classic is not a new model but a re-positioning of the current Linea in the lower C-segment. This will enable Fiat to make way for the upcoming Linea facelift which will be positioned in the upper C-segment, where the current Linea is placed. Fiat has been extensively testing both the Lineas near its factory in Pune for the past couple of months.
Fiat hasn’t been able to sell many units of the Linea in the Indian market, in spite of the vehicle being terrific in many ways. The Italian automaker sold just 222 units of the Linea last month and the Classic edition should help the company give it a shot in the arm of Linea sales. This strategy of renaming the old model as Classic and bringing in a new model at similar price point is not new. Ford did it with the Fiesta and the older model did see good boost in sales owing to the new lower positioning.
Fiat has many plans for the Indian market which the automaker is slowly executing. The dealership count is rising while new models are lined up for launch in the near future. Unlike last year, Fiat will participate in the upcoming Auto Expo, showcasing a range of Jeep models at the biennial event. The Linea Classic will be offered with lesser equipment which will help Fiat cut costs. The Fiat Linea Classic will compete with the Ford Classic, Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Honda Amaze and Toyota Etios.
