Fiat brand sales for September were up over the same month last year, continuing the incremental sales growth started last month by the arrival of the 500X crossover. For the past two months, Fiat brand sales were up 1 %. Fiat 500X sales were up 10% over the previous month, helping offset 500 and 500L sales which have been down significantly so far this year.
Fiat sold a total of 1,133 500X models last month compared to 1029 units in August, and 962 in July - a steady increase as the Melfi factory pumps more cars into the supply chain. Fiat has been ramping up availability of the 500X, which hit the US market in just a few months ago.
Sales of 500 Hatch and Cabrios have not been so fortunate. Fiat sold a total of 1,926 of these models in September, down 30 % compared to last September. So far this year, 500 sales are down 20% compared to last year. The new, revised 2016 500 looks to reverse this and will be available in showrooms shortly.
Fiat 500L sales have stalled the past few months, corresponding to the arrival of the 500X. Some had argued that the 500X would steal sales away from the 500L and it looks like they may have a point. However, the 500L received a huge boost when Pope Francis used the car to tour the United States during last month's visit. The name 500L was all over the media so we will have to wait and see if there will be some divine intervention for sales coming soon.
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September Fiat News
September was a good month for Fiat enthusiasts. Fiat unveiled the new 2016 Fiats; Alfa Romeo debuted their fantastic new Giulia Quadrifoglio, and the Pope chose to tour the United States in a Fiat 500L.
The 2016 Fiat 500 offers new colors and a revised dashboard with an upgraded infotainment system. The Fiat 500L sports a new roof color available for the attractive Urbana special edition. Now the 500L Urbana can now be had with a red roof as well as last year's black. This special edition boasts unique trim for a decidedly sporty, sophisticated look.
Alfa Romeo's spectacular Giulia Quadrifoglio made its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor show last month. The 510 hp Giulia QV is a sedan with literally supercar performance. It lapped the Nurburgring in an astonishing 7 minutes 38 seconds, which not only set the record as the fastest sedan ever to lap the legendary 'ring, but is also faster than many mid-engine exotics including the Lamborghini Murcielago. We'll have more on the Giulia Quadrifoglio as we get close to its North American unveiling rumored to be at the LA Auto Show in November.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Press Conference at Frankfurt Motor Show
Speaking of the LA Auto Show, the new Fiat 124 Spider is also expected to be unveiled at the venue. The spiritual successor to the original 124 Spider circa 1966 - 1985, the new Spider combines the capable chassis of the Mazda Miata with a higher horsepower Fiat engine wrapped in an Italian redesigned outer skin. Between the new 124 Spider and Alfa Giulia, car enthusiasts in North America will have plenty of reasons to visit their local Fiat dealer this year.
The 2016 Fiat 500X received a software update for its Uconnect system. Owners of Fiats equipped with Uconnect should ocasionally check the Uconnect website for software updates that can be done at home. The following link shows how to do this in a 500X and has a link to Uconnect. Others cars are similar.
Fiat 500L Urbana
The end of September went out on a high note when Pope Francis during his three-city visit to the US chose a Fiat 500L as his method of transportation. Not only is the 500L a roomy and comfortable car, the choice of the 500L symbolized the Pontiffs commitment to protecting the environment and also his humility. For the sixth year in a row, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has been included in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World. This recognition is reserved for only the top performing companies in the world in regards to sustainability, and FCA was one of only three automakers that made the list.
Fiat 500 Sales in the United States, January - September 2015
| Fiat 500 | Current Month | Last Year | Vol Change | Current YTD Total | Last Year YTD Total | Vol Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2015 500 500L 500X | 1,926 339 1,133 3,398 | 2,737 623 0 3,360 | -30% -46% New 1% | 21,329 7,034 3,132 31,819 | 26,616 8,885 0 35,501 | -20% -21% New -10% |
| August 2015 500 500L 500X | 2,054 305 1,029 3,388 | 3,329 33 0 3,362 | -38% 824% New 1% | 19,403 6,695 1,999 28,421 | 23,879 8,262 0 32,141 | -19% -19% New -12% |
| July 2015 500 500L 500X | 1,959 314 962 3,235 | 2,371 1,436 0 3,807 | -17% -78% New -15% | 17,349 6,390 1,294 25,033 | 20,550 8,229 0 28,779 | -16% -22% New -13% |
| June 2015 500 500L 500X | 2,283 530 324 3,137 | 3,328 1,150 0 4,478 | -31% -54% New -30% | 15,390 6,076 332 21,798 | 18,179 6,793 0 24,972 | -15% -11% New -13% |
| May 2015 500 500L 500X | 2,614 1,245 8 3,867 | 3,337 1,434 0 4,771 | -22% -13% New -19% | 13,107 5,546 8 18,669 | 14,851 5,643 0 20,494 | -12% -2% New -9% |
| April 2015 500 500L | 2,498 1,258 3,756 | 3,041 1,257 4,298 | -18% 0% -13% | 10,493 4,301 14,794 | 11,514 4,209 15,723 | -9% 2% -6% |
| March 2015 500 500L | 3,276 1,218 4,494 | 3,316 1422 4,738 | -1% -14% -5% | 7,995 3,043 11,038 | 8,473 2,952 11,425 | -6% 3% -3% |
| Feb 2015 500 500L | 2,333 956 3,289 | 2,664 801 3,465 | -12% 19% -5% | 4,719 1,825 6,544 | 5,157 1,530 6,687 | -8% 19% -2% |
| Jan 2015 500 500L | 2,386 869 3,255 | 2,493 729 3,222 | -4% 19% 1% | 2,386 869 3,255 | 2,493 729 3,222 | -4% 19% 1% |
Images courtesy of FCA. Spider image author's
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