Chrysler 2004 Annual Report Download - page 63

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Fiat Auto
market performed especially well (+20%). Against this
background, Fiat Auto sold 271,000 light commercial vehicles
in 2004 (a gain of 9.8%) and confirmed the leadership position
it has achieved in Italy and many of Europe’s markets.
In Western Europe, Fiat Auto’s share of the automobile market
was 7.2%, 0.2 percentage points less than in 2003. In Europe’s
largest markets, the Sector’s share held relatively steady
compared with 2003, as was the case in Italy, where Fiat Auto’s
market share held at 28%. The largest decreases in market share
occurred in Poland (-0.7 percentage points) and Brazil (-1.6
percentage points).
The Sector’s share of the Western European market for light
commercial vehicles was 10.7%, or 0.5 percentage points less
than in 2003.
Fiat Auto sold a total of about 1,766,000 vehicles in 2004,
or 4.2% more than in 2003.
This increase is the net result of divergent performances in
the different countries of Europe. Sales were down significantly
in the main European markets compared with 2003. This was
particularly true in France, where the decrease was 8.9%,
continuing the negative trend that started in 2003. In Great
Britain and Spain, there was a reversal of last year’s
performance, with unit sales down 6.1% and 3.7%, respectively.
In Italy, a favorable trend pushed sales up by 4.9% to more than
700,000 units. The same occurred in Brazil, where shipments
rose 12.7%, but sales decreased sharply in Poland (-13.8%).
In 2004, Fiat Auto continued to work on redefining its presence
in markets outside the EU, focusing on those that are
strategically most significant: Latin America and Turkey.
In Brazil: The stabilization of the economy and lower interest
rates helped spur a recovery of the automobile market, which
expanded by 8.5% compared with 2003.
The Palio (introduced in November 2003), the new Siena and
new Palio WE (launched in March), the new Mille (Uno), which
consolidated Fiat Auto’s leadership of the A Segment, and
Sales Performance –Automobiles and Light Commercial
Vehicles
(in thousands of units) 2004 2003 % change
France 73.2 80.4 (8.9)
Germany 107.8 118.7 (9.1)
Great Britain 86.7 92.3 (6.1)
Italy 704.3 671.2 4.9
Spain 72.4 75.2 (3.7)
Rest of Western Europe 148.8 141.6 5.0
Western Europe 1,193.2 1,179.4 1.2
Poland 60.6 70.3 (13.8)
Brazil 358.1 317.7 12.7
Rest of the world 154.1 128.1 20.3
Total units sold 1,766.0 1,695.5 4.2
Associated companies 90.7 83.0 9.3
Grand total 1,856.7 1,778.5 4.4
In 2004, conditions were particularly favorable in the market
for light commercial vehicles, with Western European demand
reaching almost 1.9 million units. Shipments were up in all
European markets, with the best gains occurring in Poland
(+18.7%), Great Britain (+9.2%), Spain (+10%) and France
(+7.3%). In Italy, the negative trend of 2003 reversed itself and
demand expanded by 3.5%. Outside Europe, the Brazilian