Chrysler 2005 Annual Report Download - page 57

56 Reporton Operations Fiat Auto
01 Report on Operations
Innovation and Products
In 2005, Fiat Auto continued to pursue a strategy focused on
upgrading, improving and completing its model lineup.
As part of its effort to round out its model line, Fiat launched
the Croma, a new entry in the medium-high segment.This car,
which is notable for its high levels of performance and comfort,
was brought to market in May 2005. It was very well received
by customers, with over 27,000 orders by the end of the year.
The Grande Punto was launched in September and generated
an excellent response among customers at dealership showrooms
during the “Open Doors” promotion. As the availability of the
Grande Punto was gradually expanded to the rest of Western
Europe,the year ended with registrations of more than 35,000
units and new orders for 88,000 cars, with customersoutside
Italy accounting for 45% of the total.
The launch of the Fiat Panda Cross and Fiat Sedici during the
second half of the year helped the Fiat brand reclaim a strong
position in the four-wheel-drivesegment of the market, where
it had already established a presence with the Panda 4x4.
Both the Panda Cross and the Fiat Sedici were unveiled in
November. The Panda Cross is a new version of the four-wheel-
drive Panda.The Fiat Sedici, which is being built in partnership with
Suzuki at a plant owned by Suzuki in Hungary, is Fiat’s first entry
ever into the C 4x4 segment of the market. Its standing will benefit
from being chosen as the official car of the 2006 Turin Winter
Olympic Games.
At the Bologna Motor Show, which was held at the beginning of
December, Fiat presented the Panda Monster, a further evolution
of the Panda four-wheel-drive, and the Fiat Oltre, a show car based
on a powerful Iveco multi-function vehicle.
Alfa Romeo continued to renovate its product line.The Alfa 159
(brought to market in October 2005) belongs to the great Alfa
Romeo tradition of automobiles with distinctive styling. At the end
of December, the Alfa 159 had generated more than 14,000 orders.
In October, Alfa Romeo unveiled the Brera coupé, an upscale sports
car whose styling elicited accolades both from the industry press
and the public in general.
In anticipation of the celebrations of its 100th birthday in
November 2006, Lancia presented important upgrades of some
of its most successful models: new versions of the Ypsilon
(the Momo Design in particular), Musa (Platino+) and Phedra
(Unique Edition).
Due to the launch of numerous new models, the Fiat and Alfa
Romeo brands ended 2005 with a lineup of models that, on