30.10.2004 This week's prestigious Auto Africa Expo 2004 has presented Fiat Auto South Africa with an ideal opportunity to showcase their rapidly growing range of diverse models

Fiat Auto South Africa (FASA) have been using this week's prestigious Auto Africa Expo 2004, as a showcase for their rapidly growing range of diverse models, as they press ahead with their aim of offering a vehicle for every requirement.

The Auto Africa Expo, has rapidly grown into an important shop window for the automotive industry. Since its birth in 1996, it has become the leading motor show on this continent.

Based in Johannesburg, Auto Africa is ideally placed to tap into the explosive growth that is occurring in this most southern of African nations. It also allows the burgeoning local car manufacturing industry, which includes Fiat Auto, to present its capabilities to the wider world.

FASA, who seem blessed with a strong forward vision and an understanding of Fiat's philosophy, have presented a comprehensive collection, a model range which has grown in depth over the course of the year.

The new Palio, Strada and Siena, all of which will be built locally from next year, have been previewed, while European models, such as the Punto, Multipla and Stilo, have recently joined the line-up. The road range is complimented by two exciting racing cars that have thrust the Fiat name firmly back onto the South African race tracks this year.

The new Fiat Palio and Siena, are contemporary new models that will make their debut in the crucial local compact car segment in January. The South African unveiling represents only the second country after Brazil to receive the new Palio and Siena, indicating the significance of the introduction, and this country's front-line position on a global scale.

They replace the outgoing models which have been built at the local Rosslyn plant for the last half decade. The new models will also be available with diesel engines for the first time.

“The new Palio and Siena compete with the latest in style, performance, reliability and value,” comments Giorgio Gorelli, Fiat Auto South Africa’s managing director. “With these new models we have a more extensive product range that continues the emotional positioning of the brand.”

They will be joined by the third member of the 'World Car' project, the Palio-based Strada 'pick-up' which becomes available for the first time in South Africa as FASA press ahead with the aim of rejuvenating its entire commercial vehicle range during the coming year.

Due to be launched in mid-2005, the Strada will be a key product in Fiat’s future model line-up, supporting the further development of the brand and the dealer network in South Africa, as well as Rossyln now being entrusted with global right hand drive production.

FASA has recently taken on responsibility for Fiat’s growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Strada is set to form an important part of this expansion process.

“The Strada has proved its capacity to lead the market in countries such as Brazil,” explains Giorgio Gorelli, managing director of Fiat Auto South Africa. “Locally, the Strada will prove an extremely important player in the light commercial vehicle sector, bringing cutting-edge European technology and processes to this segment.

“While building a separate new identity for Fiat’s commercial vehicle range, the Strada will also lead the way by offering exceptional reliability, low running costs as well as easy servicing and maintenance, particularly in the case of the turbodiesel engine,” said an upbeat Gorelli.

The new Multipla, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, went on sale across South Africa at the beginning of October, and Auto Africa represents the first chance for the public to examine the highly regarded '3+3' seat MPV.

Initially available with a 1.6-litre petrol engine in Active trim, it will retail for R169 900. It will be joined by a 1.9 JTD Dynamic version early next year.

FASA marked its return to offering performance cars with the arrival last month of a new flagship for the Stilo range, the Abarth 2.4 20v.

To coincide with the introduction of the 125kW 20v 5-cyl Stilo Abarth, they unleashed a racing version that thrust itself into South African Touring Car Championship action for the first time at East London a few weeks ago, and which, resplendent with its huge eye-catching 'scorpion' logos is present at the show.

FASA has also taken a bold initiative in the premium hatchback and estate markets by introducing the 3-door Fiat Stilo and the Fiat Stilo Multi Wagon. The two new models are available with two engine derivatives, the 1.6-litre petrol and 1.9 JTD Dynamic, and join the 5-door hatch version, which was unveiled locally back in March.

Yet another model being seen widely for the first time is the Punto, which was introduced in June. The five model range of cars, from the entry-level 1.2 16v to the 1.8 HGT, and including the innovation 1.3 Multijet 16v along the way, fits neatly between the Palio and the Stilo, and brings immense technological growth to the segment with this well-appointed car.

FASA believe that "South Africa is now truly enjoying the innovation coming out of Italy and over hundred years of manufacturing experience and cutting edge automotive technology."

Its been a hectic year for the revival of the Fiat brand in South Africa, and the new Fiat Doblò Cargo  is another model to have gone on sale locally this year. Introduced in June, at a price of R123 500, new features include four new body colours, a two-tone facia, new interior cloth and Fiat's centenary logo on the rear door.

Finally, the new Ducato van is here. An outdoor line up of this best-selling van is giving visitors to Auto Africa the opportunity to inspect this load-lugger for themselves. South African Fiat dealers will start taking orders from mid-November, when prices will be announced.

Exciting times seem certain to be ahead for the Fiat brand in South Africa, while they must be congratulated for their very ambitious racing programme that is already paying dividends by capturing the imagination of the nation's racing fans.