The relaunch of Fiat passenger cars in Australia was set well and truly underway today, as the covers were lifted off the Grande Punto at the Melbourne Motor Show. Intended as a preview with cars scheduled to go on sale in June, this event has seen the Grande Punto make a significant splash, with many viewers passing favourable comment regarding the latest example of Fiat’s flair for small-car design. 

Although Fiat’s commercial division has been imported into Australia by Ateco Automotive since the beginning of 2002, Fiat passenger cars have been absent from Australia since 1989. Ateco has been keen to import the marque for some years now, with the current Stilo an example of a prospective candidate for this market since its launch in Europe in 2001. However, according to Neville Crichton (owner of Ateco Automotive), consistently unfavourable exchange rates and a lack of truly competitive product have prevented this occurring until now. 

With the Grande Punto, though, Ateco firmly believe they have a winner. Although full details are yet to be revealed, it is likely that the entry-level ‘Active’ base specification in Europe will not be seen in Australia. A staggered launch is expected in order to keep interest levels up in the new model, but the full line-up is eventually expected to made up of ‘Dynamic’, ‘Emotion’ and ‘Sport’ trim levels, the latter featuring the 130bhp 1.9 8V Multijet. Three- and five-door versions will be available, with customers also able to specify the 90bhp 1.3 Multijet and, in all probability, the forthcoming 1.4 16V as a petrol variant. 

Ateco has brought two Grande Puntos to Melbourne’s Exhibition Centre.  Both cars are fitted with the 1.9 8V Multijet diesel, a cornerstone of Fiat’s relaunch strategy. This is in part thanks to the increasing sales of diesel cars in Australia (a direct result of developing technology and lower harmful emissions), but also due to the Fiat Group’s undoubted expertise in this area and the strength of the Grande Punto’s diesel engine line-up. However, the two cars were not identical in spec. The three-door was resplendent in top-spec Sport trim, complete with the more powerful 130bhp version of the 1.9 turbodiesel, and dazzling Carribean Orange paintwork. Set off by the 15-spoke 17” alloys and orange cloth seats, it is every inch the attention-grabber for passers-by. Fiat are unashamedly pitching the car at the youth market, and in a nod to this demographic, the stand featured an unusual touch – Bluetooth capability, whereby visitors with the requisite technology were able to download images and information about the Grande Punto onto their mobile phones, using a wall specifically set up for that purpose.
 

But if the three-door Grande Punto Sport stood loud and brash, the more family-oriented black five-door Emotion model, with tweed sand interior and 10-spoke 15” wheels, conveyed a sense of pure elegance. This car is equipped with the 120bhp version of the 1.9 Multijet, although it is as-yet unclear whether this engine option will be made available in Australia. Likewise, final pricing and specification levels are yet to be confirmed, although certain details have emerged about both these and the proposed handling of the operation by Ateco.  

The mid-year launch will see around 25 dealers appointed to handle the Fiat franchise, but this number will grow as the number of variants and models expands. It is expected that many of the country’s 17 Alfa Romeo dealers will also take on Fiat, thanks to the natural fit with their existing businesses. Interestingly, Crichton noted to reporters on the sidelines of the presentation that although the Sedici and Croma are not on the list for Australia, the brand-new Stilo, due to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this year, is expected to arrive in mid-2007, and the next-generation Panda and forthcoming 500 are also distinct possibilities for future expansion. 

With pricing to start from under AUS$20,000, the Grande Punto will not only be sharply priced, but have equipment levels and style to match the best rivals. Initial expectations are for relatively small volumes – between 1000-2000 units per year. These relatively modest short-term goals, however, belie a striking determination to make the comeback viable in the long-term. In this regard, Fiat Australia’s new general manager, David Stone, was keen to emphasise the fact that, “(the) Grande Punto will be priced and equipped to succeed in Australia, not just trading on its name and Italian heritage.” If this goal is achieved, there seems no reason that Fiat cannot emulate the recent success of other European marques in this country, such as Volkswagen, Peugeot, and Citroen, the latter another marque imported by Ateco Automotive.