Fiat weighs import of China-built Dodge-based compacts for Europe
Fiat is considering bringing compact saloon and hatchback models, based on the Dodge Dart and built in China with Guangzhou Automobile, to European markets from 2013.
Fiat is evaluating a plan to export compact cars built in China to Europe, according to reports from Automotive News Europe. The models would be based on the Dodge Dart platform and assembled by Fiat’s Chinese joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile at a new plant in Hunan province. The first shipments could begin in 2013.
The initial export is expected to be a four-door saloon wearing the Fiat badge, aimed at eastern and northern Europe. A hatchback version, also built in China, could follow for southern European markets. Both will have styling and interior changes to align with Fiat’s brand identity, rather than simply rebadging the Dodge Dart.
Fiat’s five-year plan, as confirmed by a company spokesman, includes the launch of new compact saloon and hatchback models for Europe. The hatchback is likely to replace the slow-selling Bravo, which is scheduled to leave production in 2013. The Cassino plant in Italy will shift focus to a compact crossover, leaving a gap in Fiat’s European compact range that the Chinese-built models could fill.
China as a production base for European models
The move would see Fiat join other manufacturers in using China as a base for exports beyond its domestic market. Chinese car exports rose nearly 50 percent in 2011, reflecting the country’s growing role in global automotive supply. For Fiat, building compacts in China with Guangzhou Automobile is part of a wider strategy to reach a combined annual output of around 300,000 Fiat and Jeep vehicles in China by 2014.
The planned Chinese-built saloon would not directly replace the Turkey-made Fiat Linea, as the Dart-based car is expected to be slightly larger. The shift would allow Fiat to offer a more modern compact saloon and hatchback in markets where the Bravo and Linea have struggled to gain traction.
Implications for Fiat and European buyers
If Fiat proceeds, European buyers could see new compact models with underpinnings shared with the Dodge Dart, but with design and specification tailored for Fiat’s market positioning. The approach echoes Fiat’s previous strategy of rebadging Chrysler models for Europe, as with the Lancia Flavia derived from the Chrysler 200. However, this would be the first time Fiat-branded cars for Europe are sourced from China.
- Fiat’s Bravo hatchback to be replaced by a Chinese-built model.
- The Dodge Dart platform underpins both the saloon and hatchback.
- Exports to focus on eastern, northern and southern Europe.
- Styling and interiors to be adapted for Fiat customers.
No final decision has been announced, and the timing of any launch will depend on market conditions and regulatory approvals. The move would give Fiat a cost advantage in the compact segment, but the brand will need to convince European buyers of the quality and suitability of China-built cars. For more on China’s growing export role, see China car exports surge nearly 50% in 2011 as firms target new markets.
