The Fiat Professional range of Ducato and Scudo vans has achieved rapid sales growth and increased market share since the brand’s Australian distribution moved to the Fiat Chrysler Group in mid-2012, according to the company’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Karla Leach.
For many years, the Fiat Ducato and Scudo have been the most popular vans in their European market categories and six versions are currently being sold and serviced by 52 dealers in Australia. Sales of the mid-sized Scudo are currently less than one per cent of the category in which it competes, although recent sales growth of 74 per cent indicates that the Scudo will quickly increase its market share. Sales have increased by 56 per cent for the larger Ducato and that vehicle already sits at just over five per cent of its category share.
Leach also said Fiat is planning to take full control of the diesel engine manufacturer, VM Motori, by buying out the half of the company owned by 50:50 joint venture partner General Motors. VM Motori, based in the northern Italian city of Cento, supplies diesel engines for various passenger and commercial vehicles including the Ducato and Scudo as well as the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Fiat is credited with inventing the modern common rail diesel engine that has been instrumental in transforming the usability, efficiency and performance of diesel engines across the entire spectrum of passenger and commercial vehicles.
Leach also said that plans are well advanced to introduce the Fiat Doblo into Australia during the first half of 2014. The Doblo is a small van that competes against the likes of the Volkswagen Caddy, and in recent times has actually been the leading brand in terms of European sales in its category.
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