IRELAND LOOKS set to welcome back the Fiat Uno in 2012, according to sources close to the brand. The new Uno, which has been on sale in Brazil since May of this year, looks set to return to right-hand drive markets with a choice of petrol and diesel engines.
The Uno was a huge success internationally for Fiat and was also hugely popular here in Ireland until the car, which was made between 1983–1995 was replaced by the Punto.
According to Fiat sources, the new Uno will sit between the Panda and the Punto Evo, as a budget offering. With brands like Dacia set to arrive around the same time, there will be new competition in the budget car market, as traditional budget brands such as Kia, Hyundai and Skoda have now moved upmarket.
The Uno is quite an odd-looking vehicle, designed and developed entirely at the Giovannia Agnelli Development Centre in Brazil. But it has already sold strongly since it was launched with 60,000 units sold and 25,000 orders on the books.
The recent Auto Show in Sao Paulo showed the launch of two new variants of the new car: the Uno Sporting which has an 88bhp, 1.4-litre flex-fuel engine and a stiffer suspension as well as exterior and cabin revisions and there is also a two-seater cabrio with a 152bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre engine.
Since Brazil recently overtook Germany as the fourth largest market for cars and light commercial vehicles it would make sense for cars built and developed here to be offered in other markets. We could expect the addition of a 1.3-litre Multi-jet diesel or perhaps the Twinair petrol engines added to cars in Europe.
The return of this popular nameplate to Ireland would be a welcome boost to a brand whose fortunes have wavered of late in Ireland.
Fiat Ireland has just 1.76 per cent market share in Ireland, less than Seat. It’s put in even starker contrast when you consider that ten years ago the brand had 7.5 per cent market share.
Fiat’s small car line-up has always been their strongest asset, with cars like the 500, Grande Punto and Punto Evo always selling well, but with larger cars such as the Bravo and Croma failing to make any impact.
That means the arrival of a new Uno could well be good news for the brand’s fortunes here.
The Uno will replace the current Grande Punto and will sit in price between the Panda and Punto Evo. We can guess then, that it will cost around €12,500, and while the Brazilian car is rather basic and features a “rugged” look, the European specification will no doubt be more generously equipped in keeping with the current model line-up.
The new Uno will make up part of a new model assault by Fiat. In 2012 it will introduce a new mid-sized saloon about the size of the Renault Fluence and a new hatchback that will replace the current Bravo model.
Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealers will also soon begin retailing Chrysler and Jeep products in Ireland as part of Fiat’s acquisition of the Chrysler brand.
This is likely to mean the Italians will offer an SUV within their model range. In return Chrysler will rebadge Lancia models and sell them in right-hand drive markets.