Fiat Production In Italy: 2010-2014

It's hard to put a positive spin on what has happened to car production in Italy. Numbers dropped below 400,000 in 2010 and 300,000 a year later. Production was about as low as it could go without disappearing, for a mainstream brand needs volume. Yet somehow it is surviving. With the arrival of the 500X, it looks like things are turning around. Added to that the Jeep Renegade (not included here because we are talking Fiat only) and numbers are improving.

Panda: This tiny city car returned from Polish production to Italy in 2011 and that became the biggest model made here by 2013.

500X: This mini crossover vehicle has entered a growing segment and should bolster Fiat production. It had only just arrived in late 2014 so had little impact that year.

	Model	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
	Panda	-	3,148	104,373	149,193	157,130
	Punto	268,283	224,565	138,454	116,391	91,402
	500X	-	-	-	-	4,157
	Bravo/Brava	44,685	30,065	16,833	9,803	2,604
	Idea	5,864	5,874	2,381	-	-
	Croma	9,328	-	-	-	-
	Multipla	7,835	-	-	-	-
	Total	335,995	263,652	262,041	275,387	255,293

Data source: ANFIA.

Summary: A quarter of a million cars is chicken feed in today's market environment where volume is essential to viability. It does look like the situation is turning around but to what degree only Fiat could say. Most Fiat cars are made elsewhere but it is important that production is maintained in Italy for what is an Italian brand. 

The Mazda MX-5 Hits One Million

Mazda are a lesser car maker in Japan. They have to work hard to be noticed and that means being a little different. One of those is making a sports car, one inspired by the British varieties such as MG and Triumph that were successful in years gone by. Mazda did it very well and had a winner on their hands. They have just made one million of the MX-5 to prove it.

In 1989, the car was introduced. Initial sales were good but over the years the popularity of the sports car genre has waned. Mazda has persisted nevertheless and nearly 29 years later, the fourth generation is here. First up the NA was made from 1989-1997. Then the NB went from 1998-2005. The third iteration (NC) was from 2006-2015. The ND has just been released and will also be sold as a Fiat.

Over the years, production has gone down. The data below shows the consistent trend, with spikes for new model introductions. The data below doesn't give 2016 figures and I assume 2016 production will not make this list hit the seven digit number. Therefore they may be slight inaccuracies in some of the figures but it is very close. Also, identical sales and production for 2015 doesn't seem likely. However, that is what I got.

With sports cars not enjoying as much popularity, I wonder if a fifth series would ever be made. I guess if the business case is sound, it would.

	Year	Sales	Prod
	1988		12
	1989	35,843	45,266
	1990	75,798	95,640
	1991	71,538	63,434
	1992	53,020	52,712
	1993	45,145	44,743
	1994	38,824	39,623
	1995	35,649	31,886
	1996	33,201	33,610
	1997	32,035	27,037
	1998	49,205	58,682
	1999	46,402	44,851
	2000	44,610	47,496
	2001	39,266	38,870
	2002	38,958	40,754
	2003	33,004	30,106
	2004	26,763	24,232
	2005	25,263	29,950
	2006	44,243	48,389
	2007	41,574	37,022
	2008	28,743	22,886
	2009	22,139	19,341
	2010	20,066	20,554
	2011	16,582	14,995
	2012	15,836	15,400
	2013	13,770	11,639
	2014	11,916	9,150
	2015	12,209	12,209
	2016	?	?
	Total	951,602	960,489

Data source: Everything explained.

Fiat Production In Italy: 2005-2009

The Grande Punto from 2005

Production numbers had dropped below 500,000 in 2005 before a temporary revival and another fall. A new Mk III Punto model had lifted volumes in 2006 but not to the same level of earlier models. They had made over 700,000 per year of the first generation, but not anymore. The unpopular Stilo gave way to the Bravo/Brava's return but again in much lower volumes than the previous B/B of 1995-2001 vintage.

The Croma returned but not as a large family car but a wagon-come-MPV and was never going to be a large volume vehicle. The Multipla and Idea were on the way out. Overall, not a positive situation for Fiat production in Italy.

	Model	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
	Punto	290,583	449,449	412,997	264,048	335,246
	Bravo/Brava	-	-	115,328	86,051	63,785
	Croma	25,393	34,991	24,992	26,772	11,363
	Multipla	29,721	26,853	19,771	16,015	9,802
	Idea	42,643	33,031	23,206	13,227	9,488
	Stilo	69,655	46,798	12,507	281	-
	Barchetta	242	-	-	-	-
	Total	458,237	591,122	608,801	406,394	429,684

Data source: ANFIA.

Fiat Production In Italy: 2000-2004

For the year 2000, Fiat Italian production fell below one million with the Punto contributing about two thirds of the total. As the Punto waned, the Stilo took over from the Bravo/Brava but was not entirely successful in doing so. More cars were being made elsewhere and production barely made 500,000 by 2004. There were two new models:

Stilo: It came as a 3 or 5 door and wagon. It wasn't well received and it seems it was a loss making model.

Idea: Was this small MPV a good idea? It was well packaged and practical but production volumes look disappointing.

	Model	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
	Punto	604,312	521,886	439,170	406,789	320,761
	Stilo	-	73,990	179,424	168,420	106,059
	Idea	-	-	-	12,680	61,735
	Multipla	48,682	50,354	31,128	21,692	25,065
	Barchetta	4,294	3,404	879	918	933
	Panda	94,115	95,202	102,132	64,178	-
	Marea	75,048	37,104	12,937	-	-
	600 Elettra	41	68	33	-	-
	Bravo/Brava	151,013	68,285	-	-	-
	Coupe	2,299	-	-	-	-
	Total	979,804	850,293	765,703	674,677	514,553

Data source: ANFIA.

Fiat Production In Italy: 1994-1999

The Fiat Punto

I would have liked to go back further, but 1994 is where the road begins for Fiat production in Italy by model. Around this time, just over a million cars each year were made there of the Fiat brand. About half of that number were the Punto model, a mini hatchback (plus a convertible). It was introduced in 1993 to replace the very successful Uno, and proved to be a winner as well.

The small Bravo (3 door) and Brava (5 door) replaced the successful Tipo but not with the same popularity. Likewise, the slightly larger Marea took over from the Tempra. The large Croma model seemingly wasn't replaced by anything, but I assume the Marea covered for that.

Of the other models, the small MPV Mulitpla was very spacious but also unusual looking. No, really (if you haven't seen one). The Fiat Coupé was a small sports car with angular styling and quite attractive. It was released in 1993 and finished in 2000. The Barchetta small roadster was pleasant in appearance but not a big selling model. Finally the 600 Elettra was an electric version of the regular 600.

In summary, 1999 was the last year production in Italy - for the Fiat brand - exceeded one million. That will become evident in the next article of the series.

Model	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Punto	559,260	666,705	563,601	656,283	568,590	552,260
Bravo/Brava	-	93,464	293,746	254,293	192,848	181,437
Panda	72,925	76,327	61,783	130,108	123,788	129,825
Marea	-	-	53,545	141,228	93,951	87,468
Multipla	-	-	-	-	7,956	47,708
Coupé	17,987	13,483	11,359	12,186	9,023	6,361
Barchetta	-	14,197	9,700	9,848	6,864	6,199
600 Elettra	-	-	-	-	81	138
Uno	144,068	71,864	43,920	13,632	-	-
Tempra	76,136	43,830	6,135	1,680	-	-
Croma	14,022	12,778	6,775	-	-	-
Tipo	178,812	108,684	2,304	-	-	-
Total	1,063,210	1,101,332	1,052,868	1,219,258	1,003,101	1,011,396

Data source: ANFIA.

The Marea saloon and wagon