Citroen
FIAT Electric cars (the ones from the old days)
It is said that Fiat falls behind in programs of models’ innovation, specially about electric and hybrid vehicles.
It is said that this is one of the reasons, which led the company – for a long time now known as FCA, the name Fiat only refers to the brand – to the fusion with the PSA group.
It’s possible. Fiat has faced tumultuous events since 2000 and the choices taken under...
Turin and the art of coachbuilders (1946-1980)
First of all Massimo Porta is an “old” friend: I met him during the army service – 45 year ago more or less – and we did many things together.
For this reason, I can talk about his book “Turin and the art of coachbuilders (1946-1980)” without any fear of being biased.
Massimo Porta is neither a writer nor a designer and he has never worked in an automotive company.
In...
What do I have to expect if I choose an electric car?
We have finally reached the third type of “alternative” power source, currently offered by OEMs on the market.
After the well known sources, that is LPG and CNG, I examined the various type of “hybrid power source“, in three specific posts whose links you will find at the end of this article.
In this new post I tried to outline the characteristic elements of power supply in...
Vintage car, historic car and “old car”…what’s the difference?
For those who approach the historic automotive field not everything is easy to understand.
According to the common sense you may thing that a Fiat Uno thirty year-old will always be only an old car, a Lancia Aurelia B20 or a Jaguar E type (the one of Diabolik) are, instead, collector’s cars.
But it’s not so simple!
To face the complex world of the historic motoring it’s better to...
Why does PSA want to buy OPEL and VAUXHALL?
Why does PSA want to buy OPEL and VAUXHALL?
A truly intriguing question for the experts, because none of these, except of course ones PSA, are able to answer. And this because it lacks any economic or industrial or commercial evidence of where the winning secret of the takeover.
Opel has not exactly a story of success for the last years, and this it was emphasized by Harald Hendrikse of the Morgan...
Peugeot and Citroen: It’s nice to win easy!
By at least one semester Peugeot and Citroen started a radical transformation of production, managerial, commercial and communication.
Talk about the last aspect: the Communication!
Money are invested if there is something to communicate and when there are budgets to bind on.
Budgets are allocated if there are invoices.
Data about Italy and Europe show that there’s turmoil… to put it mildly.
From...
The LPG and CNG help you, such as the electrics
The plan, which foresees about 3,000 LPG fuel stations and 1,000 CNG ones to the end of 2012, is proceeding at a steady pace toward the goal. Actually Fiat Professional has already monitored 3065 LPG points (+40 closed) and 908 CNG points (+8 closed) regularly active (data September 7, 2012).
In spite of this, a subtle and insightful enemy, the electric Lobby, which includes several devices in its...
Hybrid-Air PSA, the other face of the hybrid car
It won’t be the compressed air car but it is the closer step to the utopia that it’s possible today. We used to think about hybrid as the union between heat engine and the electrical one but in the following years “not so far according to the road map written by PSA” we could extend the concept, replacing the electrical component with the air.
Avoiding any mistakes, we talk...
The overproduction concerns the whole of Europe, or not?
Do you remember the article of Marco Saltalamacchia “Move the metal, Jack!” after just one month since our launch?
Over time it has become a MUST!
A way to tackle the situation “taking the bull by the horns“, reaffirmed about a year later in the interview that was issued by the same author of the post.
The subject is the automotive production capacity in Europe. Subject often...
In search of the lost platform (as long as cross-segment)
Watchword: share. It matters little that if we are talking about social networks or platforms. The first is the reality of the moment, the other a necessity for the cars manufacturer, searching for the magical tool that allows to churn out new models in bursts, while maintaining a unique structure, from the city car to the SUV.
If the concept of shared platform applies to similar segments, for which...
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité! Vive la France, vive l’Europe!
Do you remember the article on car purchases by the Italian State, which has stimulated a heated debate on this blog? With all the related discussion on globalization, market and liberalization?
Well brace yourselves because while half of Europe is drifting, the other half knows where is going, and without wanting to be ironic, hats off to their rulers!
We start recalling that in the European Community...
Brazil and the Fiat, a 2012 record
The Brazilian car market ended 2012 as the best year in its history, with a volume of 3,634,510 units sold (cars + LCVs), an increase of 6.1% compared to 2011.
Fiat sold 838,219 vehicles, establishing the best result in its history in 36 years of presence in Brazil and once again confirming Market leader with 23.1% share (it is the eleventh in a row!), an increase of 11.1% on 2011; ahead of VW with...
When scale economy compromises quality
Using the same parts for different models of cars, and for different brands in the case of auto groups, is definitely an intelligent solution for cost containment and the allocation of fixed costs on a larger number of vehicles, besides the reduction of merchandise in stock by adopting a just in time production system.
But sometimes this industrial logic was adopted too hastily and without a careful...
Global cars sales outlook – March 2012
“2012 started full of uncertain for OEMs in the automotive industry” this was how I started my article last month. At that time reports on January Chinese market performance were not yet available and when they arrived, with an incredible 26% lost year on year, Car OEMs Top Executives become really nervous.
Chinese data were affected by the Chinese New Year falls, with fewer working days, but nobody...
Manufacturer Alliances: Good or bad?
The recent announcement by PSA and GM of their intended strategic alliance is one of many such alliances between various manufacturers.
But when do these alliances start diluting brand equity?
In the past the first tentative alliances were based on purchasing power formats. Then the inevitable creep sets in with manufacturers sharing platforms, major components, engines and indeed entire vehicles.
There...
Peugeot South Africa: Go big, or go home.
Peugeot South Africa has announced its intention to grow its sales in South Africa by 40%. The number sounds high, but the brand, like its sibling Citroen, battles to sell even 200 cars a month and therefore has a very low base to start with.
When Peugeot re-entered the local market ten years ago, it was a hit with consumers who bought the funky French cars in droves. Many had fond memories of legendary...
Act Like You Are in an Economic Crisis!
There is no doubt that we are in for a very lengthy economic downturn with any green shoots immediately eradicated by the very effective weed killer – the financial sector.
We have almost resigned ourselves to the fact that if our currency depreciates or the gold price drops (amongst others) we are in for more tough times. We throw our hands up in defeat when we hear about the Euro zone or US...
