Not many know of it here, but Nissan has pulled off a masterstroke by introducing the Qashqai (called Dualis in Japan) in 2007. The C-segment family hatch market is not a friendly place for those trying to snatch sales from the Golf and Focus, even more so for a Japanese brand.
So instead of taking the market head on, they made an SUV styled car to offer something different, and it has paid off handsomely. The British made Qashqai is the fifth best selling C-segment car in Europe, behind only to the Golf, Focus, Astra and Megane, which all have more bodystyles. A Nissan that sells more than the equivalent Peugeot, Skoda and Fiat in Europe? Wouldn’t have dreamt that with the Almera for sure!
Now comes the news that Fiat will be using the same strategy for their next C-segment car. Group CEO Sergio Marchionne wants them to replace the pretty but slow selling Bravo with an all-new high-roof crossover inspired by the Qashqai. Marchionne first hinted at this in Detroit early this year, and the decision was finalised late last month, according to Automotive News Europe. Sources said that this car will appear in 2013.
Actually, the Bravo vs Qashqai comparison is apt. Both cars came into the market in 2007, with the Fiat having sexy good looks and home territory advantage. But the taller riding car outsells the Italian one by 5-to-1. Sales of the Bravo have been slipping badly. Only 44,850 units found new homes in 2010, which is less than what the Skoda Yeti, a niche product, managed.
Fiat’s original aim was to sell at least 120,000 Bravos a year. The company said the car would make a profit as long as 75,000 units were sold a year. That target was hit in 2007 and 2008, but never since.
Will this “crossover strategy” work for Fiat? Nothing’s certain, but it’s surely a better bet than taking on the giants in a straight fight!
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yes, please always share platform and work on the cosmetics and accessories.
pass the savings to us consumers.
sharing platform can easily shave off 5-10% of the car production cost.
with inflation everywhere, we need to cut cost as much as possible.
Agree agree~ but don’t cut the quality :D
the fiat bravo is hell of a stylish hatch…still admire it the rare occasion i see one….came uber close to parting with my cash for a really good deal..and then sense kicked in….oh well…..
i drove it(1.9 multijet) when i worked in milan last few years. it’s a good and hot car.
Very few can be seen in M’sia. It’s actually a very good sexy-looking car. Its proportion is very similar to Pug 308 but better details with little bit mimick to Masserati. Too bad for Fiat market n de package they offer here, else it wil be as many as 308 here..
Simply put – standards are incredibly high and competitions are red hot in the C segment; the Bravo is, well, badly outdated in today’s market.
With Bravo taking the crossover route, it could pave the way for B-segment Punto to grow up.
i always love the Fiat (Multipla, the ugliest car in the world) it’s fast enough, good handling, comfortable but their drivetrain problem is killing me~ and the spare parts are super expensive~
If you know how to source the spare parts, it shouldn’t be that bad. BTW, I’m proud owner of Bravo.
The Bravo is a great car that reached its sales target for the first 2 years. The problem is that with Fiat concentrating on Chrysler, they did not develop the Bravo further … no 3-door version, no station-wagon, no hot Abarth version, no cabrio …!!! Fiat did not keep the public’s interest on boil….. it’s as if they are sending out the wrong image : “hey this is a stop-gap model we don’t want to spend much effort and money on it … at the first opportunity we’ll pull the plug!!” That automatically sends the wrong signals and damages the perception of the public of the project … a pity! At Fiat they make brilliant cars …it’s the marketing that sucks … they have had so MANY winner cars technology-wise, that have been let down so badly by the marketing / image department! Marchionne at least has GENERALLY worked miracles with them … this Bravo is the one he seems to have overlooked …
Agree with blackbox. Its a brilliant piece of technology. Those who own it appreciate it. Infact, we love to be the select few seen on the road as it makes us exclusive owners.