Ambitious plans for FCA in SA
INDUSTRY NEWS/ The new year will reveal 10 new cars, a promise of better service and pricing, while a pair of hopping-mad SUVs will debut, writes Phuti Mpyane
Among the largest of automotive groups with multiple brand nameplates and ranges to look after is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
Taken at face value, you’d be forgiven for thinking only of the Italian compact-car specialist and to an extent, American behemoths like the Chrysler 300C. But the Global FCA rabbit hole goes deeper. Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Maserati, Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge also fall under the FCA umbrella.
Graham Eagle is a stalwart of the local automotive industry, with a career that spans 20 years, including a stint at Nissan. He recently left as Honda SA’s operational director and is now co-CEO of FCA SA.
We spent time with Eagle as he unfurled the company’s plans ahead of a 2019 full of promise. Among his most unenviable of tasks is to resuscitate struggling Alfa Romeo, which currently sells less than 10 cars a month. It’s an undertaking that he admits will need much to correct a lot of past wrongs.
Eagle says a change in tack begins with consolidating what already exists in terms of staff, infrastructure, dealer operations, marketing and product alignment. Currently, the company is strengthening its dealer network with new premises, chief among them in Bryanston where it has taken over the old Investment Cars building while also re-aligning the ratio of new, pre-owned and service centre representation nationwide.
From a promotions perspective, Eagle says the company, along with Fiat headquarters has agreed to review product line-up and pricing, which he admits was a little unrealistic for this market.
He says renewed competitiveness has been given the go-ahead and the FCA product range will from hereon match rival brands in terms of pricing as well as finance options that reflect current trends and customer demands, such as the previously unheard of 72month repayment plan.
For SA the company has ceased to sell Chrysler and Dodge line-ups but is committed to keeping auxiliary facilities for maintenance services going to honour commitments to the sizeable population of both brands that still roam our roads.
With a reduced number of nameplates, it’s only Jeep, Fiat/ Abarth and Alfa Romeo that will remain.
The company will also introduce new engines that reflect buyer demands and it will also launch nine models in the upcoming year.
During the first quarter of
PLANS TO REVIVE ALFA ROMEO HINGE
2019 the company will introduce the new Jeep Wrangler, a re-touched Renegade and we will see the entry of the all-new Compass, which will be available exclusively in Trailhawk guise, reportedly with classleading off-road driving ability.
The first quarter will also see the arrival of the Nurburgring record-breaking Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV, powered by a 2.9l twin-turbo six-cylinder, the limited edition Stelvio Black Tech and a retouched Guilia hatchback. During each of the subsequent three quarters of 2019, the new Fiat 500X and a 206kW Guilia Super Veloce will debut.
The year will end with the hosting of Camp Jeep Western Cape a gathering of Jeep owners with their cars for one last hurrah before the year ends.
The revamped Cherokee is also on its way but the last word is reserved for one of the most anticipated cars of 2019 the Grand Cherokee SRT TrackHawk powered by the Hellcat 522kW supercharged 6.4l Hemi V8 engine.
Orders will open in January for this brute with a rated 0-100km/h acceleration time in a staggering 3.5 seconds.
By and large the plan looks simple enough until you factor in the local company’s Achilles heel Alfa Romeo.
Eagle says plans to revive the brand hinge largely on changing perspectives and the tweaking of certain elements of crucial importance. “We are looking at creating separate Alfa Romeo dealer floors which can be tailored to specifically meet criteria required by the brand’s highend customer expectations.”