Fiat 500 Expected Miss 50,000 US Sales Target

As other car manufacturers Chrysler’s sales forecast might not come true this year,  meaning that the 50,000 mark for the Fiat 500 in North America this year won’t happen due to the fact that it took longer to open new stores than previously expected. The manufacturer is increasing its marketing efforts which include a planned promotion in Times Square in New York, according to Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand under Chrysler.

The company had opened about 100 Fiat stores, including about 30 in July. The target is to have 130 by the end of the year."We have coverage now, so now is the time for us to turn this up. We've activated the smaller guerrilla- type marketing, but then these are the bigger events that are going to get us bigger awareness,"Laura Soave, head of the Fiat band was quoted as saying by Automotive News.

The marketing move and adding stores is expected to increase Fiat 500 US sales at least 30 percent in August over July. Chrysler reported US Fiat 500 sales of 3,038 in July, with a total of 7,982 for the year so far. Another 3,064 Fiats have sold in Canada through July in Canada.

Also, Chrysler is responsible for reintroducing the Fiat brand in the US after an absence of almost 30 years. The car manufacturer began selling the Fiat 500 at the price of $15,500 against Daimler AG’s smarts and BMW AG’s MINI small cars, so far the expected result takes its time in showing itself.