“The remarkable figure of 200000 engines in a short span of time is a testament to the commitment of both the partners and to the tireless efforts of the team which has worked to make this a world-class facility," Gurpratap Boparai, the JV's powertrain vice president told Business Standard.
The facility produced the first engine back in 2008 and since became one of the largest powertrain manufacturing plants operated by Fiat in the world. It produces engines for several Fiat and Tata models, namely the 1.3l Multijet diesel, the 1.2l and 1.4l Fire.
Aside for engines, the facility is also responsible with manufacturing the Palio Stile, Linea and the Grande Punto cars. Overall, the facility has the capacity to produce 200,000 vehicles and 300,000 engines each year.
"Our partnership with Fiat is a win - win for both parties. Fiat’s powertrain engines are powering the new generation Tata cars, additionally; the engines are also being exported to other countries which indicate that India could really be developed as a hub for the manufacture of technologically advanced engines," R. Ramakrishnan, Tata Motors vice president was quoted as saying by Business Standard.
The success of Fiat on the Indian market made the Italian manufacturer expand its dealership network in the country. In the beginning of the year, Fiat announced it will open 10 showrooms in addition to its existing network by the end of 2010.
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