Stellantis South Africa has confirmed that it has no plans on pulling the Fiat brand from the local market anytime soon.
Reports of leaving..
Earlier this month, bdlive.co.za reported that Fiat had stopped operations following the supposed end of sales of the previous generation 500.
At the same time, the March sales figures by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) showed no Fiat had been sold, suggesting a likely stock depletion of the 500 and 500X.
An unnamed spokesperson, however, told the publication that “exciting developments” are underway, alluding to either a brand re-launch or possible new product roll-out.
…debunked
In a response to The Citizen, the brand said, “it continues to maintain operational fleet commitments and will resume regular reporting to ensure transparency and support corporate demand”.
It also added that its website is “currently being updated to reflect new developments in the business”. This after it was noted that all of its products were no longer listed.
Going further, the brand said, “Fiat South Africa remains active in the market, with stable fleet operations, confirmed vehicle availability, and ongoing strategic developments.
“While there are exciting developments underway that will be shared in due course , the brand continues to service customers, support fleet partners, and maintain its operational footprint across the country”.
Watch this space
For moment, the nature of the mentioned “exciting developments” remains unknown.
Possible products likely include the new 500, the 600 and the Grande Panda, all offered as hybrids or EVs in Europe.
As it stands, nothing has been confirmed or alluded to, and will only be revealed once official confirmation is made throughout the year.
