Fiat Linea

Fiat Linea is a small family size 4 door sedan which was developed in 2007 to compete with top of the line Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, in emerging markets. Sold throughout Asia, Latin America, Europe and India, it is the largest salon in Fiat fleet. Based on Fiat’s reliable SCSS platform, Fiat Linea is powered by either 1.4L petrol or 1.9L diesel engines, enough to produce 152hp. As of now, users have to contend with 5 speed manual dualogic gearbox designed to provide superior power performance,as required by Turbojet and Multijet engine versions.

Owner Incentives

In 2008, Fiat Linea was introduced in Brazil with the capability of using ehtanol. Subsequently, less powerful yet more robust variant, was introduced in India that relied on 1.4 L ‘Fire’ petrol engine. Its most powerful 1.4 16valve turbojet engine is able to produce 112kw at 5500rpm and is able to attain top speed of more than 200km/h. Since its introduction three years earlier, Linea is trying to gain market share by providing one of the most diverse sets of functions and services, ever. For example, in Brazil the L’Unico Club offers VIP services to the owners of Fort Linea. These services include exclusive attendants and line operators who provide priority service at hundreds of car service centers. Moreover, a 3 year warranty is included to attract car buyers who otherwise turn towards the more established Japanese automakers. In India, 24×7 roadside assistance include help with punctures, towing, common spares and minor accidents. An extensive partnership with Tata Motors of India, allows Linea owners to seek further amenities at Tata service centers. As in Brazil, these incentives are offered to entice customers away from its competition which includes Honda City, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Verna and Ford Fiesta.

Innovation

The innovative design of Fiat Linea is supported by Blue&Me hands free system which allows car drivers to instruct Microsoft based computers, using voice recognition capabilities. This system has long been a Fiat hallmark which can also be integrated with onboard GPS system, USB, bluetooth and MP3 players. Most local versions of Fiat Linea are being co-developed in conjunction with already established car manufacturers in their respective countries. In long term, such partnerships should allow Fiat Linea to gain larger market share in small sedan category.