Fiat Panda Axed From Australian Line-Up
Fiat Australia has shown its Panda the door after less than two years on the local market. Despite ‘squircles’ galore and keen pricing deals along the way combined with a choice of three engines and two transmissions, Fiat says the Pan
Fiat Australia has shown its Panda the door after less than two years on the local market.
Despite ‘squircles’ galore and keen pricing deals along the way combined with a choice of three engines and two transmissions, Fiat says the Panda simply hasn’t connected with local buyers.
Two elements were working against the Panda in Australia: local buyers are not greatly interested in the micro or ‘sub-light’ city-car class.
At the end of June, the micro segment in which the Panda is sold was down 31 percent year-to-date on sales figures from the same time last year - and last year’s figures were significantly down on 2013.
The Panda was also competing for sales against its longer-serving (in Australia) and arguably more-recognisable sibling: the Fiat 500.
Last month, the Fiat 500 found 283 buyers against 22 for the Panda, and only 577 Pandas have been registered in Australia since launch.
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