Fiat has opened its first dealership that will cater to all three FCA brands in India. The dealership, dubbed ‘Destination Stores’, by the Landmark Group is located in Worli in south Mumbai, and a workshop is being readied in the suburbs of Andheri. Exclusive Jeep Destination Stores have also been inaugurated in Chennai and New Delhi at Old Mahabalipuram Road and Mathura Road respectively.
For now, independent Fiat dealers around the country will continue to be operational, but the new showroom will set a benchmark and others are likely to follow this format. The choice of location is also significant for the company as it has not had a sales presence in Mumbai, its headquarter city, for a long time now. Sales are likely to go up by a significant amount, as Mumbai has always been one of Fiat’s strong markets.
The FCA Group has had a rough ride in India with Fiat struggling with just two basic models; Jeep too has seen very few takers owing to the pricy options on sale. The company is now looking to reboot its retail strategy by bringing the three brands under one roof, which gives the market a wider range of vehicles and presents the dealer partner with a viable business plan. This should attract more dealers; something that the company desperately needs, since its soon-to-be-launched Jeep Compass will compete in the larger-volume segment.