The Fiat 500 A Flop? Then Why Did It Outsell All Other 2 Door Subcompacts Except The Mini?

The FIAT 500 has come in for some criticism because dealers delivered only 17,945* units in 2011, far short of the annual goal of 50,000 announced earlier in the year by Chrysler and FIAT Chairman Sergio Marchionne. The 500’s shortfall was exceptionally visible because it occurred amidst successful performances in 2011 by all other Chrysler Corporation makes. And, if one looks at the 500 in the context of the non-luxury subcompact car segment in which it competes, its results – 4% of the segment – are disappointing. (This share is for the March-December 2011 time period because the 500 was introduced in March.)



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800over - 2/24/2012 10:18:27 AM

+1 Boost

Civic is compact.....not sub-compact.

800over - 2/24/2012 10:25:52 AM

+1 Boost

At least according to the article we're referencing.

mini22 - 2/23/2012 11:00:13 AM

+1 Boost

Interesting with Mini. In 2 doors it has the base Cooper,base Cooper convertable,CooperS, Cooper S convertable,JCW. Fiat has the 500 and 500 convertable only.Therefore it took Mini 5 2dr models to make sales of 12,000 more cars then Fiat.So in that context the 500 does not look too bad. It clearly signals a need for additional models from Fiat.

mini22 - 2/23/2012 12:14:27 PM

+1 Boost

spy6-Until Honda does that hurried up refresh I would not guess that Civic is selling in near the numbers they have in the past. Also this 2dr thing is a silly argument in some respects.You really should limit it to 2dr a class subcompact vehicles. The Civic is clearly B class compact vehicle.It will be interesting to see how the new Abarth now factors into sales. However that's not happening till next month for Fiat.

atc98092 - 2/23/2012 9:40:12 PM

+1 Boost

@spy6... The Fiat is just barely a subcompact (almost a minicompact) and the Civic on the upper end of the subcompact size. They may "fit" in the same catagory, but they are in no way comparable models. And the Accord is within a fraction of a cubic foot from being a mid-size. No comparison with either one.

Globalist - 2/23/2012 1:01:05 PM

+2 Boost

I'm starting to see a lot of these out here in Naples, Florida. It's not to my taste (unless it's an Abarth, then I'll risk the name-calling) but the ladies seem to love it. That's alright with me, I like Italian cars coming back to U.S. shores. I'm still happy they left back then but they don't really suck that bad anymore. They're a good match with Chrysler.

randy3022 - 2/23/2012 4:24:43 PM

+2 Boost

The Fiat 500 has been a marketing flop, mainly because of the phony, racist ad campaign featuring J-LO cruising through a Hollywood set, disingenuously declaring she is "one of these people" in Brooklyn.

"These people" didn't exist, as it turned out, the stereotypes being stock art spliced into her silly studio set.

LexSucks - 2/23/2012 5:01:52 PM

-1 Boost

How was the add racist?

LexSucks - 2/23/2012 5:02:34 PM

-1 Boost

It’s a flop because of the Chrysler/Obama relationship, and the relationship between Chrysler and FIAT. Nothing Obama touches can be seen as being a success. It goes against the "everything Obama touches he makes worse" delusion.

800over - 2/24/2012 10:20:31 AM

+2 Boost

Everyone is now stupider for having read that.

francesco - 2/23/2012 11:12:51 PM

+1 Boost

Fiat Not a flop at all, i love my LITTLE FIAT 500 A JEWEL OF A CAR.

MorePower - 2/24/2012 3:09:19 AM

+1 Boost

The 500 is not selling well because Fiat went with a HORRIBLE advertising campaign. Unlike BMW which marketed the Mini brand to young urban consumers, both male and female, Fiat mainly target young women in their advertising. Also, going with Jennifer Lopez was not a smart marketing decision either, regardless of Lopez's poor timing with her affair.

If Fiat re-launches their marketing campaign that is more in-line with their SuperBowl ad and offer better pricing/financing, they will generate more sales.

800over - 2/24/2012 10:21:30 AM

+2 Boost

Nobody mentioned the bad crash rating for why it's selling badly...

mini22 - 2/25/2012 4:24:55 PM

+1 Boost

The bad crash rating has got nothing to do with it. Do you think a Mazda Miata has a better crash rating? You may buy cars based on crash rating but most people do not. The problem with the 500 was a combination of poor marketing,not having all the dealers open,no Abarth model when they lunched, and lots of competition in the marketplace.For all of that 17,900 is not at all bad in sales.Should be better this yr.