FIAT LINEA: Italian Elegance on Indian Roads

Right from the time it was unveiled to the automotive world in 2007, the Linea was pencilled in for manufacture in India and unlike the small cars Fiat has made in the past, this new mid-size saloon is dripping with curvy style and elegance. It is also the first spanking new automobile which is being built completely at Fiat India's all new manufacturing facility at Ranjangaon near Pune and which would be marketed by Tata Motors (Fiat's JV partner) through its all-India dealer network.

The Linea will be powered by the 1.3-litre Multijet engine which is already doing duty in one or the other in this country - under the bonnets of cars like the Suzuki Swift, the Tata Indica Vista and the Fiat Palio Stile. Much will depend on how effectively the new car is put together and also how receptive the sales and service networks are. This is also a big test for both Fiat and Tata Motors as they begin the onerous task of marketing the new car in a period of economic slowdown. How innovative and how pro-actively the effort is spearheaded on the marketing and distribution front will of course be key to the two partners but as Rajeev Dubey, President of Tata Motors' Passenger Car Business unit had mentioned, freshness of appeal which only new products can bring would certainly help the combine in these tough times.

A special all encompassing package on the Fiat Linea including a road test, full specifications and product details along with special videos of the drive and slideshows would be going live on the site at 6.00 p.m. on January 14. So prepare to log in then if you are a Fiat buff or just want to see if the Linea measures up.