[124 Spider News]

Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram dealers may be looking to sell Fiat vehicles now that production is ending for three of their models.

FCA already ended production for the Dodge Dart last month and both the 200 and Patriot is set to follow in December this year. A new Jeep Compass will be replacing the Patriot but we still have no word about the other two models’ replacement even though they were promised to us by CEO Sergio Marchionne.
That leaves a two model gap and dealerships are looking towards Fiat to fill the void. John Jones Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Fiat, in Corydon, Ind., told Autoweek that they added on the Fiat franchise because “It seemed like we could sell some extra product by picking that up. We were offered the franchise, and we took it. We think we're going to do real well with it."

This move could prove beneficial to dealerships because the 124 spider seems to be selling well and the convertible is drawing in new customers. A Houston Fiat dealership has been seeing an increase in Fiat sales with 23 vehicles sold in August and 25 in September. Those numbers may not be enough for a standalone fiat dealership, but it’ll give combination dealerships a boost in sales after losing three models.

Maybe we’ll see more and more 124 Spiders on showroom floors as time goes by.

 

[Chipshot]

490 in September.

http://www.fcanorthamerica.com/News/Pages/Sept-2016-US-Sales.aspx

 

[frankmar]

Got October sales, taken from another site. The spider was delivered to Canadian dealers in last days of August. but only had one or 2 vehicles. So September sales are normally low, They started getting more vehicles in early October. But Spider did outsell Miata for October.
I think November sales will be better than October due more aggressive discounts. But it's known that Covertible sales in Canada are low in fall to end of year.


Sales for October are in:

124 US - 444 (490 in September)
124 Canada - 39 (63 in September)

Total 124 - 483 (554 in September)

ND US - 505 (752 in September)
ND Canada - 32 (40 in September)

Total ND - 535 (792 in September)

 

[TomM]

47/53 split after two months with almost no advertising.

That bodes well for the future.

 

[TomM]

Fiat Sales Down 15% in November

350 Spiders sold in November
FCA overall down 16%

Month Sales Vol % CYTD Sales Vol %
Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Curr Yr Pr Yr Change
500 1,147 974 18% 14,026 22,243 -37%
500L 96 231 -58% 3,016 7,275 -59%
500X 822 1,621 -49% 10,869 7,785 40%
Spider 350 0 New 2,225 0 New
FIAT BRAND 2,415 2,826 -15% 30,136 37,303 -19%

 

[ItsyBitsy]

The 124 spider sales can only do so much to prop up Fiat's numbers, they need to come out with better mass market models like SUVs and Crossovers.

 

[GuidoVeloce]

350 Spiders sold in November

350 Spiders against 387 Miatas. Last year, Mazda sold 732 Miatas in November. Is the 124 eating up Mazda's share of the market?

 

[TomM]

350 Spiders against 387 Miatas. Last year, Mazda sold 732 Miatas in November. Is the 124 eating up Mazda's share of the market?

They're all coming out of the same factory, so I'm not sure how much Mazda cares.

As long as Spiders + Miatas >= Miatas alone, it would seem to be OK.

 

[frankmar]

November Fiat was giving 7yrs 0% int. now for december its 5.9% int. This may change but seems goodies are over.

 

[Stewie]

I'm sure they'll be some sort of boxing day sales ?

 

[frankmar]

In Canada there were 30 Spiders, in which one is mine. So far I have not seen any Spider publicity yet but my dealer inventory has gone from 12 to 15 spiders.

While Mazda only sold 10 MX5

 

[pikeman]

My dealer has AT cars sitting around. MTs go out the door real quick and they can't get enough Abarth models. The Sales Manager mentioned that he isn't interested in any more AT cars, but expects to keep getting them until the mix shifts to fit the actual demand.

 

[TomM]

I just did a little spreadsheet to compare how the Spider is impacting Miata sales. I won't post the whole thing, but the highlights are:

Sales in North America (US + Can) from June through November 2016,
2463 Spiders
4692 Miatas
Total between them: 7155
Spiders are roughly 34% of Miata sales thus far.

From June through November of 2015, there were 6073 Miatas sold in NA. It seems the Spider has partially cannibalized Miata sales, but the combination of them is +18% YoY, so the partnership seems to be working thus far.

 

[frankmar]

I know the Spider has been out almost a year, but here in Canada it's only been at the dealer since beginning of September and I haven't seen any publicity on TV. and keeping up with Miata, Fiat has been giving some cash back and 0% for 7 years.

 

[TomM]

I know the Spider has been out almost a year, but here in Canada it's only been at the dealer since beginning of September and I haven't seen any publicity on TV. and keeping up with Miata, Fiat has been giving some cash back and 0% for 7 years.

The site I'm using for data says 72 sold in Canada in July, another 34 sold in August.

I went back to June because there was one Spider sold in the US in June. Otherwise, it started selling for real in July. I'll keep updating my spreadsheet monthly now that I have it laid out.

 

[TRDutch]

350 Spiders against 387 Miatas. Last year, Mazda sold 732 Miatas in November. Is the 124 eating up Mazda's share of the market?

They're all coming out of the same factory, so I'm not sure how much Mazda cares.

As long as Spiders + Miatas >= Miatas alone, it would seem to be OK.

This is Fiat’s problem
They have to market the Car on its own Merits and the un educated US consumer has a preconceived notion that Fiat is a car to stay clear of
Does Fiat brag that it’s got Japanese reliability?
Ha Ha.....No!
Does Fiat tout that it’s a nicer car than the Miata?
Ha Ha .....No! (Not allowed)
Until the consumer educates themselves on the Spider not only being a better looking “Miata” Sales will continue to lag behind Miata
It’s 2-1 right now
This partnership looked good on Paper for Fiat but Im thinking Mazda is in the Win Win column.
Can you imagine the commercial that Fiat would love to air but can’t?
It would go something like this
A car meet of Miata drivers are standing around BSing and Up rolls a 124 Spider
All the people standing around gravitate over to the 124 and a hot looking raven haired beauty says to her Miata owning Boyfriend
“Why didn’t you get THAT?”

 

[frankmar]

We know the North America Market, and the spider has not made a dent when compared to the MX5 sales I would say 3 to 1 for MX5.

Question is, how many Spiders were sold world wide vs MX5. Now the ration could be close.

Anyone has those figures. tia

 

[Maggiemae]

Las month (November) in Canada 9 Spiders sold according to Chrysler/Fiat Canada. To date other than in the showroom I have seen 2 Spiders on the road other than ours.

 

[thinc2]

It doesn't matter how it sells in relation to the Miata. It matters whether it sells enough to keep Fiat in the US.

 

[Joseph124]

For those who like to look at FCA sales figures - there is this website
http://www.carsitaly.net/default.htm