The difference is small (229 units), but it is important and should raise an alarm: in December, for the first time in 96 years, the Fiat brand lost its top spot in the monthly ranking of best-selling automobiles in Italy. Volkswagen, its long-time adversary, has overtaken it. In detail, the Turin-based Stellantis galaxy brand sold 10,523 models in December 2023, a 16% decrease from the previous year, while the Germans sold 10,752 units (+20.6%). Fiat also lost market share (from 11.9% to 9.5%), while Volkswagen increased from 8.5% to 9.7%. It will now be important to wait for the results of the first month of 2024, which will be reported on February 1, to determine whether the surpassing is an anomaly or if a true trend reversal is imminent. Looking at the models, the stainless Fiat Panda made in Pomigliano d'Arco retained a significant sales lead over the Volkswagen T-Roc (6,946 units versus 3,490). Fiat is currently prioritizing the electric Panda manufactured in its Kragujevac, Serbia facility and the new 600 with a hybrid engine for the rebound.
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