Martín Zuppi: “In 2021 we will have the new Fiat SUV manufactured in Brazil”

[Inkriql]

From Villa Gesell (Buenos Aires) - Martín Zuppi, general director of FCA Argentina, announced today in the Jeep Off-Road Park of Route 11 the plans of the Fiat-Chrysler group for the coming years in our region.

Zuppi analyzed the different variables of the Argentine automotive market, anticipated the arrival of new models and gave an opinion on the future of the industry. The most prominent paragraphs are reproduced below.

* Automotive market: “We have in mind that 2020 will be a market similar to 2019, where we hope that a drop in the interest rate will allow consumption to revive. As much as we have a double dollar, the key to reviving the market will come from the side of lower rates. The internal tax distorted the offer a lot, but there are still products that remain competitive in dollars. However, we lack economic means, such as better financing conditions. And consumer confidence is still hit very hard. ”

* Industry: “In 2019, at Ferreyra we manufacture 32 thousand Cronos. The plan for 2020 is to reach 40 thousand units. We continue with the development of the Cronos, looking for new versions or configurations, which allow us to deliver to the customer what they are waiting for. If Brazil has an expansion as a market, Cronos production in Córdoba will continue to grow. The sedan segment, in the Brazilian market, had some retraction. But we continue with an installed capacity in Córdoba over 120 thousand units per year, although producing for now in a single shift. ”

* Import: “Export conditions change all the time and that does not allow long-term planning. It did not happen only with this government, but also with the previous one. 50% of our vehicle manufactured in Córdoba is imported. If we have problems importing parts, we will not be able to produce ”.

* FCA-PSA Fusion: “We are not yet clear on how this alliance would be structured in Argentina. We have no guidelines or news at the moment. It is a merger and a process that will take at least a year. In the world there are so many car brands that it is natural that everything converges towards a global fusion. It is necessary to unify strengths. It is excellent news that companies merge. There can be only one plant, the two can live together, but it will generate good synergy and coexistence with suppliers. ”

* Upcoming releases: “We have a very important project with the development of a Fiat SUV for Mercosur, which if everything goes well it would be presented in 2021. It will be positioned in Segment B. It would be manufactured in Brazil. Today we have no other plans for the Córdoba plant to continue producing the Cronos ”.