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Fiat may launch Alfa Romeo by Dec

February 23, 2008 03:48 IST

Fiat India today flagged-off the Fiat Cinquecento (500) and Fiat Bravo, even as talk of the Italian auto-maker's plan to launch its premium car 'Alf Romeo' was doing the rounds at the company's plant in Ranjangaon near Pune.

These cars will join the Ferrari Magic India Drive that begins from February 25 from Mumbai.

Officials of Fiat India, a joint venture between Fiat Group Automobiles and Tata  Motors, also confirmed that the 500 and Bravo would be on Indian roads from June this year.

Fiat India CEO Rajeev Kapoor said that a detailed market study was going on regarding the launch of the Alfa Romeo in India and a final decision would soon be taken.

"We are studying the feasibility of various Alfa Romeo models for the Indian market. If at all the car is to be launched, it will happen only in the last quarter of 2008," Kapoor said. He, however, did not name the models nor their respective price-tags.

It is however understood that Alfa Romeo would be placed on par with the BMW-3 series and would be priced at around Rs 30 lakh and above.

"We have already commissioned our engines plant and the final assembly process is expected to begin in a short while. The 500 and Bravo would be on roads from June onwards," Kapoor added.

Both the vehicles, which were launched in the recently held Auto Expo in New Delhi, would be available in the completely-built unit (CBU) category.

While the 500 would be priced around Rs 12 lakh, Bravo would cost more than Rs 16 lakh, on road, he added.

The company presently has a capacity to manufacture more than 500 cars a month at Ranjangaon.

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