Abarth UK managing director Guiseppe Cava spoke to Business Car at the launch of the Abarth 600e about the fleet opportunity for the brand’s highest performance car, ever.
We liked the Abarth 500e, but felt its range limited its fleet use. So, we asked if having the 600e will give more options for Abarth to sell into fleet and corporate channels?
He said: “Yes, for sure. With the 600e, we have an additional model where Abarth was previously a one-model brand. This is a big step, as the 600 is a bigger car, it’s a five-door, and it gives Abarth additional opportunities to play in both retail and fleet sides of the business.
“One of the key points, an action that we’ve done since the launch, is that the Scorpionissima was above the £40k mark, and we’ve reduced it to fit in with the incoming luxury car tax. As a manufacturer and brand, you need to be as adaptable and flexible with your strategy as possible, especially as it’s the halo product.
“It is certainly a milestone, launching the most powerful Abarth ever – so we must maximise every opportunity. If there’s a limit driven by market conditions, we need to adapt, and so we flagged this early.”
We moved on to ask Cava where he thought Abarth 600e fleet buyers were going to come from?
He said: “I think in terms of audience, there will be a typical Abarth buyer, who is looking for something bigger, hasn’t had this choice, and wants to stand out. Within that, there are also high-net-worth individuals, who are looking for something unique in the marketplace. These people can afford whatever car, they drive a supercar, and next to it they have a runaround. For them, this could their first jump into electric vehicles.
“Where the brand is going is a unique position – because it’s clear what we stand for, as with the old Abarth. This is the brand reimagined for the modern world, where it’s electrified.”
We pushed this point further, asking Cava if he thought the 600e was going to be more of a salary sacrifice option in fleet?
He said: “I think it could be an element, it’s certainly the reason we’re expanding, and this is the key point across both the Fiat and Abarth brands.”
It is obvious that the Abarth brand has a lot of love from retail buyers – but we asked Cava how he was going to get this message to fleet buyers?
He said: “I think our main plan for this year, is to present this new offering across the two brands – this is the new Fiat and Abarth range.
“We have bigger cars, different powertrains – in this case it’s electric specifically – but it’s making sure at the network side of things, that new investors understand this. From a fleet perspective, it’s about bringing this awareness of the new product from Fiat and Abarth, and what that could bring to fleet customers – as historically this hasn’t been our strength!
“For sure Stellantis B2B will bring those products into the conversation, and we’re planning some fleet days bringing the new Fiat and Abarth offer to the front, we’ve got exciting product that people want to test drive.
“The first demonstration units have just arrived, and they’ll be sent out to our customers – to make sure they’re aware of it.
“Then, it’s also really important to celebrate this important year, and it’s only when you see where we were, and where we’re going, and how fast we’re going, that they’ll realise Fiat and Abarth are a major player.”
As part of this Fiat and Abarth reset, the dealer network is being increased. So, our next question to Cava was how important dealers will be to future fleet deals?
He said: “Yes, this is a crucial point. Our network historically hasn’t previously been focussed on fleet, so the new retailers that we’re onboarding, most of them are experienced in fleet – especially in the SME world. So, we’re looking at retailers with expertise already, that can help us capitalise with this new product.
“SME is a key growth opportunity that we see, that’s why it’s so important that we capitalise on the awareness of Fiat and Abarth. We need to make sure we cover both angles – local and national. We will have around 100 dealers by the end of the year.”
We then pushed Cava on whether most Abarth fleet deals would be done centrally, or at a local level?
He said: “I think there will be a mix of both. Again, we’re on a journey, and with the new dealer network coming on board, we see more opportunity. We need to make sure that we have both.
“In terms of volume, it might be because of the scale, that in the short-term it might be central deals. We want to establish a business where the retailers do play a key role – because it’s an opportunity for them at a local level.”
