Fiat Barchetta
The Italian car maker, Fiat, has become the first car company to launch a car that is only available for sale from its Internet web site. A special edition of the Fiat Barchetta sports car may only be bought from a web site - www.barchettaweb.com It is called, appropriately, the Fiat Barchetta Web. To set the unique model apart of the 7,000 to 8,000 Barchettas Fiat normally sells through its dealer network, the new special addition offers unique colour and trim schemes and additional equipment, as well as an Internet-only options list.
To buy the car, the customer completes an on-line form, which provides a complete on the road price in real time. A test drive may be arranged, with the car being delivered to the customer's home for use over a weekend. When (if!) the customer decides to buy the car, the first payment is made by credit card. The car is delivered to their home or office, at which point all the paperwork is completed, along with the arrangements for payment or finance packages, which may also be arranged over the net.
"Although this is an experiment, it is not a PR stunt," says Fiat spokesmen Peter Newton. "This program will run until the end of the year in Italy so that the processes may be refined and then it will be extended to other models, other Fiat Group brands and other countries."
Quickies
- The 1999 Sydney International Motor Show (15-24 October 1999) will see the most complete range of cars ever offered by Alfa Romeo in Australia, with coupe and soft top sports cars, the award-winning Alfa 156 sports sedan and the new executive luxury sedan, the Alfa 166. The Citroën Picasso, the benchmark for the fastest growing car sector in the European car market, will be the centre piece of the Citroën display, along with the Xsara Berlingo and Xantia that share Citroën's motor show stand.
- The Audi A6 is to be revised. From October, both the A6 sedan and Avant will be available as a 2.4-litre front-wheel drive variant developing 121 kW, and as a 2.8 quattro with 142 kW of power. Other changes include additional standard features on both sedan models such as: rear side airbags (all variants), SIDEGUARD head airbag curtains for front and rear passengers (all variants), split fold rear seats (2.4-litre), electrically adjustable seats (2.4-litre), Tiptronic sports steering wheel (2.8 quattro).
- Accessible Technologies Inc. has just released their new 4.6 Mustang GT Intercooled supercharger system. The new 10 psi (at the intake) system delivers 153 more horsepower than stock, according to ATI. It uses a P600B compressor, 2 core intercooler, and comes with a 3 year warranty. The system fits 1996-1998 Mustang GT's with the 4.6 2 valve engines. APE has this high power complete supercharger system introductory priced at US$2,751.00 http://www.gothorsepower.com/supera.htm
- This month, General Motors dealers in the Middle East are taking delivery of the first shipments of Australian-built long-wheelbase Holdens. The left-hand-drive (LHD) versions of Holden's latest Statesman/Caprice models will be marketed throughout the region under the GM Chevrolet Caprice nameplate. Holden expects these larger luxury cars to attract even more buyers than the Chevrolet Lumina-badged VT Commodore, which is already the Middle East's top-selling GM model.
- Holden will release four Olympic Edition models with extra value features. The special Olympic Edition Holden Commodore, Vectra, Astra and Barina models will be produced in limited numbers. They offer considerably upgraded levels of standard equipment, special badging and a range of individual styling features for little extra cost.
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