Fiat India rolled out the Grande Punto hatchback on 17th June09 with an aggressive price Rs 3.99 lack (ex-showroom Delhi), pitching it against segment leaders Suzuki Swift and i10, while pricing it way below Hyundai i20 and Honda Jazz.

The company will offer the car with three engine options - 1200 cc Petrol, 1400cc petrol and 1300 cc multijet diesel engine. Grande Punto is Fiat's latest offering after the Linea sedan and is expected to drive volumes. Fiat hopes to start with average sale of 2000-2500 units, nearly double to that of Linea. "We believe that the B Plus segment (premium hatchback) in India has been undertapped and consumers are increasingly looking forward to driving world renowned, international brands," said Fiat India Head - Rajeev Kapoor. Market analysts said Fiat has chosen to opt for an aggressive pricing for the Punto as it is upbeat after the encouraging response to Linea despite the market slowdown. Economics of scale has also made it possible for the company to price the car cheaper. Fiat is making cars at a new factory at Ranjangaon in Maharashtra in a JV with Tata Motors and the companies are sharing engines across models, enabling bulk purchases from suppliers helping them better bprices for raw materials and spaeatrs.