Fiat S.p.A., is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial and industrial group based in Turin, Northern Italy. Founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli, the company name FIAT is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin), and it also means "let there be" in Latin. Fiat was also an aircraft manufacturer at one time. Fiat branded cars are constructed all around the world; in Italy, Poland, Brazil (best seller) and Argentina. Joint Venture productions in France, Turkey, Egypt (with the state owned Nasr car company), South Africa, India and China. Agnelli's grandson Gianni Agnelli was Fiat chairman from 1966 until his death on January 24, 2003. However, from 1996, he only served as an "honorary" chairman, while the chairman was Cesare Romiti. After their removal, Paolo Fresco served as chairman and Paolo Cantarella as CEO. Umberto Agnelli then took over as chairman from 2002 to 2004. After Umberto Agnelli's death on May 28, 2004, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was named chairman, but Agnelli heir John Elkann became vice chairman at age 28 and other family members are on the board. At this point, CEO Giuseppe Morchio immediately offered his resignation. Sergio Marchionne was named to replace him on June 1, 2004.
Fiat Group is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy, with a range of cars including the Fiat Panda, Grande Punto, Stilo, Idea, Croma, Ulysse and Doblò. Car companies are run by Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A, Ferrari S.p.A. and Maserati S.p.A.. Today automobile group runs well known firms like Lancia Automobiles S.p.A, Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A, Abarth & C. S.p.A., Fiat Automobiles S.p.A, IVECO S.p.A., and Maserati S.p.A.. Ferrari S.p.A. is owned by the Fiat Group, but is run autonomously. Light automobile sales accounted for 46.8% of total revenues during fiscal 2004 (3.2% of which is from Ferrari). The European Car of the Year award, Europe's premier automotive trophy for the past 40 years, has been awarded twelve times to the Fiat Group, more than any other manufacturer. Most recently the Fiat Nuova 500 has won the award for European Car of the Year 2008.
List of Fiat Group models which have won European Car of the Year: 1967: Fiat 124, 1970: Fiat 128,
1972: Fiat 127, 1980: Lancia Delta, 1984: Fiat Uno, 1989: Fiat Tipo, 1995: Fiat Punto, 1996: Fiat Bravo Brava, 1998: Alfa Romeo 156, 2001: Alfa Romeo 147, 2004: Fiat Panda, 2008: Fiat 500. Commercial vehicles (Iveco and Seddon Atkinson), buses (Iveco and Irisbus) and firefighting vehicles (Camiva, Iveco and Magirus). For information on their military vehicles, see Ariete. On 17 April 2007 "Fiat Veicoli Commerciali" was rebranded as "Fiat Professional"22. Some of Fiat's Light Commercial Vehicle products include; Fiat Ducato, Fiat Scudo and Fiat Doblò Cargo.
An important insurance company, Toro Assicurazioni, allows Fiat to control a relevant part of this market (also with minor companies like Lloyd Italico and Augusta Assicurazioni) and to interact with some associated banks. Toro Assicurazioni was acquired by the giant insurance company Assicurazioni Generali and now is not related to the Fiat Group anymore. Ingest Facility and Fiat Engineering work in various fields of construction, while IPI is a mediation company that also deals with the management of real estate properties. Fiat Group is present in IT fields and in communications with ICT - Information & Communication Technology, Espin, Global Value, TeleClient, and Atlanet. The group owns the Sestriere skiing facilities (being this village on Alps a creation of Agnelli family). The Sestriere skiing facilities has been sold by the group in 2006.
List of Fiat Cars Models: 1980 Fiat Panda 750 1980 Fiat Strada 75 CL 1980 Fiat Supermirafiori 1981 Fiat 131 Mirafiori 1300 L 1981 Fiat 131 Racing 1981 Fiat Strada Abarth 125 TC 1982 Fiat 127 1300 Sport 1982 Fiat Abarth Volumetrico 131 1982 Fiat Argenta 1982 Fiat Campagnola Diesel 1982 Fiat Panda 30 1982 Fiat Strada 105 TC 1982 Fiat X1/9 (US) 1983 Fiat Regata 1983 Fiat Uno 1984 Fiat Panda 4X4 1984 Fiat Strada Abarth 130 TC 1985 Fiat 127 Diesel Panorama 1985 Fiat 127 Panorama 1985 Fiat Argenta SX 1985 Fiat Panda 45 Super 1985 Fiat Uno Turbo ie 1986 Fiat Croma 1986 Fiat Panda 1300D 1987 Fiat 126 BIS 1988 Fiat Tipo 1989 Fiat Croma Diesel 1990 Fiat Tempra 1992 Fiat Cinquecento 1994 Fiat Punto 1995 Fiat Barchetta 1995 Fiat Brava 1995 Fiat Bravo 1995 Fiat Cinquecento Sporting 1995 Fiat Coupé 16v Turbo 1995 Fiat Coupé 1.8 16v 1995 Fiat Ulysse 1996 Fiat Palio 1996 Fiat Coupé 2.0 20v 1996 Fiat Marea 1.4 12v 1998 Fiat Marea 155 20v 1998 Fiat Marea Weekend 155 20v 1998 Fiat Multipla 1998 Fiat Seicento 1999 Fiat Punto (second generation) 1980 FIAT 132L 2001 Fiat Doblo 2001 Fiat Stilo 2002 Fiat Ulysse (second generation) 2003 Fiat Idea 2003 Fiat Panda (second generation) 2003 Fiat Punto (mark 2 revision B) 2004 Fiat Panda 4x4 (second generation) 2005 Fiat Panda Alessi 2005 Fiat Panda Cross 2005 Fiat Croma 2005 Fiat Sedici 2005 Fiat Grande Punto 2006 Fiat Panda 100HP 2007 Fiat Linea 2007 Fiat Bravo (second generation) 2007 Fiat Nuova 500.
