New flagship Sportivo trim level available across FIAT Professional Range

April 28, 2014: Added equipment and features compared to already high standard specification of the Tecnico models Unique Sportivo side-stripes, alloy wheels, uprated engines and painted bumpers (where available) On sale immediately following the launch at the 2014 Commercial Vehicle Show held at The NEC Birmingham (April 29 – May 1, 2014) Ducato and Fiorino Sportivo on display alongside liveried vehicles from some of FIAT Professional’s key customers

FIAT Professional will welcome the new Sportivo trim level to its award-winning range of commercial vehicles at this year's Commercial Vehicle Show held at The NEC Birmingham (29 April – May 1, 2014). Two examples of the new Sportivo trim level – the FIAT Fiorino Sportivo and the FIAT Ducato Sportivo – will be on display, as will several FIAT Professional vehicles proudly displaying the liveries of just some of the brand’s key UK customers.

Taking its place as the flagship model of each vehicle in the FIAT Professional range, Sportivo builds on the high specification of the Tecnico models by adding alloy wheels, engine power upgrades, Sportivo side-stripes and painted bumpers (where available). As with Tecnico versions, air conditioning; Blue&Me™ connectivity with a TomTom satnav dock†; front fog lights and parking sensors are also standard, making Sportivo models amongst the best equipped and best value vehicles in their respective segments.

Promotional prices for the Sportivo range start at just £9,695* for the Fiorino Sportivo 1.3 95 MultiJet II, which represents a £700 premium versus the Fiorino Tecnico 1.3 75 MultiJet II promotional price. The Doblò Cargo range starts at just £10,695* for the Doblò Sportivo 1.6 105 MultiJet, again just £700 more than the equivalent Doblò Tecnico 1.3 90 MultiJet II, while the £13,195* Scudo Sportivo 2.0 130 MultiJet gains a whopping 40hp boost compared to the equivalent Scudo Tecnico 1.6 90 MultiJet while costing, once again, just £700 more! The FIAT Ducato Sportivo range starts at £14,995* for the short-wheelbase 2.3 150 MultiJet II, a 20hp boost over the £14,295 FIAT Ducato Tecnico 2.3 130 MultiJet II, with a similar £700 price premium for standard, medium and long-wheelbase versions.

All Sportivo vehicles in the FIAT Professional line-up are available to order now, with the first models hitting showrooms immediately following the 2014 Commercial Vehicle Show.

In addition to the FIAT Fiorino Sportivo and FIAT Ducato Sportivo, other exhibits on the FIAT Professional stand include the Fiorino Cargo Adventure and a number of vehicles from some of FIAT Professional’s best-known customers: A FIAT Ducato Tipper displaying the livery of FM Conway; one of the FIAT Doblò Maxi vans from the BT Openreach fleet; a Royal Mail FIAT Doblò XL; a FIAT Doblò Work-Up ‘dropside’ vehicle from Balfour Beatty and a FIAT Scudo LWB in its National Grid livery.

FIAT Professional UK continues to build on the exceptional success of 2013, where it not only outpaced the UK’s rebounding LCV market but also grew faster than any of its rivals. FIAT Professional UK sales surged to 13,500, an astounding 70 percent growth compared to 2012 and twice the rate of growth of its nearest rival, and this success continues into 2014 with first quarter results showing a 5.3 percent market share compared to Q1 2013, an increase of 0.8 percent. In February 2014, FIAT Professional achieved a 7.6 percent market share, the highest ever for FIAT Professional in a single month. Across Europe, FIAT Professional is now the third largest LCV manufacturer in terms of market share and the number one supplier of motorhome base vehicles, underpinning approximately two out of every three new motorhomes built in 2013.

The sales results come on top of what was also a critically successful year for FIAT Professional in the UK. In 2013 the brand and its products scooped a host of major awards from numerous influential UK publications including (in chronological order) VansA2Z, Trade Van Driver, Fleet Van World, GreenFleet, Fleet Van and What Van?

According to Sebastiano Fedrigo, Director, FIAT Professional UK: “We are delighted to welcome not only the new Sportivo models onto the FIAT Professional stand at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, but also the vehicles of some of our most valued customers. Our growing success in meeting the demands and expectations of these high-profile companies highlights the increasing competitiveness of our commercial vehicle line-up. And with more new products, derivatives and technologies in the pipeline, we hope to see FIAT Professional’s success continue into 2014 and beyond!”

Further information on FIAT Professional's range of commercial vehicles is available at Fiat UK