Fiat SA
Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa
At the Fiat Group we don't just want to get you from A to B; we want to get you there with a smile on your face. And thanks to our legendary brands, we've been doing just that since 1899! In fact, 600 models later, Fiat and Alfa Romeo are more passionate than ever about creating cars that offer unique Italian design, innovative technologies, and great value for money. This philosophy has already generated motoring greats such as the Panda, Grande Punto and Bravo, and has most recently spawned the universally acclaimed and beloved 500, not forgetting, of course, the 159, MiTo and Giulietta, the latter being the latest jewel in the Alfa Romeo crown.
Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat SpA, offers a full range of imported Fiat and Alfa Romeo products including light commercial vehicles through a network of dedicated dealers. Recent milestones include a new state-of-the-art parts warehouse guaranteeing one of the best parts delivery services in the country as well as the freshly-minted training centre which was recently opened in Midrand.
| Contact Details |
| Waterfall Park |
| Bekker Street |
| Midrand |
| Johannesburg |
| +27 (0)11 205 3700 |
At the end of 2003, Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa with the then Managing Director Giorgio Gorelli as the driving force, identified the need to start an initiative that would have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the community. Following countless visits to Soweto, the local authorities were approached and Fiat proposed the development of a soccer field with proper amenities to allow young talent to be trained and nurtured.
After numerous attempts, Fiat was finally offered a rubbish dump, with the promise that if the area was cleaned up, permission might be granted to transform it into a sports centre.
Fiat wasted no time and proceeded to clear the area, plant grass and install an irrigation system. Within a few months (June 2004) the very first match was played between a team of Italians and the Soweto Panthers.
In recognition of the work done, the local community organised an official signing ceremony between Johannesburg City Council and Fiat Group Automobiles on the 18th of November 2005.
It was at this point that Gorelli - with full backing from the authorities - decided to take another giant leap and so work commenced on turning the soccer field into a fully-fledged sports centre for the school children of Soweto, with different sport facilities to foster a multi-disciplinary approach.
The following structures were completed during 2006 with the help of additional sponsors:
• Eight-lane athletics track - Sponsored by Fiat
• Basketball court - Sponsored by Marble Classic
• Two volleyball courts - Sponsored by CTM
• Two netball courts - Sponsored by CTM
• Long jump facility - Sponsored by JAS Forwarding
• Changing rooms - Sponsored by Associazione del'Amicizia
In 2006 it was decided to organise a multi-disciplinary sport event for the schools in Soweto. This led to the very first Soweto School Games. It proved to be such a resounding success that it paved the way for the event to become a regular on the sporting calendar. Anything from 10 to 20 (700 to 1000 learners) schools participate in the two-day weekend event which covers a full range of sporting activities including soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball, long jump, high jump and track athletics.
Europe's most eco-friendly brand
For the fourth year running, Fiat Automobiles is the brand which has recorded the lowest level of CO2 emissions by vehicles sold in Europe in 2010, with an average measurement of 123.1 g/km (4.7 g/km less than the 2009 average). Fiat also ranked first as Group, with 125.9 g/km, an improvement of 5 g/km on last year. The record is certified by JATO Dynamics, the world's leading automotive consultancy and research firm.
This is an important achievement and a continuing improvement: over the last 4 years, Fiat Automobiles has reduced its average emissions by 10%, from 137.3 to 123.1 g/km of CO2, significantly lower than the target set out by the European Union for 2015, which has been fixed at 130 g/km.
This result shows Fiat's commitment to protecting the environment through the development of simple and ingenious solutions such as MultiAir engine technology and the revolutionary new TwinAir engine, the world's most "ecological" turbo petrol engine. The 500 TwinAir range will debut in South Africa during the second half of 2011. MultiAir technology, however, is already available in South Africa on both the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta ranges and the results speak for themselves. For example, despite its performance credentials, the MiTo 1.4 TBi MultiAir only produces emissions of 129g/km. The Fiat 500 1.2 is also worthy of mention - emitting just 119g/km means that this model falls under the emissions tax threshold.
Level 8 BBBEE Status
In 2009/2010, Fiat Group Automobiles achieved Level 8 Contributor status in terms of the Department of Trade and Industry's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Scorecard. This was attributable largely thanks to Fiat's robust Corporate Social Responsibility Programme (see below) as well as the adoption of a new learnership programme which focuses primarily on Previously Disadvantaged individuals with disabilities. For 2011/2012, the company is hoping to improve on its scorecard by one or two points.