Fiat Europe boss Gaetano Thorel has rejected the prospect of moving to digital-led direct-to-customer sales, stating “our dealers are our engine”.
Thorel said: “They’re the face of the brand. They’re crucial. When you go outside of Italy, to Germany, to France, even to the UK, our network [of dealers] represents our face in the market. The dealer is our ambassador.”
This bucks the trend of many manufacturers who are pushing customers online, with Volvo, for example, now exclusively selling its electric range on the web.
Thorel added: “Selling online is important.