Fiat and Jeep models are sharing a showroom for the first time at a Fiat S.p.A.-owned dealer in Paris.
Fiat's newly opened Motor Village mega-dealer on the Champs-Elysees in Paris includes the Jeep brand alongside the collection of Fiat-owned marques on sale there, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati.
The store opened last week on Paris' most infamous boulevard where other brands also feature their own large dealerships such as Citroen, Peugeot, Mercedes, Renault and Toyota. The area of Paris is also dense with retail outlets from top fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier.
Manufacturer-owned flagship dealerships such as Motor Village provide some essential glamour for a brand's public image. For example, the Motor Village showroom has a 14-meter tall glass tube within which its various models are displayed and can be moved into different positions for a "kaleidoscope"-like experience to woo the customer.
Fiat now has a 20 percent stake in Chrysler and exercises control of the company. It's plans are to turn Jeep into its largest volume American marque in Europe while selling Chrysler models badged as Lancias there. Dodge will remain a niche marque in Europe.
