Historically very strong in the retail market – almost seven out of 10 Fiat sales in the UK are in this sector – the carmaker has plenty of scope in the fleet market, where its sales at 34% are well below the industry average.

This is something the carmaker is targeting following its latest model launch, the 500L Trekking, which joins the 500, 500C, 500 Abarth, 500L and 500L Trekking in the 500 line-up and will be joined by the seven-seater 500L MPW in September and the 500X compact SUV by the end of the year. 

Speaking at the launch of the 500L Trekking, Karl Howkins, the new commercial director at Fiat Group Automobiles in the UK, said: ‘I like a challenge, and Fiat is a challenge, but it has great product coming.

‘You can be the best salesman in the world but you need the products to sell,’ he added.

Howkins joined Fiat last month after a 25-year career with General Motors. His last posting was a two-and-a-half year stint as managing director of Opel in the Netherlands.

He describes the 500 as still flying, five years after its launch. It has also built up customer loyalty. The addition of the 500 family means that Fiat now has B, C and SUV segment vehicles.

Howkins sees scope for the 500L in the rental and Motability markets.

‘If it makes sense, we'll do it. If it doesn't make sense we won't do it. There is a lot of good fleet business out there,’ he said.

His remit covers all six Fiat Group brands and he admits that the company needs to do better with Alfa Romeo – and will, with new Giulietta, MiTo facelift and 4C on the near horizon as well as the new sports car being developed with Mazda.

‘Jeep is hugely exciting; everyone knows Jeep so that's the draw to Chrysler,’ he said, adding that the big push on Chrysler will come next year.

Howkins points to June sales for Fiat being up 22% year-on-year as one reason for his optimism. The 500L is winning new customers to the brand and is now the third best-seller in its segment while the 500 has outsold MINI for five of the first six months this year and only lost out in June by 50 sales.

Also on the way is the 500L MPW, which is 20cm longer than the 500L but about 20cm shorter than the average station wagon in this segment. Fiat describes the car as being the link between MPV and estates. It is the most compact seven-seater on the market, boasting the best interior-exterior ratio.