Fiat's Punto has registered strong sales of 100,000 across Europe in the first quarter of the year, causing the company to revise upwards its profits forecast.
But the brand faces tough new competition for the rest of the year, with the upcoming new Corsa, the recently released Peugeot 207, and the quickly-growing new Yaris all snapping for larger shares of the same segment.
Still, Punto helped push Fiat into seventh place in the market, with increased sales of more than a fifth against the dismal performance in 2005.
Brian Byrne.
