SPAIN - FIAT and JEEP shows significant growth in Spain during October, with Jeep up 272%, FIAT up 26.1%

Translated by Google - Apologies for any errors caused.

• Fiat increases its cumulative growth to 26.1% from January to October.
• Jeep exceeds 4,000 units throughout the year and recorded a growth of 272%, the highest in the Spanish passenger car market

FCA Group registrations in Spain continue to accumulate a positive growth trend. While the passenger car market registered to October 2015 increased by 20.5% over the same period last year (863,973 units accumulated confirms that one million units will be reached at the end of the year), both Fiat and Jeep kept growth levels well above the national average.

The arrival of the new Fiat 500 and the resounding success of the last to arrive at the range, the Fiat 500X, have allowed the general data of the brand in October again be not only positive, but maintain a growth value Annual of 26.1% with a total of 32,799 units.

Meanwhile, Jeep continues to be the fastest growing brand in 2015 throughout the Spanish market. In October, Jeep registrations increased 136.7% over the same month in 2014. While in the full year, from January to October 31, the growth of the brand is a spectacular 272% to over 4,000 units and setting a leadership that is maintained for more than 14 months and where the launch of Jeep Renegade has been key with a total of 2,650 units registered since the beginning of the year.

* Data ANFAC

Brazilian slump causes FIAT to halt production to ease very high stock levels.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will halt production at a plant in Brazil from today through Monday due to lower demand for cars and high stock levels. The nearly 16,000 workers at the plant in Betim, Minas Gerais, will be on paid leave.

A Fiat representative said it had previously announced paid leave from Friday through Sunday due to the Easter holiday, and had added days because of elevated supplies.

The representative declined to comment on stocks at the plant but union president Joao Alves de Almeida said the factory was manufacturing some 2,000 cars a day, down from peaks of 3,400 a few years ago, and had enough cars stocked for 40 sales days.

"This isn't good news -- it creates a climate of apprehension between the workers who are concerned about their future and maintaining their jobs," Almeida said.

On Monday another union said Volkswagen had furloughed 4,200 workers at its second-largest factory in Brazil for three weeks.

Many automakers are working to cut costs in Brazil, where sales and output are down more than 20 percent in the first two months. Jobs in the auto industry have fallen 8 percent in the 12 months through February.

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