New Delhi, Jan. 22 (PTI): Fiat India may launch a newly-developed small car to generate volumes and expand market share in the competitive compact car segment, its chairman and managing director Alberto Montanari said.

The company, however, has no immediate plans to introduce luxury cars like Alfa Romeo in the domestic market.

“The car codenamed ‘small’ will be launched in Europe in the second half of this year. It might be launched in India after that, depending upon the results of clinic tests,” Montanari said here.

Montanari would succeed M. P. Bianchi as the Fiat India chief on January 27, 2003.

He said the car would be built on an entirely new platform and also sport newly-developed 1200 cc turbo-diesel and 1100 cc and 1200 cc petrol engines.

The diesel engine, Montanari said, could also be used by US automaker General Motors Corp as part of a global alliance with the firm’s Italian parent Fiat Spa.