[sidindica]

Fiat Palio S10

The S10 is long gone (been 17 years since it was last sold) and is now a faded memory in thr forgotten pieces of history books. Way back in the heudays, many ownership threads existed but none had the actual facts and figures of what and how it came from factory.

I had created a Palio thread some decades back but its now time to take everyone back again in time, this time with actual pics and facts.

Enjoy the chronological treat.

Unveiling at auto expo 2002, the single promo car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8j8doc0L8

Highlights of this ONE off promo car.

• Had ABS
• Driver Airbag
• 5 spoke alloys
• used by different media publications for reviews
• 100 16V logo above Sachin's Signature

A couple of more pics of the promo car at the auto expo.

• Pic 1 from Autocar India and Pic 2 from Overdrive article.
• This is NOT the serial number 10 car owned by his family at one point of time.

The production car was launched in March 2002 at ex showroom price of Rs. 5,67,000, Delhi equating to Rs. 6,18,000 on road.

• production run of 500 units was planned
• sachin Tendulkar got keys to serial number 10 car out of assembly line

Below are the pics from launch. The car in the pics is Serial number 10. Courtesy gettyimages.







This car had 7 spoke wheels, ABS and driver Airbag. Changed many owners in its due course of time and the car currently resides in Goa.

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKP91Cd0-z0

Production:

• 499 cars were made, and compared to the promo car, following things were changed:
• Different Alloy wheels
• No ABS
• No Airbag
• Groove on fender to accomodate the "100 16V" logo below the signature.

The brochure, below (I have this with me even today)











Added/different features compared to GTX:

The car carried a 68k premium over the GTX and 17k premium over the GTX SP. Extras offered were as listed below:

• Canary yellow colour, only colour and exclusive
• Sachin Signature motif sticker on right side of bonnet
• LH and RH Flared fender with contoured wheel arch
• Sachin Signature motif sticker on LH and RH fender
• LH and RH extended side skirt made of fibre pasted on the running board (not drilled and installed like stone guard of GTX)
• S10 embedded Gel sticker on LH and RH quarter panel
• "100 16v" logos painted red embedded on groove on both fenders
• Extended rear spoiler covering the whole rear glass pasted on the rear glass
• Inside had gel sill plates with S10 logo with golden borders only on front doors
• Radio with S10 printed cassette flap with silver outer panel cover (Nippon NA005)
• Tweeters on both sides (imported from Brazil)
• Front door speaker was 6.5" flat cone (imported from Brazil)
• Rear speakers were Kenwood KFC 1358S with blue cone colour, 5.25".
• Front left door inner panel and tailgate bottom inner portion had a aluminum serial number plaque, each.
• Front seat backs had S10 embroidered logos.
• Mechanically, gear 3 and 4 were short ratio for improved mid range.
• End can was a bit raspier and had extended tip protuding out.
• Headers were painted red.

The Kit:
In addition to the car, it had a bonus kit, see below:






A specially autographed cricket bat by Sachin, with "Fiat" logo packed in a yellow bag, packed in its own cardboard box.


Brass made keychain, with a bat and S10 logo.




Certificate of ownership, came in black cardboard box.






Autobiography book, penned by his brother Ajit Tendulkar, came in a wooden box.

Pics shared by Mr. Mike Rowland, owner of a S10 from Hyderabad. Its a first owner car still with him from 2002-present.


Yellow Umbrella, optional accessory not part of the car, which he got at the time of purchase.

Pics of the production S10:















This is a pristine, original paint S10 discovered in NCR about 2 months ago by my friend.







interior, original of my friend's S10 now sold in Mumbai long back.

[sidindica]

Engine bay of the same car. Badge number 391 this was.


Badge number 394, owned by another friend. This has the 5 spoke wheels which was sourced from a parts stockist. Same as promo car.




The catalogue front speakers, which are available even today. Bought for my red 1.6 from FCA workshop.

Some other youtube videos of the S10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFGCHX9AYYk

Evo India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPbFNVKMOfE

Talking cars with owner Jayd and Vivek Venugopal

Not all were sold at the quoted price. Last few units retailed at a massive Rs. 1.74 lakh discount as Fiat's contract with Sachin was to expire.


Excerpt from Autocar India of the same.

All current owners/ past owners/fans are welcome to put in their inputs.

This guide can also be a reference to anyone looking to own/restore an S10.

[anjan_c2007]

Thanks sidindica for featuring your car memories about the good ol' Palio. I have preserved a promotion CD that had been given away by Fiat India with every Autocar India issue just after the turn of the millenium. The car was much ahead of the then competition with its solid build quality and its contemporary Italian design and mechanicals, but had failed to maintain its initial sales euphoria and tempo, solely due to poor marketing, high cost of spares and service and the poor dealer reputation. The Palio GTX variant was much ahead of its times and its crowning as the 'Super Car of the B Segment' then was never attempted in marketing exercises by Fiat India. Only auto magazine readers and those lucky few having access to the internet knew about its sterling qualities and its peppy and powerful engine.

The Italian car maker had just taken over the entire shareholding of Premier Automobiles Ltd. PAL had split into two companies then viz. PAL Peugeot to manufacture the Peugeot 309 (petrol) and the 309 GLD (diesel) in its Kalyan plant and the good old PAL that made the Premier Padmini/S1 (petrol) and the Padmini 137D (diesel). The age old Kurla, Mumbai plant was handed over to Fiat India.

Hopefully, Fiat could have taken some lessons about the Indian car buyer from PAL. Reasonably priced spares is the key to success of any car in the A, B and C segments and was much more so then when the Palio came into our market. The market was just getting exposed to foreign car brands and newer models. At such a juncture, had the Palio been backed up by reasonably priced spares and service with good marketing and better dealers, the sales trajectory of this great car would have been different. Again its USP was its aesthetic design, safe and solid build vis-a-vis the competition that Fiat failed to capitalise. upon.

[Tony2298]

First of all I was amazed to look at the product brochure, I mean man who will say it's 20 years old, looks like just being picked up from a showroom! You have inspired me to search up my wardrobe and search for all the old car brochures I had picked up and preserve it carefully.

Now coming to the car itself it was well ahead of its time and I can imagine the decision-makers of the S10 edition, they thought that cricket-crazy people of India will definitely cough out 6Lakhs to buy their cars which had a direct connection with the God of Cricket in India but little did they know that we don't actually put money where our mouth is! and we were more swayed by mileage and space, thoughts of a typical middle-age Indian car buyer which is why cars like Hyundai Santro and Maruti WagonR succeeded and cars like Palio and Corsa faded into oblivion.

I loved reading about the Palio S10 and I did watch the evo India's Gone but not Forgotten series on the same. Thanks for sharing, rated a well-deserved 5stars. Stay safe and happy motoring!

[aneesh2M]

Lovely thread, it just refreshed the old days. S10 was my dream machine, in fact 1.6 engine is my favorite but could not get one back then but got myself a Palio 1.2 which is also a lovely car and is still with me. S10 is really a fun machine in today’s days also, one of the real Hot Hatch.

[gt_mustang]

Such a nostalgic article . Brings back sweet memories of my college days when I used to drive this beast in Hyderabad.

It was such a unique sight on the roads. The ride was a little firm but very peppy. The AC was super cold.

I bought mine used for about 2.4lakhs in 2005. When I left India I kept it in the care of my aunt where it is still parked today albeit in ruins. Car has been severely neglected.

My biggest complain was the small pedals. My feet would always slip from the clutch. It was very irritating and I had to keep a conscience effort . O yes it was also a heavy drinker. I think 10-12kmpl in city.

Alas, does anyone know a good restorer in Hyderabad. I may just return the beast back to it's former glory.

[CafeRacer16]

One of our teachers at school used to have a Silver Palio, I was so smitten by this car that I used to roam around the parking area during my recess just to have a good look & ogle at it from all angles.

It may just be me, but I find a striking resemblance between Palio & Polo, may be that's why I still get attracted to Polo.

[sidindica]

This article appeared on Autocar India Jan 2002 Issue and few things I can now figure out.

• Promo car existed was only 1.
• It was badged as number 111
• It had ABS and Airbag
• The "100 16V" logo was above the signature on fender.
• Groove housing "100 16V" logo was not present on this fender
• The indicator bulbs were regular orange colour.

So the production cars had thee differences:

• Badge number 001-009,011-110, 112-500
• No ABS or Airbag
• 7 spoke lancia alloys
• Groove on fender having '100 16V" badge
• Blue tinge indicator bulbs

The 010 serial number was the same, had ABS and airbag as the only additional feature (car said to be given to Sachin Tendulkar).

Here's another video of India's untouched original condition S10:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uk-aVZhuj4