Fiat Punto and Panda with Ford Fiesta. These were the best-selling cars in Italy when Italy became football world champion in 2006. A completely different market from that of 2026, where sedans and station wagons dominated together with diesel, and electric cars were practically nonexistent while hybrids were only just beginning their rise.
Saab still existed, while Dacia was starting to enter the market with the Logan. The smart fortwo was only available with combustion engines and sold about 30,000 units, DR did not yet exist, while Alfa Romeo had more sales than Audi and was close to BMW and Mercedes.
Here is an overview of the car market in Italy in 2006