AUTOSHOW-FACTBOX-Auto executives' market perspectives

March 3 (Reuters) - The annual Geneva Motor Show got underway on Tuesday against a backdrop of a global automobile sector crisis as the financial crisis saps consumer confidence and demand for new cars plunges.

Below are comments from auto executives at the show on their perspectives for key markets and the effectiveness of government measures designed to jump-start sales, as they attempt to assess how much further the car market deteriorates before it reaches a low point.

NISSAN MOTOR CO (7201.T)NSANY.O

Executive Vice President Carlos Tavares, assigned last month to head the Americas region, traditionally Nissan's biggest source of profits, said until demand returned to normal levels, the main task would be slashing costs and controlling inventories.

"We would like to see the bottom (of the U.S. market), but so far it's not visible yet ... Once we see three to four months of stabilisation we could say we have hit bottom."

[ID:nL3712838]

FIAT (FIA.MI)

Fiat Auto Chief Executive Lorenzo Sistino said he expected March sales in Italy to be "in line or slightly better than last year," thanks to incentives.

[ID:nMAT009236]