Chrysler
Group has reported U.S. sales of 122,565 units last
month, a
14 percent increase compared with sales in November 2011
when it sold 107,172 units, and the group’s best November sales
since 2007. That put Chrysler Group on a par the overall
market which rose by around 15 percent.
The Chrysler, Dodge, Ram Truck and Fiat brands each
posted year-over-year sales gains in November when
compared with the same month last year, although for the
first mentioned brand it was a rise of just a single
percent.The
Fiat brand's 123
percent increase to 3,603 units of the Fiat 500 was the largest sales gain of any
Chrysler Group brand for the month just gone, although
it was versus a period at the end of last year when the
Fiat relaunch was lurching from crisis to crisis.
November marked
Chrysler Group’s 32nd-consecutive month of
year-over-year sales gains.
“Even with all the talk of a looming fiscal cliff,
Chrysler Group is well positioned for a strong sales
finish to the year,” said Reid Bigland, President and
CEO – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “Our November
sales were up 14 percent and we extended our sales
streak to 32-consecutive months of year-over-year sales
gains. We are expecting a strong December as the
industry continues to recover from the East Coast
hurricane and consumers continue to respond to our
popular year-end Big Finish event.”
Models that contributed to Chrysler Group’s 14 percent
sales increase include the Fiat 500, the Dodge Journey
full-size crossover, and the Jeep Wrangler
sport-utility vehicle, each setting a sales record for
the month of November. The Journey’s 77 percent sales
gain was the largest percentage increase of any Dodge
brand model in November.
Two Chrysler Group sedans weighed in with significant
sales increases in November. Sales of the Dodge
Avenger mid-size sedan were up 26 percent while the
flagship Chrysler 300 full-size sedan recorded a 17
percent sales gain in November. The Dodge Grand Caravan
minivan and the Ram pickup truck each posted sizeable
gains as well in November.
However, the biggest
problem for Chrysler Group was the new Dodge Dart which
is struggling to connect with consumers and sales in
November only amounted to 4,489 units - that was a fall
of one thousand units on October and leaves growing
inventory levels. Other losers last month included the
refreshed 200/Sebring, down 9 percent, and Jeep's
Compass which lost more than a third of its sales.
Chrysler Group finished the month with an 90-days supply
of inventory (442,241 units). U.S. industry sales
figures for November are projected at an estimated 15.3
million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).
