Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has enjoyed a strong start to the year in France as all it's brands were in positive territory during January and outperformed the overall market which was slightly up year-on-year.

In total 156,851 new passenger cars were sold in France last month and that was up 2.5% year-on-year.

FCA finished January in France with 6,761 passenger cars sold and when compared to the 6,181 units shifted during the same month last year that represents a 9.4% rise which comprehensively beat the overall market and as a result its share of all sales rose from 4.04% to 4.31% year-on-year.

Fiat brand drove the volumes as its 5,219 units during January was up a couple of hundred units and 3.6% year-on-year. As a result it's total market share for the month edged up slightly to 3.33%.

The 500 led the way for Fiat with 1,759 sales, the twentieth best selling car in France for the month just gone, while the 500X contributed 1,030 sales. The Tipo weighed in with 987 units finding buyers and the Panda added 687 units.

Alfa Romeo also fared well as its 592 cars sold in France in January, when compared to 478 units during the opening month of last year, represented a year-on-year rise of 23.8%, although its not getting any signficant bounce yet from having both the Giulia and Stelvio in the showrooms. The 'sports' focused brand's market share as a result moved up to 0.38%.

Jeep was up 47.3% year-on-year to 884 units, its sales almost entirely split between the Renegade (455) and the Compass (404) while Ferrari and Maserati sold a combined 66 units during January, up 11.9% year-on-year.