July 2014: Chrysler Group LLC

[William Maley]

Chrysler Group LLC Reports July 2014 U.S. Sales Increased 20 Percent; Best July Sales Since 2005  

• 52nd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
• Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brands each post sales gains in July compared with same month a year ago
• Jeep brand sales up 41 percent; best July sales ever
• Ram pickup truck sales up 14 percent; best July sales since 2005
• Seven Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records in July

August 1, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 167,667 units, a 20 percent increase compared with sales in July 2013 (140,102 units), and the group’s best July sales since 2005.

The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in July compared with the same month a year ago. The Jeep brand’s 41 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand during July and its best ever July sales. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 52-consecutive months in July.
 
“Chrysler Group had a solid July as each brand recorded sales gains on our way to a 20 percent year-over-year increase, our strongest July sales in nine years,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. “Sales of the all-new Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan continued to increase while our Jeep and Ram Truck brands each turned in double-digit sales gains, helping to lead Chrysler Group to its 52nd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth.”
 
Seven Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records in July. The Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Compass, Dodge Dart, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, and Ram Cargo Van each recorded their best July sales ever.  The Fiat 500L set a new all-time monthly sales record in July. Dart sales were up 23 percent in July, the third-consecutive month that the compact car has set a sales record. Wrangler sales were up 14 percent, while the 500L recorded a 49 percent year-over-year increase.
 
The Fiat 500L’s 49 percent increase was the largest year-over-year sales gain of any Chrysler Group vehicle in July, while Ram pickup truck sales were up 14 percent compared with the same month a year ago. The Jeep and Ram Truck brands logged the largest percentage sales gains of any Chrysler Group brands during the month.
 
Chrysler Group finished the month of July with a 78 days supply of inventory (504,240 units). U.S. industry sales figures for July are internally projected at an estimated 16.8 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).

Jeep® Brand
Jeep brand sales were up 41percent, the brand’s best ever sales in the month of July. The brand’s 41 percent increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand for the month. The Jeep brand has set a sales record in each month this year, including the all-time sales record in May. The Jeep Wrangler, with its 14 percent year-over-year increase, had its best ever sales in the month of July. Sales of the all-new Jeep Cherokee were up 11 percent compared with sales in the previous month of June.
 
Ram Truck Brand
The Ram pickup truck had its best July sales since 2005. Sales of the Ram pickup – Motor Trend “Truck of the Year” in 2014 and 2013 – were up 14 percent in July, its 51st-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. Ram Light Duty sales increased 15 percent in July, while Ram Heavy Duty pickups were up 18 percent. Ram Truck brand sales, which include the Ram ProMaster van and Ram Cargo Van, were up 18 percent in July, the brand’s best July sales since 2006.
 
Chrysler Brand
Chrysler brand sales were up 17 percent in July compared with the same month a year ago, driven by strong sales of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan. It was the brand’s best July sales since 2007. Town & Country sales were up 41 percent in July, the minivan’s best July sales since 2006 and its 12th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. Sales of the new 200 continue to build. New 200 sales were up 32 percent compared with the previous month of June.
  
Dodge Brand
Dodge brand sales were up 3 percent in July, the brand’s best July sales since 2005. Sales of the Dodge Dart increased 23 percent, the compact car’s best ever sales in the month of July. The Dart’s increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Dodge brand model in the month. The Dart has set a sales record in each of the past three months, including its best sales month ever in May. Sales of the Dodge Journey were up 10 percent, the mid-size crossover’s best sales in the month of July. The Journey has set a sales record in each of the past six months, including an all-time monthly sales record in March. Sales of the Dodge Challenger muscle car were up 1 percent, its best sales ever in the month of July. The Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and Dodge Charger each logged year-over-year sales increases in the month of July. 
 
The Dodge brand introduced the all-new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT in July. Its supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat engine produces an unprecedented 707 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque making it the most powerful Challenger ever, the brand’s most powerful V-8 ever, and the most powerful muscle car ever.
 
FIAT Brand
FIAT brand sales were up 1 percent, the brand’s best ever sales in the month of July and its eighth-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Fiat 500L, with its 49 percent increase, recorded its best monthly sales since it was launched in June 2013. The FIAT brand introduced a Fiat 500L-Vans design concept in July during the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif.  Details from Vans original hi-top shoe are echoed throughout the vehicle, including vintage palm-patterned canvas, Vans logo stickers on the instrument panel and Vans Waffle Sole on the pedals and in storage bins. On the exterior, the roof displays the iconic Vans Checkerboard pattern, while the step pad, cladding and grille texture are accented with the Waffle Sole design. Other unique features include a two-tone body color paint scheme, 18-inch matte black wheels and a roof rack with a basket and a double-decker surfboard carrier. 

 

[2QuickZ's]

I wonder how many of those 200 sales are the new model vs. the old?  It would be interesting to know.  Cherokee is still selling like gang busters.  It must be getting good word of mouth for such a polarizing design to sell so well.  Dart sales are up but still pretty disappointing.  I wonder when it will get new powertrains?

[G. David Felt]

Fiat 500 is to be expected and I suspect it will continue this trend for a few more months before both fall off.

 

Chrysler is slow as I expected but I like what I see for Jeep and Ram.

[smk4565]

They still make the Avenger?

 

I would assume the new 200 has a higher transaction price and fewer fleet sales than the old one, but to see no sales gain over that awful car it replaced is somewhat alarming.  I think people like Jeeps and Chrysler minivans, but don't trust them on sedans yet, because the 300 is a pretty slow seller and the Dart only sells about 1/3 of what the Cruze, Focus, Elentra sell.

[A Horse With No Name]

Glad to see Jeep and Ram doing so well.

[regfootball]

Deep discounted 200s and Avengers are going away so Dart has room to breathe now.

Flabbergasted at how many people buy Patriots.....

[A Horse With No Name]

Fiat 500 is to be expected and I suspect it will continue this trend for a few more months before both fall off.

 

Chrysler is slow as I expected but I like what I see for Jeep and Ram.

I wound up needing to rent a car the other day. Woman in line next to me was bringing back a Fiat 500. She Raked the clerk over the coals and told him that she wouldn't take a 500 as a gift. Went on and on about how the power windows quit working and had a list of other issues with the car.

Thought of you, Dfelt....could picture you standing next to me laughing!

[A Horse With No Name]

Deep discounted 200s and Avengers are going away so Dart has room to breathe now.

Flabbergasted at how many people buy Patriots.....

Dart in my neck of the woods is going gangbusters. I do like how you can option up the car how you like it. Only problem for me is that the chassis does not feel very sporty. The car looks great...I like the styling better than almost any other affordable sedan other than the new Impala.

[A Horse With No Name]

Also, Chrysler needs to see itself as a mainstream rather than luxury car maker IMHO. Just like Volkswagen needs to think of itself as a niche car maker rather than a mainstream one. Also, Ford need to give up the idea that they have any brand equity in the Lincoln name as a luxury marque.

Often times I think car makers are like some people. They hurt themselves thinking of themselves as they want to be, rather than what they really are.

[Drew Dowdell]

The old 200 was sold mostly to fleets and sub-prime customers who got the car on discount but paid high interest rates.  The new 200 is sold more to retail shoppers, and though purely anecdotal evidence, most of the ones I've seen on the road near me seem to be very nicely loaded models.

[A Horse With No Name]

It is a surprisingly nice car.  I want to drive one.