Chrysler Group
has reported U.S.
sales of 171,606 units for the month just gone, a 5 percent increase compared
with sales in March 2012 (163,381 units), and the
group’s best monthly sales since December 2007.
The Dodge, Ram Truck and Fiat brands each posted
year-over-year sales gains in March compared with the
same month last year. The Ram Truck brand’s 24 percent
increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler
Group brand in March. Meanwhile, the Chrysler and Jeep
brands were both negative for the month of March.
Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year
sales gains to 36-consecutive months in March. This
sales milestone tops a previous sales streak of
35-consecutive months that occurred from February 1992
through December 1994.
Despite the extension of the sales streak, shipment
volumes and sales in the first quarter of 2013 were
negatively affected by the end of Jeep Liberty
production in Q3 2012 and the product launches during
the quarter of the new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the
Jeep Compass, and the new 2013 Ram Heavy Duty truck
line, as Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, Sergio
Marchionne, pointed out in the 2012 Q4 and full-year
earnings call at the end of January.
“With our 5 percent sales increase in March, Chrysler
Group has now achieved year-over-year sales gains in
every month for the past three years,” said Reid Bigland,
Head of U.S. Sales. “Furthermore, in spite of limited
inventory last month on some of our most popular models,
we also managed to record our strongest monthly sales
since December 2007.”
Five Chrysler Group vehicles set all-time sales records
in March. Sales of the Ram pickup truck were up 25
percent in March, its best sales ever. Both the
Light-Duty Ram and Heavy-Duty Ram pickups were refreshed
for the 2013 model year.
In addition to the Ram, three Dodge models recorded
their best sales ever in March. The new Dart
compact car set an all-sales record with its 5
percent month-over-month sales gain as its sales
continue to creep upwards. Dart sales have
increased in every month but one since the new model
was launched in June last year. In addition, the Avenger mid-size sedan and the Challenger muscle
car each set all-time sales records in March. The
Challenger recorded its best sales ever with a
substantial 42 percent sales gain. The Chrysler 200
mid-size sedan also recorded an all-time sales record
with its 11 percent sales gain.
Chrysler Group finished the month with a 66-days supply
of inventory (419,084 units). U.S. industry sales
figures for March are projected at an estimated 15.6
million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).
Chrysler Group U.S.
Sales - March 2013
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