Chrysler Group LLC Reports April 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 11 Percent; Best April Sales in Six Years
Publisher's Note: During April 2013; Prospective Chrysler buyers spent 8 hours doing in-depth research using the Chrysler Buyers Guide, prospective Dodge buyers spent 11.5 hours using the Dodge Buyers Guide, prospective Jeep buyers spent 23.6 hours using the Jeep Buyers Guide and prospective Fiat buyers spent 1.5 hours using the Fiat Buyers Guidehere on The Auto Channel
-Auburn Hills MI May 1, 2013; Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 156,698
units, an 11 percent increase compared with sales in April 2012 (141,165
units), and the group’s best April sales since 2007.
The Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year
sales gains in April compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck
brand’s 49 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any
Chrysler Group brand in April. Chrysler Group extended its streak of
year-over-year sales gains to 37-consecutive months in April.
“Chrysler Group’s best April sales in six years helped to
maintain our sales momentum and drove us to our 37th-consecutive month of
year-over-year sales gains,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales.
“Our sales last month were solid across the board with seven Chrysler
Group vehicles recording their best April sales ever.”
The Dodge Durango’s 65 percent sales increase was the largest sales
gain of any Dodge brand vehicle in April and second only to the Ram Cargo
Van’s 110 percent sales gain among Chrysler Group vehicles. Jeep
brand sales rebounded in April as all Jeep brand models except Jeep
Liberty, which is no longer in production, posted sales gains last month.
Sales of the flagship Jeep Grand Cherokee were up 27 percent in April
compared with the same month a year ago, its best April sales in eight
years.
Seven Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records in the month of April. The
Jeep Compass compact SUV and the Jeep Wrangler each logged their best April
sales ever, as did the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, Fiat 500, and Ram
Cargo Van. The all-new Dodge Dart compact car had its best sales month
since the vehicle was launched in June last year.
Chrysler Group finished the month with a 66-days supply of inventory
(415,019 units). U.S. industry sales figures for April are projected at an
estimated 15.4 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).
April 2013 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand
Ram Truck Brand
Ram Truck brand sales were up 49 percent, the largest
percentage sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand in April. It was the
brand’s best April sales since 2007.
Sales of the Ram pickup truck were up 49 percent in April, the pickup
truck’s 36th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The 49
percent sales gain was the pickup truck’s best April sales in six
years. Sales of the Light Duty Ram pickup were up 54 percent, driven by the
Quad Cab pickups, while Heavy Duty Ram sales were up 30 percent. The Ram
Cargo Van set a sales record for the month of April with its 110 percent
sales gain.
The Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn earned a spot on Ward’s 10 Best
Interiors for 2013 list in April. WardsAuto editors selected the top
passenger compartments after spending February and March evaluating 46
vehicles that are all-new or feature significantly-upgraded interiors.
WardsAuto said the Ram 1500 is a spectacular, emotive interior that sets a
high standard other automakers will be hard-pressed to emulate.
Dodge Brand
Dodge brand sales were up 18 percent, the brand’s best
April sales since 2008 and its 23nd-consecutive month of year-over-year
sales gains. Sales of the Dodge Durango full-size SUV were up 65 percent,
its best April sales in eight years. Production of the new 2014 Dodge
Durango, with its standard state-of-the-art, class-exclusive eight-speed
automatic transmission, is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this
year. The Durango’s sales gain was the largest percentage increase of
any Dodge brand model in the month.
The Dodge Journey full-size crossover and the Dodge Challenger each set a
sales record for the month of April. Sales of the Challenger increased 17
percent, while Journey sales were up 14 percent.
The all-new Dodge Dart continued on its upward sales trend with its
month-over-month increase in April, the compact car’s best monthly
sales since Dodge dealers began selling the model in June last year.
Two Dodge brand models earned awards this week at the Texas Auto Writers
Association’s (TAWA) 2013 Auto Roundup at the Texas Motor Speedway.
The Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 took home the award for Performance Coupe of
Texas, while the Dodge Journey Crew earned the Activity Vehicle of Texas
award. After a day of demanding driving at the racetrack in Fort Worth,
journalists voted on their favorites and Chrysler Group secured seven of
the possible 19 awards – the most of any participating manufacturer
at the event.
Jeep® Brand
Improving Jeep production in April helped Jeep brand sales to
rebound with an 2 percent year-over-year sales gain for the month, the
brand’s best April sales since 2007. All Jeep models in production
recorded sales gains in April compared with the same month a year ago.
The Jeep Compass compact SUV and the Jeep Wrangler each set a sales record
for the month of April. Sales of the Compass were up 23 percent, while
sales of the Jeep Wrangler, winner of Four Wheeler magazine’s
prestigious 2013 Four Wheeler of the Year Award, were up 10 percent in
April.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s 27 percent increase was its best sales
month so far this year and its best April sales in eight years. The Jeep
Grand Cherokee SRT earned TAWA’s Performance Utility of Texas award
at this week’s Auto Roundup in Texas.
FIAT Brand
The Fiat 500 set a sales record for the month of April with
its 1 percent increase. It was the model’s 14th-consecutive month of
year-over-year sales gains. The Fiat 500 Abarth, with its 22 percent sales
gain, had the largest year-over-year percentage increase of any of the 500
models in April. The Fiat 500 Turbo took home the award for Sub-Compact Car
of Texas during this week’s TAWA Auto Roundup at the Texas Motor
Speedway.
This summer, the all-new 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicle will join the 500
model lineup in the state of California. The 500e will be offered to
California residents at launch with a $199 a month/$999 due at signing
lease for 36 months, same as the current lease offer on a Fiat 500 Pop
powered by a gas engine.
Chrysler Brand
The Chrysler Town & Country minivan logged a 4 percent sales
increase in April, its best April sales in three years. The Town & Country
this year won the Polk Automotive Loyalty Award in the
“Minivan” category for a record 12th-consecutive time. Chrysler
brand sales were down 13 percent compared with the same month a year
ago.
Two Chrysler brand models earned awards this week at TAWA’s Auto
Roundup. The Chrysler Town & Country Limited minivan took home the award
for Minivan of Texas, while the Chrysler 300C John Varvatos Luxury Edition
earned the Best New Interior award.
The Chrysler brand has two special edition models coming to dealerships
shortly. Production of the 2013.5 Chrysler 200 S Special Edition began in
April. It will begin arriving in dealerships this month. The 2013 Chrysler
300C John Varvatos Limited Edition is expected to arrive in dealerships
later this quarter.
Chrysler Group LLC U.S. Sales Summary Thru April
2013
|
|||||||
Month Sales
|
Vol
%
|
Sales CYTD
|
Vol
%
|
||||
Model
|
Curr Yr
|
Pr
Yr
|
Change
|
Curr Yr
|
Pr
Yr
|
Change
|
|
500
|
3,899
|
3,849
|
1%
|
13,511
|
12,699
|
6%
|
|
FIAT
BRAND
|
3,899
|
3,849
|
1%
|
13,511
|
12,699
|
6%
|
|
200
|
12,492
|
13,343
|
-6%
|
49,377
|
44,981
|
10%
|
|
300
|
4,120
|
7,763
|
-47%
|
20,154
|
27,729
|
-27%
|
|
Town &
Country
|
11,224
|
10,773
|
4%
|
37,989
|
38,507
|
-1%
|
|
CHRYSLER BRAND
|
27,836
|
31,879
|
-13%
|
107,520
|
111,217
|
-3%
|
|
Compass
|
4,465
|
3,616
|
23%
|
16,468
|
12,723
|
29%
|
|
Patriot
|
5,792
|
5,261
|
10%
|
24,789
|
21,226
|
17%
|
|
Wrangler
|
13,445
|
12,184
|
10%
|
45,291
|
41,956
|
8%
|
|
Liberty
|
721
|
5,789
|
-88%
|
5,693
|
27,588
|
-79%
|
|
Grand
Cherokee
|
15,003
|
11,834
|
27%
|
48,136
|
49,337
|
-2%
|
|
JEEP
BRAND
|
39,426
|
38,684
|
2%
|
140,377
|
152,830
|
-8%
|
|
Caliber
|
0
|
1,408
|
-100%
|
45
|
6,646
|
-99%
|
|
Dart
|
8,099
|
0
|
NEW
|
31,064
|
0
|
NEW
|
|
Avenger
|
10,698
|
11,147
|
-4%
|
42,745
|
32,776
|
30%
|
|
Charger
|
7,801
|
7,991
|
-2%
|
33,899
|
30,496
|
11%
|
|
Challenger
|
4,804
|
4,102
|
17%
|
19,344
|
14,626
|
32%
|
|
Viper
|
60
|
0
|
64
|
20
|
|||
Journey
|
6,782
|
5,933
|
14%
|
29,774
|
24,066
|
24%
|
|
Caravan
|
9,783
|
11,183
|
-13%
|
36,273
|
45,645
|
-21%
|
|
Nitro
|
0
|
227
|
0
|
2,892
|
|||
Durango
|
5,386
|
3,257
|
65%
|
18,956
|
14,303
|
33%
|
|
DODGE
BRAND
|
53,413
|
45,248
|
18%
|
212,164
|
171,470
|
24%
|
|
Dakota
|
0
|
39
|
0
|
415
|
|||
Ram
P/U
|
31,409
|
21,126
|
49%
|
109,003
|
88,590
|
23%
|
|
Cargo
Van
|
715
|
340
|
110%
|
2,475
|
1,995
|
24%
|
|
RAM
BRAND
|
32,124
|
21,505
|
49%
|
111,478
|
91,000
|
23%
|
|
TOTAL
CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
|
156,698
|
141,165
|
11%
|
585,050
|
539,216
|
9%
|
|
TOTAL CAR
|
51,973
|
49,603
|
5%
|
210,203
|
169,973
|
24%
|
|
TOTAL TRUCK
|
104,725
|
91,562
|
14%
|
374,847
|
369,243
|
2%
|