Chrysler Group April 2012 U.S. Sales Increase 20% to 141,000

Chrysler Group today reported April U.S. sales of 141,165 units, a 20% increase compared with sales in April 2011 of 117,225 units. It was the comeback car company’s best sales in the month of April since 2008 when it was speeding toward bankruptcy and a taxpayer-funded bailout that ultimately put it in the hands of Fiat, which is now losing money in its European home market.

During April, Chrysler Group recorded its 25th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and its 11th-straight month of sales increases of at least 20%. Based on preliminary sales numbers, Chrysler Group beat the average sales increase for the auto industry for the 14th-consecutive month in an slowly growing market that was up only 2.3% year-over-year.

The Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, and Fiat brands each posted sales increases in April compared with the same month a year ago. The Fiat 500, Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan, Dodge Challenger muscle car and Jeep Wrangler SUV each set new sales records for the month of April. The Dodge Avenger mid-size sedan, with a 47% sales gain, also set an all-time sales record.

Nevertheless, the real success as measured by profits and volume at Chrysler still resides in trucks, SUVs and minivans for the regional automaker, which  is fighting for survival against far larger and much more profitable global groups, including General Motors Company, Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motors Corporation.

The Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans each posted double-digit sales gains in April compared with the same month last year, totaling almost 22,000 units. Ram pickup truck sold more than 21,000 units.  In addition, Jeep – led by Wrangler but followed by the money printing Grand Cherokee – sold 39,000 vehicles, with Wrangler and Grand Cherokee making up more than 23,000 of the total.

Chrysler Group finished the month with a 59-days supply of inventory (344,453 units). U.S. industry sales figures for April are projected at an estimated 14.6 million units (editor’s note: actual was 14.42) for a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).