Chrysler Group today reported U.S. sales of 126,089 units, a 13% increase compared with sales in July 2011 (112,026 units), and the group’s best July sales since 2007. All of the brands contributed to the positive results, the 28th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains in the slowly recovering U.S. auto business. Until final results from all makers are available late today, it is unclear whether Chrysler is still outperforming the market as it has been this year while Ford and General Motors lag.
The Ram pickup truck, the group’s volume leader, sold 24,000 vehicles – 162,000 ytd – followed by the Jeep Wrangler (12,200) Grand Cherokee (12,000), Dodge Caravan (9,000) and Chrysler Town & Country (8,000). Of total sales, truck and minivans accounted for more than two-thirds of transactions.
Incentives, estimated by Edmunds at $2,731 per vehicle, declined slightly but only slightly trailed General Motors ($3,311) and Ford Motor ($2,742). The age of most of Chrysler’s product line is working against the comeback company getting closer to an industry average incentive of $2,236 per vehicle.
The Fiat 500 sold 3710 units, 24,416 ytd, continuing its expansion into a segment Chrysler hasn’t competed in since the 1960s or 1970s when it imported tiny British and French cars. The new Dodge Dart, just in production sold 772 units. The strongest Dodge cars remain the Avenger, 5,188 and 58,050 ytd, and Charger at 6,440/52,203.
Chrysler Group finished the month with a 65-days supply of inventory (341,699 units). U.S. industry sales figures for July are projected at an estimated 14 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).
