Chrysler Group’s year-over-year sales rose 19% again in September to 169,890 units, the company’s best September sales level since 2005. The Chrysler, Jeep and Ram Truck brands all posted year-over-year gains for the month, with the Jeep brand posting a sales gain of 47% and its best September sales ever with 55,231 units sold.
Jeep sales were higher for the Patriot models — up 51% to 9,117 units — and the Wrangler — up 16% to 13,955 units. These venerable nameplates are basking in the glow of the Jeep Cherokee, which has been a big seller for Chrysler since its introduction last October. The company sold 14,639 Cherokees in September, and sales totaled 128,133 year-to-date.
The Ram pickup trucks posted a gain of 30% year-over-year with 36,612 units sold. That is the pickup’s best September sales ever. Adding in the cargo vans, Ram brand sales were up 35% year-over-year.
Ram pickups have a 53-month streak of year-over-year sales growth and Chrysler will increase production at its Warren, Mich., plant by 100 vehicles per day, or 28,585 per year, to keep up with demand.
The company continues to tout sales of the all-new Chrysler 200, but only month-over-month sales are up — 39% — but year-over-year sales to date are down 27%. Overall the Chrysler brand is up 14% year-over-year and had its best September since 2007.
Like all U.S. carmakers, Chrysler sells more light trucks than it does cars, and its light truck sales rose 30% year-over-year in September. Car sales slipped 7% and are down 17% year-to-date in 2014. Truck sales are up 30% year-to-date and total sales are up 15% through the first eight months of 2014.
Chrysler projected a seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales from all manufacturers at 16.6 million units for 2014, well below last month’s projection of 17.4 million. The company ended the month with 71 days supply of inventory, up sharply from 64 days of supply at the end of August.
Kelley Blue Book had forecast Chrysler’s September sales at 168,000 units, up 17.5% year-over-year. Auto website Edmunds.com had forecast a gain of 15.4% year-over-year, to about 165,000 units.
Chrysler and its parent Fiat are expected to combine and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange sometime this month. The company’s new name is Fiat Chrysler Automotive and it will trade under the ticker symbol FCA.
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