Sedans, Chrysler brand help lift Chrysler sales 44%
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Chrysler sold 101,149 units in January, up from 70,118 during the same month a year ago. The jump marked the 22nd straight month of year-over-year sales gains. Photo credit: BLOOMBERG |
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DETROIT -- Chrysler Group today reported its U.S. sales climbed 44 percent in January, led by its sedan lineup and an 81 percent gain by its Chrysler brand vehicles.
The automaker said it sold 101,149 units for the month, up from 70,118 units during the same month a year ago. The jump marked the 22nd straight month of year-over-year sales gains.
Several models recorded triple-digit gains from a year ago: The Chrysler 200 sedan was up 789 percent to 7,007 units, the Chrysler 300 sedan jumped 273 percent to 4,960 units and the Dodge Durango SUV leaped 152 percent to 3,021 units.
Sales of Jeep-brand vehicles achieved higher sales for the month than the automaker's volume Dodge brand, with all five Jeep models posting double-digit sales increases.
In a strong sign for the automaker, sales of all of its continuing sedan and SUV models increased in January. Sales of the Dodge Charger rose 169 percent to 5,537 units, the Dodge Avenger climbed 146 percent to 5,697 and its flagship Jeep Grand Cherokee rose 40 percent to 10,683 units.
Sales of the Ram pickup, the automaker's top-selling model, jumped 47 percent in January to 17,909 units.
"We started the new year with a bang by growing sales 44 percent," Reid Bigland, Chrysler's head of U.S. sales and the Dodge brand, said in a statement. "In January we continued building on the sales momentum that we generated during 2011 with our 16 all-new or significantly-refreshed products."
Chrysler Group said it sold 1,911 Fiat 500s in January.
One continuing trouble spot for the automaker is its minivan lineup. While sales of the Dodge Caravan grew 4 percent to 8,094 units, sales of its line mate, the Chrysler Town & Country, fell 14 percent to 5,637 units. The Town & Country was the only continuing Chrysler Group vehicle to suffer a sales decline last month.
Said Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne of the company's minivans: "We need a new one."
You can reach Larry P. Vellequette at lvellequette@crain.com.
