FCA: Deliveries fall 11%, continuing 5-month slide

Fiat Chrysler’s sales continued their skid, hitting five months in January as they dropped 11 percent to 152,218. The automaker said fleet sales accounted for 28 percent of its monthly total, though it said January fleet sales were down 31 percent year-over-year.

Ram was the only one of FCA’s core North American brands to record an increase, rising 5.5 percent on an increase in sales of both the Ram pickup and larger ProMaster commercial van.

Jeep brand sales dropped 6.9 percent, continuing the once white-hot brand’s sales decline for a fifth consecutive month, despite double-digit increases for the Grand Cherokee and Renegade and a slight increase in Wrangler sales. Cherokee sales fell by 25 percent.

Dodge brand sales dropped by 17 percent in January, with only the Journey and the soon-to-end Viper posting gains for the month.

Chrysler brand sales dropped by 39 percent, primarily on the sell-down of two discontinued models: the 200 sedan and the Town & Country minivan. The Town & Country’s replacement, the Chrysler Pacifica, covered only about 59 percent of the volume of its predecessor while its linemate, the Dodge Grand Caravan, suffered a 1.7 percent decline.

Fiat brand sales fell 9 percent, despite a 24 percent increase in sales of the 500 minicar.

Alfa Romeo sales rose 59 percent on 70 sales nationwide of the brand’s new Giulia sedan but accounted for just 108 sales brandwide in the U.S. last month.

The automaker ended the month with 581,727 unsold vehicles in inventory, a 92-day supply.