Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plans to extend holiday downtime at North American plants that build the Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Ram 1500 Classic as the automaker aligns production with demand.
FCA said its Brampton Assembly Plant near Toronto and Warren Truck Assembly Plant, just north of Detroit, will be down Jan. 2-4 and the week of Jan. 7.
The Challenger's U.S. sales rose 30 percent last month from the year-earlier period, while sales through November are up 4.2 percent. Charger sales are down 11 percent through November, but it had a 21 percent gain last month, with 7,309 units sold. Chrysler 300 sales this year have dipped 5.3 percent through November to 43,110.
The automaker also said two Jeep assembly plants will operate over the holiday break. The Toledo North plant that builds the Wrangler will run Dec. 27. And the company's Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit , which assembles the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, will operate Dec. 23, 24, 27 and 28.
Several plants will be idled in early 2019 to prepare for future models and maintenance.
Jefferson North will be down Jan. 2-5; Sterling Heights Assembly, which has produced the 2019 Ram 1500 crew and quad cabs, will be idled Jan. 2-5 and the week of Jan. 7; and Toledo North will be down Jan. 11-18.
