STELLANTIS: Q3 off 1.3%; Jeep still looking for traction

Stellantis' U.S. sales slipped 1.3 percent in the third quarter as the Jeep brand had its ninth consecutive quarterly decline.

The slight drop comes after the automaker broke a streak of seven consecutive quarterly losses in the second quarter. U.S. sales at Ram, Stellantis second-biggest brand after Jeep, have also now dipped eight out of the last nine quarters.

Jeep's U.S. sales are on pace for a fifth consecutive year of losses, and the brand will have to overcome a volume gap left by the discontinued Cherokee. Stellantis idled the Illinois plant that built the Cherokee in February after demand for the compact crossover plunged. Cherokee sales fell 67 percent to 3,798 in the third quarter.

The automaker faces more possible disruption: The UAW since Sept. 15 has been on strike at Stellantis' factory in Toledo that builds the Jeep Wrangler SUV and Gladiator pickup. The walkout has expanded to several parts warehouses and if it continues could undermine stockpiles of the two key models.

Jeep saw success with the Grand Cherokee, which was up 52 percent in the third quarter, and the brand's plug-in hyrid offerings.

Wrangler 4xe U.S sales were up 31 percent from the year-earlier period, while the Grand Cherokee 4xe accounted for 17 percent of the nameplate's sales in the third quarter. Grand Wagoneer sales rose 22 percent.

Brands: Alfa Romeo, down 16%; Chrysler, up 96%; Dodge, down 23%; Fiat, down 30%; Jeep, down 4.2%; Maserati, down an estimated 38%; Ram,down 3.5%.

Notable nameplates: Grand Cherokee, up 52%; Wrangler, down 12%; Gladiator, down 34%; Ram pickup, down 7.4%; Pacifica, up 120%; Charger, down 30%; Challenger, down 33%; Durango, down 14%.

Quote: "We've gained traction over the summer and we're starting to see some momentum at the end of this third quarter," said Stellantis U.S. Head of Sales Jeff Kommor in a statement. "Our Jeep 4xe and Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid models continue to perform extremely well, taking the 1-2-3 sales spots among plug-in electric vehicles in the U.S. market, and our progress toward our Dare Forward 2030 plan also remains on track with the introduction of many all-new, all battery-electric vehicles next year, including the all-new Fiat 500e, Dodge Charger, Wagoneer S, Ram 1500 REV and Jeep Recon."

Did you know? The Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid accounted for 23 percent of Pacifica sales in the third quarter.