January 2017: FCA US LLC

[William Maley]

FCA US Reports January 2017 U.S. Sales

• Ram Truck brand up 5 percent; pickup truck posts 4 percent increase
• Three Jeep® brand vehicles record sales increases in January; Jeep Renegade sales up 52 percent
• Jeep Grand Cherokee sales up 24 percent in January
• Fiat 500 sales up 24 percent compared with same month a year go

February 1, 2017 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  FCA US LLC today reported U.S. sales of 152,218 units, an 11 percent decrease compared with sales in January 2016 (171,352 units).
 
In January, fleet sales of 42,868 units were down 31 percent year over year as FCA US continues its strategy of reducing its sales to the daily rental segment. Fleet sales represented 28 percent of total FCA US sales in January. FCA US retail sales of 109,350 units were flat for the month, and represented 72 percent of total January sales.
 
Ram Truck brand sales increased 5 percent in January, compared with the same month a year ago, as the pickup truck posted a 4 percent sales gain. Three Jeep® brand models recorded increases in January, led by a 52 percent increase in Jeep Renegade sales. Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the brand’s volume leader in January, were up 24 percent for the month. Sales of the Dodge Journey mid-size crossover were up 9 percent, while Fiat 500 sales grew 24 percent year over year.
 
Ram Truck Brand
Sales of the Ram pickup truck increased 4 percent in January, compared with the same month in 2016. In addition, the Ram ProMaster van turned in a strong 43 percent sales gain. Ram Truck brand sales were up 5 percent year over year in January. At the 2017 North American International Auto Show in January, the brand introduced a special edition of the popular Ram 1500 Rebel – the Rebel Black. The Ram Rebel Black special edition traces its origin to one of the truck brand’s fastest-selling off-road powerhouses, adapting dark features as a design component. The package is offered with all available Rebel colors, adding black wheels, brush guard and theme-matched all-black interior.
 
Jeep Brand
Three Jeep brand models posted sales increases in January, led by the Jeep Renegade and its 52 percent year-over-year sales gain. The Jeep Grand Cherokee – the brand’s volume leader for the month – recorded a 24 percent sales increase in January. The Jeep Wrangler logged a January increase as well. Last month, FCA US confirmed the addition of new models to the award-winning Jeep lineup – an all-new Jeep pickup truck and the storied Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. These actions are planned to be completed by 2020.
 
FIAT Brand
The Fiat 500 recorded a 24 percent sales increase in January compared with the same month a year ago. The Fiat 124 Spider was named “Best New Convertible” of 2017 by the experts at Cars.com. The all-new Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic Italian design.
 
Dodge Brand
Two Dodge brand vehicles recorded sales gains in January. The Dodge Journey mid-size crossover turned in a 9 percent increase, while Dodge Viper sales were up 89 percent. The Dodge brand announced in January that its new ultimate performance halo – the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon – will be unveiled during the New York International Auto Show week in April.
 
Chrysler Brand
Sales of the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica – the most awarded minivan in 2016 – were up in its first month of year-over-year comparisons. Cars.com editors named the Pacifica the “Best of 2017” at their annual 2017 Best of Awards show hosted in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show. The Pacifica also was named the 2017 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year by a panel of automotive experts last month at the auto show. The award is unique and considered by many to be one of the world’s most prestigious based on its diverse mix of automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada who serve as the voting jurors.
 
Alfa Romeo Brand
Alfa Romeo brand sales of 108 units were up 59 percent compared with the same month in 2016.
 
Maserati Brand1
Maserati brand sales of 889 units were up 69 percent compared with the same month a year ago.

U.S. Sales Summary January 2017
		Month Sales		Vol %	CYTD Sales		Vol %
	Model	Curr Yr	Pr Yr	Change	Curr Yr	Pr Yr	Change
	Compass	3,164	6,271	-50%	3,164	6,271	-50%
	Patriot	4,700	8,584	-45%	4,700	8,584	-45%
	Wrangler	11,334	10,987	3%	11,334	10,987	3%
	Cherokee	12,551	16,783	-25%	12,551	16,783	-25%
	Grand Cherokee	17,301	13,975	24%	17,301	13,975	24%
	Renegade	9,365	6,167	52%	9,365	6,167	52%
	JEEP BRAND	58,415	62,767	-7%	58,415	62,767	-7%
	200	1,861	4,685	-60%	1,861	4,685	-60%
	300	4,708	5,665	-17%	4,708	5,665	-17%
	Town & Country	138	11,383	-99%	138	11,383	-99%
	Pacifica	6,670	39	New	6,670	39	New
	CHRYSLER BRAND	13,377	21,772	-39%	13,377	21,772	-39%
	Dart	1,397	5,280	-74%	1,397	5,280	-74%
	Avenger	0	9	-100%	0	9	-100%
	Charger	7,153	8,782	-19%	7,153	8,782	-19%
	Challenger	3,393	5,661	-40%	3,393	5,661	-40%
	Viper	53	28	89%	53	28	89%
	Journey	12,636	11,586	9%	12,636	11,586	9%
	Caravan	10,770	10,955	-2%	10,770	10,955	-2%
	Durango	4,707	6,001	-22%	4,707	6,001	-22%
	DODGE  BRAND	40,109	48,302	-17%	40,109	48,302	-17%
	Ram P/U	33,769	32,564	4%	33,769	32,564	4%
	Cargo Van	0	2	-100%	0	2	-100%
	ProMaster Van	3,351	2,342	43%	3,351	2,342	43%
	ProMaster City	925	1,156	-20%	925	1,156	-20%
	RAM BRAND	38,045	36,064	5%	38,045	36,064	5%
	Giulia	70	0	New	70	0	New
	Alfa 4C	38	68	-44%	38	68	-44%
	ALFA BRAND	108	68	59%	108	68	59%
	500	1,218	981	24%	1,218	981	24%
	500L	106	357	-70%	106	357	-70%
	500X	600	1,041	-42%	600	1,041	-42%
	Spider	240	0	New	240	0	New
	FIAT BRAND	2,164	2,379	-9%	2,164	2,379	-9%
	TOTAL FCA US LLC	152,218	171,352	-11%	152,218	171,352	-11%
	Total Car & MPV	37,815	53,893	-30%	37,815	53,893	-30%
	Total UV's	76,358	81,395	-6%	76,358	81,395	-6%
	Total Truck & LCV	38,045	36,064	5%	38,045	36,064	5%
	MASERATI BRAND	889	525	69%	889	525	69%

[1] The Maserati Brand is distributed in the United States by Maserati North America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. All other brands listed in this release are distributed by FCA US LLC.

[David]

FIAT Brand
The Fiat 500 recorded a 24 percent sales increase in January compared with the same month a year ago.

Yea, I would expect this with all the cash they are throwing on those cheap POS auto's.

The Fiat 124 Spider was named “Best New Convertible” of 2017 by the experts at Cars.com. The all-new Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic Italian design.

Yea Think? This is a rebadge Mazda, so it better be way better than any Fiat garbage, which is all Fiat has ever delivered to the US except when they partner and end up putting their badge on another companies auto.

Glad to see the rest of the American Lineup doing well. I am suprised by the Jeep Renegade sales, I find here in Washington many are on the used auto lot with low miles. Make me think they are as reliable as their POS Sibling at Fiat.

So the continue savior of FCA Alfa is doing so awesome with 108 sales in January. At that rate, 1,296 sales a year, it will take 231 years for them to hit that magic 300,000 sales a year number Sergio sold the board on. WHAT A WASTE OF BILLIONS!

[Stew]

1.  The 500 is just finally priced where it should have been from the beginning.

2.  Alfa is still in the process of rolling out their sedan and 4C was little more than a nuiche car to begin with.  The real sales will hit once the full rollout of the Guilla and especially the Stelvio are complete and they are fully on sale.

3.  The loss of 4 models, the 200, Dart, Compass, and Pariot certainly hurt, but the new Compass should make up some of that once it is in full productions.

4.  The Renegades you see on ;lots, like the lion's share of Fusion, escape, Camry, Malibu, Impala, and Equinox are ex fleet vehicles.  that is why they have low miles. 

[David]

23 hours ago, Stew said:

1.  The 500 is just finally priced where it should have been from the beginning.

2.  Alfa is still in the process of rolling out their sedan and 4C was little more than a nuiche car to begin with.  The real sales will hit once the full rollout of the Guilla and especially the Stelvio are complete and they are fully on sale.

3.  The loss of 4 models, the 200, Dart, Compass, and Pariot certainly hurt, but the new Compass should make up some of that once it is in full productions.

4.  The Renegades you see on ;lots, like the lion's share of Fusion, escape, Camry, Malibu, Impala, and Equinox are ex fleet vehicles.  that is why they have low miles. 

1) Fiat should have fixed their quality issues before even coming back into the market, the Average dealer has over 200 auto's on the lot which last I checked was equal to half a year of selling. Does not matter how cheap you sell a broken auto for, still Broken and unwanted.

2) Alfa should have been left in the History Books. The brand died in the US due to the same reasons Alfa did, cheap ass built product. Who cares how awesome their styling was, it was unreliable and junk. The money should have been reinvested into the US name plates. Instead we now have Chrysler with 1 product and really pretty much dead. Dodge sitting on products that should have been updated 5 years ago, Jeep is the cash cow right now and Ram also sitting on very old product that should have been updated already all for trying to bring back a dead brand that no one really wants creating products that I have since learned are still as crappy built as they were before. Coworker bought one and it spends more time at the dealership than him driving it.

3) The New COMPASS will NOT make up for the death of Chrysler or the way out of date product on DODGE and the sales Loss. Once truck demand is met and I think that is becoming clear we are going to see a massive slow down as we always do. Our DEPRESSION of 2007 hurt many and only in the last year have people been forced to replace work trucks and finally have bought into new auto's. This huge year after year growth is not sustainable and we will see a drop that is going to hurt the weaker ones and that is FCA.

4) Considering that I do travel a bit more than most for work and I have seen very few Renegades on rental lots, I have to question this. I did see when it went on sale plenty of people buying them and Washington State is a big Jeep state, yet I also have heard from previous owners that they needed something with less problems and dealer visits. As is they traded in. so my gut tells me disappointed owners who are not hard core jeep fans but people who have bought into the legend of off trail off road coolness and were disappointed when they saw the reliability / fit n finish issues.

IMHO, the company is screwed and we will see a breakup and sales in the next 5-10 years at the longest if not sooner.

[Stew]

1.  Fiat's big issue is vehicles no one wants.  FACT:  the 500 outsells the mini Cooper it is just a very small niche.  The 500L should have never gotten off the drawing board.  the 500X just has the issue of selling next to the Renegade without really offering anything make you choose the Fiat.

 

2.  Alfa has a chance.  it was about more than bringing Alfa back, but alot to do with being able to make the new platform financially viable where it wouldn't have been with just a few Dodge models, a Jeep and extremely low volume Maseratis.  I look forward to what Alfa has coming since what they are offering is FAR different than what the offered in their last full line run at the US.

3.  Chrysler should have died a long time ago.  It was simply outdated and really nothing more than glossed over Dodges.  In fact I think it was a mistake to give the Minivan to Chrysler instead of Dodge.  As for Dodge their products are selling well enough and basically the whole line will be replaced in just a few years.  The LX cars are cash cows and still offer a lot for the segment.  In fact the Charger was the best selling full-size car last month and the Challenger was just short of Camaro sales.

4.  15s in particular had those issues and those issues were 99% the unsorted transmission.  the 16 models finally ot that right.  Renegade sales have seen a HUGE upswing and I am honestly not surprised.  .