March 2019: FCA US LLC

[Drew Dowdell]

FCA US Reports March 2019 Sales

• Ram pickup reports new March record as sales increase 9 percent to 45,187 sold
• Jeep® Grand Cherokee notches best March ever as sales rise 26 percent to 24,655 vehicles sold
• Ram brand sets new March record as sales jump 15 percent to 51,822 sold

April 2, 2019 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC reported a new March record for the Ram brand as sales jumped 15 percent, underscoring the success the company has found in its two-pronged strategy of selling both the Ram 1500 and Ram Classic.

The performance of the Ram brand, combined with a new March record for Jeep® Grand Cherokee, countered general softness within the industry. FCA sold 200,307 vehicles in the month.
 
"The industry had a tough first quarter but with spring finally starting to show its face and continued strong economic indicators, such as a boost in housing sales, lower lending rates and a strong labor market, we are confident that new vehicle sales demand will strengthen going forward," Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales, said. "Meanwhile, our Ram brand sales and average transaction prices continue to be strong and our much anticipated, game-changing Jeep Gladiator pickup is on track for its in-market debut this month."

See the attached table for the breakdown of brand and nameplate sales.

Method of Determining FCA US LLC’s Monthly Sales. FCA US’s reported vehicle sales represent unit sales of vehicles to retail customers, deliveries of vehicles to fleet customers and to others such as FCA US’s employees and retirees as well as vehicles used for marketing. Most of these reported sales reflect retail sales made by dealers out of their own inventory of vehicles previously purchased by them from FCA US. Reported vehicle units sales do not correspond to FCA US’s reported revenues, which are based on FCA US’s sale and delivery of vehicles, and typically recognized upon shipment to the dealer or end customer. As announced on July 26, 2016, FCA US has modified its methodology for monthly sales reporting as follows:

•  Sales to retail customers by dealers in the U.S. are derived from the New Vehicle Delivery Report (“NVDR”) system and are determined as the sum of (A) all sales recorded by dealers during the month net of all unwound transactions recorded to the end of that month (whether the original sale was recorded in the current month or any prior month); plus (B) all sales of vehicles during that month attributable to past unwinds that had previously been reversed in determining monthly sales (in the current or prior months).
•  Fleet sales are recorded upon the shipment of the vehicle by FCA US to the customer or end user.
•  Other retail sales are recorded either (A) when the sale is recorded in the NVDR system (for sales by dealers in Puerto Rico and limited sales made through distributors that submit NVDRs in the same manner as for sales by U.S. dealers) or (B) upon receipt of a similar delivery notification (for vehicles for which NVDRs are not entered such as vehicles for FCA employees).

FCA US LLC Sales Summary March 2019

Model		Month Sales		Vol % Change	CYTD Sales Curr Yr             Pr Yr		Vol % Change
		Curr Yr	Pr Yr
Compass		14,945	17,302	-14%	37,306	43,520	-14%
Patriot		1	100	-99%	10	364	-97%
Wrangler		21,963	27,829	-21%	49,978	55,504	-10%
Gladiator		43	0	New	123	0	New
Cherokee		18,262	23,764	-23%	49,420	50,610	-2%
Grand Cherokee		24,665	19,616	26%	57,749	53,448	8%
Renegade		7,449	9,771	-24%	18,218	24,659	-26%
JEEP BRAND		87,328	98,382	-11%	212,804	228,105	-7%
Ram P/U		45,187	41,307	9%	120,026	103,964	15%
Cargo Van		0	0	0%	0	0
ProMaster Van		4,928	2,451	101%	13,319	6,457	106%
ProMaster City		1,707	1,120	52%	3,668	3,233	13%
RAM BRAND		51,822	44,878	15%	137,013	113,654	21%
200		8	189	-96%	26	659	-96%
300		3,704	6,223	-40%	8,290	12,992	-36%
Town & Country		0	1	-100%	1	3	-67%
Pacifica		8,457	13,086	-35%	23,274	32,579	-29%
CHRYSLER BRAND		12,169	19,499	-38%	31,591	46,233	-32%
Dart		2	87	-98%	8	252	-97%
Avenger		0	0	100%	0	1	-100%
Charger		8,858	8,504	4%	20,615	21,265	-3%
Challenger		6,562	8,150	-19%	13,431	17,648	-24%
Viper		0	6	-100%	1	9	-89%
Journey		8,513	10,275	-17%	24,003	18,419	30%
Caravan		15,806	16,292	-3%	35,440	43,144	-18%
Durango		6,626	5,870	13%	17,019	16,233	5%
DODGE BRAND		46,367	49,184	-6%	110,517	116,971	-6%
500		310	439	-29%	778	1,309	-41%
500L		61	173	-65%	168	395	-57%
500X		262	607	-57%	755	1,579	-52%
Spider		214	325	-34%	513	731	-30%
FIAT BRAND		847	1,544	-45%	2,214	4,014	-45%
Giulia		858	1,284	-33%	2,035	3,085	-34%
Alfa 4C		18	22	-18%	41	54	-24%
Stelvio		898	1,270	-29%	2,210	2,653	-17%
ALFA ROMEO		1,774	2,576	-31%	4,286	5,792	-26%
FCA US LLC		200,307	216,063	-7%	498,425	514,769	-3%

 

[David]

So nothing new here except I am surprised by the drop in some of the Jeep numbers.

At the rate Fiat is going, the doors should be closed on their dealerships by this summer I would think. Alfa should be dead again by the end of the year if not sooner. What a waist of money on those labels.

[smk4565]

Fiat and Chrysler brands they can close tomorrow.  Alfa is hurting, not a surprise.  Jeep with a lot of slumping vehicles is a surprise in an SUV market except besides Wrangler a lot of those Jeeps have been around a while and about 10 new crossovers go on sale every month, those Jeeps are old news.

[Robert Hall]

Would have thought Wrangler sales would have been better, given it is Spring and the JL is new.   And the facelifted Cherokee is down.

Though the WK2 GC keeps chugging along in it's 9th model year a decade after its debut at the 2009 NYIAS... 

Also, these charts are pretty much unreadable on mobile (it looked like the Challenger and Charger had single digit sales).

Edited June 4, 2019 by Robert Hall

[ocnblu]

Jeez has the Compass lost its way?

[surreal1272]

14 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Jeez has the Compass lost its way?

A pretty wrapper only goes so far when the present inside isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (i.e.-sluggish automatic transmission, subpar MPGs and acceleration compared to the competition. 

 

And before you take this as a slight, since you drive one, know that at least you had sense enough to get a manual which I would think gives a little more gusto than the anemic 9 speed auto. Too bad they only account for a small fraction of sales. 

On 4/2/2019 at 3:19 PM, smk4565 said:

Fiat and Chrysler brands they can close tomorrow.  Alfa is hurting, not a surprise.  Jeep with a lot of slumping vehicles is a surprise in an SUV market except besides Wrangler a lot of those Jeeps have been around a while and about 10 new crossovers go on sale every month, those Jeeps are old news.

While struggling, the Chrysler 300 sells more than all Alfa and Fiat models combined. Chrysler is not the problem here. $h!ty FCA management is. 

[Robert Hall]

I've heard a lot of criticism of the 9 spd auto, that's the same in the Cherokee?   The ZF 8 spd in the GC has been fine, I find it very smooth. 

[surreal1272]

Just now, Robert Hall said:

I've heard a lot of criticism of the 9 spd auto, that's the same in the Cherokee?   The ZF 8 spd in the GC has been fine, I find it very smooth. 

My neighbor has the Compass with the nine speed. It’s a nice looking ride but they gripe about the acceleration and gas mileage, which seems to be a common theme. They do like the way it rides and the dark gray color shows very well. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I've never had an issue with the 9-speed except for very very early versions of the Cherokee where it shifted a bit harsh and hunted a bit too much. It's an absolutely great transmission when paired with the V6.  I did over 3,000 miles in a Cherokee V6 from Pittsburgh to Miami and back at Christmas time.  It was flawless. 

The problem is the 2.4 liter.... Chrysler needs to replace that yesterday.  With the 2.4 liter the transmission starts to hunt for torque that it will never find.  People blame the transmissions for that, but it's just doing its job the best it can with the engine its been given.