Chrysler YTD international sales down 2.7 percent

Posted on October 10th, 2008 • by Bill Cawthon

In a tough international market, Chrysler LLC sales were down 20.3 percent last month, falling to 18,347 units from the 23,016 sales recorded in September 2007. Year-to-date (YTD) sales now total 172,131 cars and light trucks, down 2.7 percent from the 176,829 units sold in the same period last year.

For the first nine months of 2008, Jeep is the most popular brand with 69,122 sales, down just three percent, followed by Dodge, the most improved brand by sales, which came in 22 percent ahead of last year with 51,787 units. Chrysler brand sales fell to 51,222 units, a decline of 19 percent.
Chrysler had its best September ever in the Latin American region. Sales were up 12 percent to 4,691 units, led by 2,513 sales of Jeep vehicles, a 25 percent improvement. YTD sales of 33,079 units were unchanged compared to the same period last year. The 933 sales of the Jeep Cherokee tripled last year’s results. Venezuela was the top national market outside North America, posting 2,173 sales.

Although September sales of 2,902 vehicles were off one percent from last year, Asia Pacific regional YTD sales have jumped 29 percent to 31,327 units. China, which is Chrysler’s highest-volume market outside North America, brought in an 89 percent improvement with 15,276 sales. Leaders in the market include the Sebring with 5,287 sales, an 1171 percent leap from last year’s 416 cars and the Jeep Wrangler, up 59 percent in September with 501 sales and 64 percent in YTD totals with 4,087 sales since January.

Australian and South Korean markets currently are up four and 11 percent in YTD sales.

As a result of deteriorating market conditions, Chrysler YTD European sales have declined 11 percent to 87,734 units. September numbers were down 36 percent with 8,449 units sold. In contrast to the overall decline, European sales of the popular Jeep Patriot rose 34 percent to 956 units. YTD sales of 7,233 units make the Patriot one of Chrysler’s top five vehicles.

September sales in Russia/Commonwealth of Independent States hit 824 units, a 67 percent gain. YTD sales of 7,555 vehicles mark a 64 percent improvement in this expanding market.