Chrysler #1 in Canada; Ram up in Mexico
Chrysler Canada recorded a 2% rise in Canadian vehicle sales last month, selling the most vehicles in any February since 2000 (16,832) and extending its streak of year-over-year gains to 39 consecutive months.
Car sales were up 16%, while trucks were down 0.6%. Ram pickup was the No. 2 best-selling vehicle in Canada, while Dodge Caravan as the fourth best seller (at times, it has been the country’s #1).
Chrysler was comfortable ahead of #2 Ford, despite Ford’s 5% sales hike, with 16,301 sales. This is the second month Chrysler has been the top seller of cars and trucks in Canada.
Ram, Wrangler, 200, and Town & Country had record Februarys; the Chrysler brand minivan saw four times the sales of February 2012, though the total was just 579 units. Ram sold 5,106 pickups while Jeep sold 1,146 Wranglers. Overall, Chrysler sold just 2,794 cars, the remainder being trucks, SUVs, and vans. (Chrysler did not release its Caravan sales for the month). February sales were slightly below January, seemingly because the month is three days shorter.
Combined sales of Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200 led Chrysler Canada to be the best-seller of mid-size cars in the country for 2012.
Meanwhile, Chrysler de Mexico reported its February 2013 sales of 7,541 units, up from February. The company sold 1,658 Jeeps, and Jeep Wrangler sales rose 9%. Dodge sales were solid with 3,352 units, though one third of those (1,396) were the Hyundai-built i10. Dodge Avenger registered sales gains of 36%, and 899 Journeys were sold. Ram sold 1,095 trucks, including rebadged Mitsubishis; Ram ST gained 27%. The Uno and Palio were recently added to Mexico’s Fiat lineup, which remains driven by Fiat 500; 536 Fiats and Alfa Romeos were sold during the month, including 350 Fiat 500s, up 76% from February 2012.
