Archive for the 'Canada' Category
September 2nd, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Chrysler Canada today announced sales of 14,432 units for the month of August. That’s a decline of seven percent compared to 15,548 sales in August 2008. The company says volume has risen in each of the last two months, led by sales of the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler 300 and 300C.
Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country combined for 5,167 sales, the highest number since May 2008 and a 92 percent increase compared to August 2008. The Grand Caravan outsold its nearest minivan competitor by a margin of seven to one, claiming an unprecedented 66 percent of the segment. To meet demand, Chrysler recently announced that it would retain the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant.
In addition to the Dodge Grand Caravan gains, Dodge Charger sales increased year-over-year by 66 percent to a total of 463 units. Chrysler brand sales were up 23 percent over the same month in 2008, with total sales of 1,498. Sales of the Chrysler 300 and 300C reached 859 units, up 174 percent compared with August 2008. Chrysler Town & Country sales rose 30 percent to 309 units.
“Momentum has been building at Chrysler Canada throughout the summer,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO of Chrysler Canada. “With our Windsor minivan plant now operating around the clock and our minivans currently commanding 70 percent segment share, this is great news for prospective customers and bad news for the competition.”
Due primarily to the strength of the Brampton, Ontario-built Chrysler 300/300C and Dodge Charger, Chrysler Canada passenger car sales grew 8 percent over August 2008 to 2,713 units.
“It is great to see that Canadians are supporting the home team,” Bigland said. “Sales of our ‘Made in Canada’ vehicles are up an impressive 94 percent over last year.”
September 2nd, 2009 by DaveAdmin
The Brampton Guardian reported that Automotive Compass has stated that the Alfa Romeo 169 sedan will definitely be built in Brampton. The news was fairly predictable given that the E-segment car will be built on the LX platform, and will have fairly limited sales. The top of the line sedan was originally to be produced in Italy.
The Alfa Romeo 169 may sell against the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, and, if it continues, the Dodge Challenger. The car will, according to the Guardian, sell for over $60,000, with targets of under 15,000 sales per year.
Fiat told a supplier that it planned to build the car at Brampton through 2018.
It appears that the 169 will not be based directly on the large LX cars, but on the shorter-wheelbase Challenger/200C platform. One or more of the currently projected Chrysler and Dodge vehicles may be dropped to make room, or the plant may gain flexibility when it changes over.
August 5th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
Chrysler Canada today announced sales of 15,958 units for the month of July 2009, an increase of 73% over June 2009 but a loss of around 10% when compared with July 2008. The gain was largely due to an increase in product availability and consumer confidence. During the same month in 2008, the company sold 17,818 vehicles.
The Dodge Journey remains Canada’s top-selling crossover, growing 41 percent over July 2008 with sales of 1,553 units.
On July 10, Chrysler announced that the third shift will continue at the company’s Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant, after Chrysler minivan sales rose to 3,311, a gain of 118% over a dismal June 2009. Chrysler has been running two minivan plants until recently. In July 2008, Chrysler Canada sold 2,955 Grand Caravans and 395 Town & Countries.
Reid Bigland, President and CEO-Chrysler Canada, said, “July marked our highest sales month of the year and a 73 percent increase over June. The cloud of uncertainty about our future has now lifted, allowing our award-winning products to shine.
Dodge sales rose to 10,671 units, an increase of 60% compared with June; Dodge Grand Caravan sales were more than double last month’s, and slightly more than July 2008. Dodge Charger rose 39 percent from the same month last year with sales of 290 units. Dodge brand total sales for July 2008 were not released in 2008 or 2009.
Chrysler brand sales increased 58% over July 2008, and more than triple last month’s total, to 2,377 units. Significant gains were posted by the Chrysler 300/300C, which more than doubled their July 2008 sales.
Jeep® brand sales increased 43% from June 2009, with total sales of 2,910 units. Jeep Compass sales doubled since June, while Jeep Patriot saw an increase of 93% to 1,255 units. Jeep sales in July 2008 had set a record (for July) of 3,833 units.
Chrysler did not release sales figures by model.
July 27th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Canada’s largest all-Mopar show will open Saturday, August 15 at the New Hamburg Fairgrounds in New Hamburg, Ontario. This year the event celebrates its 30th anniversary with events the whole family will enjoy.
Deadline to pre-register your car for the show is August first; over 800 cars have already been registered and one lucky pre-registrant will win a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S with a 340 and 4-speed.
The New Hamburg Optimists Club will raffle off a 1973 Dodge Charger worth $30,000 and everyone attending the show will be able to participate in a drawing for a 1966 Chrysler New Yorker.
For more information and registration forms, please visit the Moparfest website.
July 16th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
“Mooseater” passed along a news bulletin which announced a series of measures called “1 in 20 by 2020″ designed to result in 5% of the province’s vehicles being electric within 11 years. Ontario is home to the Canadian headquarters of Chrysler, GM, and Ford.
Included in the plan is a mass purchase of electric vehicles for the Ontario Public Service fleet, with a target of 20% electrics in that fleet by 2010; rebates of up to $10,000 for plug-in hybrids and full-electric vehicles purchased after July 1, 2010; a focus on building infrastructure, with government-owned (and transit system) parking lots getting charging stations and working with private industry for more charging arrangements; and special green license plates for plug-in hybrids and EVs allowing use of high-occupancy vehicle lanes until 2015, along with access to some public recharging facilities. Some private companies and the University of Toronto will designate priority parking for these vehicles.
The license plate design will be voted on by the public, via the Ministry of Transportation’s website.
Chrysler plans to build electric minivans in Windsor, Ontario, and may build electric passenger cars (a version of the 200C) in Bramalea, Ontario; the company said it expected to have 500,000 electric vehicles in use by 2013 (including GEMs). Canada-based Magna International has developed an electric system which will reportedly be used by Ford, and GM has been touting its custom-designed Volt; import carmakers have electric vehicles on tap as well.
Chrysler also built a successful range of electric minivans for fleet use, through the 1990s.
July 12th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
In a change of heart that will save over a thousand Canadian jobs, Chrysler has reversed its decision to eliminate the third shift at the Windsor minivan plant.
“It’s great news for 1,200 CAW Local 444 members out at the Chrysler plant and obviously the spinoff jobs that come with it,” Canadian Auto Workers President Ken Lewenza said Friday. “Obviously, it’s a strong message from Chrysler that they plan to maintain their market share lead in the minivan segment.”
In April, Chrysler and the CAW agreed to a new pact that brings labor costs in line with those of transplant automakers like Honda and Toyota.
Chrysler will also continue to build the Routan minivan for Volkswagen. Many had thought the Routan would be dropped due to sluggish sales, but numbers have risen in the past couple of months and Volkswagen says the Routan is now meeting its sales goals.
June 23rd, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler Group’s new CEO, is wasting no time in making changes at the automaker. And, contrary to the norm in modern business, his focus is on management.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Marchionne said: “The problem is never with the blue collar – with the people running the business day to day. It’s the people at the top of the structure.”
Marchionne made good on his word recently with major shakeups in Chrysler management. Some have moved up and some have moved out but the CEO wants everyone to get the message.
According to Rick Laporte, president of the CAW local at Chrysler’s Windsor plant, Marchionne and his team have zeroed-in on implementing a world-class manufacturing system. Laporte said, “Fiat has stressed with us that they will remove the barriers in their way, including members of management who do not change their old ways.”
Leon Rideout, CAW local president at the Chrysler plant in Toronto, said the new bosses have enlarged assembly line teams from six members to ten.
Laporte to his local members about the changes, saying, “You will see it and feel it the first day back to work.”
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