Photo: MLive.com
AUBURN HILLS, MI — Chrysler Group LLCcontinued its impressive sales streak to 50 straight months of year-over-year sales gains in May.
The Auburn Hills-based automaker today reported U.S. sales of 194,421 units, a 17 percent increase compared with sales in May 2013, and the group’s best May sales since 2007.
The Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck and Fiat brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in May compared with the same month a year ago. Jeep led the way with a 58 percent increase, followed by Ram Truck up 19 percent, Fiat up 18 percent, Dodge up 3 percent and Chrysler down 22 percent.
“Our Jeep sport-utility vehicles and Ram pickups continued to do well in May as our dealers reported brisk May sales over five weekends and the Memorial Day holiday,” said Reid Bigland, Chrysler head of U.S. Sales.
Jeep, for a third-straight month, recorded its best monthly sales ever and the first time that monthly Jeep brand sales topped 70,000 units in the U.S. The Jeep Compass, Wrangler and Cherokee each recorded their best sales month ever, while the Jeep Patriot logged its best May sales ever.
Through the first five months of this year, Chrysler’s U.S. sales are up 13 percent from the same time a year ago to roughly 849,000 cars and trucks sold.
Chrysler was the first of the Detroit automakers to report its May sales. General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and non-domestic automakers are scheduled to release their results later today.
Industry analysts expect sales last month to increase 11.5 percent from April 2014 and a 7.3 percent uptick from May 2013.
“Credit conditions are making it easier to buy or lease a new car,” said Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell. “Shoppers are opting for longer terms at lower interest rates. In other words, they’re able to afford more expensive cars by keeping their monthly payments at or near what they’re used to paying.”
