Chrysler may be headed out of bankruptcy, but it’s sales aren’t headed out of double-digit declines any time soon. Chrysler’s best performer? The Challenger, which racked up a meaningless 3696 percent increase over May 2008’s 71 units sold (per Chrysler’s official release). That translates to 2,695 units sold last month. Also, Wrangler topped May ’08 sales by 34 units. 300 was down only 23 percent, Liberty was down only 26 percent and Ram only shed 21 percent. Otherwise, this was pretty much the monthly bloodbath routine. Aspen (-67 percent), Compass (-70 percent), Commander (-54 percent), Dakota (-76 percent), and Durango (-56 percent) all failed to break past triple-digit sales. Everywhere else, now-routine drops of 50-70 percent were the norm.
So how many of these sales resulted in profit?
I’m surprised it wasn’t worse. I would figure that more people don’t want to buy a vehicle from a bankrupted and bailed-out automaker.
My guess the reason it wasn’t worse is because ChryCo was able to put OPM other people’s money on the hood of each vehicle sold.
Chrysler as a brand dropped 51% over last May. 1/2 of its sales were the Town and Country minivan.
Dodge was down 48% – both the Avenger and Challenger were down by 60% over last May’s figures. Caliber was down by 77%.
Taxpayer’s dollars are the only reason ChryCo is still in the car business. I wish it weren’t so.
“Aspen (-67 percent), Compass (-70 percent), Commander (-54 percent), Dakota (-76 percent), and Durango (-56 percent)”
All products which should have been canceled long ago, three of them before they came to market.
Ram’s decrease is kinda scary, since this is the brand new model that is supposed to be the best Ram ever. Maybe it has to do with higher incentives on the old one a year ago.
The fact that so many models had 50-70 percentage decline is bad, but consider the fact that they we were really bad last year as well and that 50-70 percent drop really is astounding. A 70 percent drop in sales of a vehicle that already sold poorly in the first place- wow.
OMG… some models are sinking near this market volumes…
Buy a brand-new Chrysler or Dodge, and keep it in excellent condition for 25-30 years. Judging by these volumes, you’ll have the equivalent of a 1963-64 Studebaker, or a 1956 Packard, to display at future cars shows.
“So how many of these sales resulted in profit?”
None, but then again, the same it true for just about every automaker on the planet. I don’t think any of them turned a profit in May.
And the amazing thing is that they’ve got nothing in the pipeline, except the Fiat 500, which they think they’ll have in 18 months. One source I read said that Fiat wasn’t going to use the “Fiat” name. So selling the “500” next to the “300” is going to be interesting.
But I don’t think they’ll live to see the day.
Sales will fall even further when the Fiats that nobody asked for arrive.
John Horner:
“Aspen (-67 percent), Compass (-70 percent), Commander (-54 percent), Dakota (-76 percent), and Durango (-56 percent)”
“All products which should have been canceled long ago, three of them before they came to market.”
Well of these, both the Aspen and Durango ceased production in Dec. 2008, so a decline is to be expected. The Commander will join them after this year.
Rod Panhard:
“And the amazing thing is that they’ve got nothing in the pipeline, except the Fiat 500, which they think they’ll have in 18 months.”
By the time the FIAT 500 gets hear the all new Jeep Grand Cherokee will have already been introduced and the new Charger and 300 will have just been introduced. Oh, and a new V6 engine family. More here: http://www.allpar.com/model/upcoming.html
Some interesting tidbits (these do NOT include the latest May sales):
Dodge is outselling the combined totals of Buick, Cadillac, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn. Dodge is the third best-selling American brand after Ford and Chevrolet. Dodge is the sixth best-selling brand in the U.S. market. In April, Dodge outsold Nissan to become the fifth best-selling brand for the month.
Since January, Dodge has sold more Chargers than Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercury or Saturn have sold cars. In April, the Charger outsold every passenger car model from Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercury, Pontiac or Saturn except the Pontiac G6 – and it was only 47 sales behind the G6.
Jeep is outselling GMC, one of GM’s “core” brands.
The Jeep Wrangler outsells every other traditional SUV as well as every GM light truck except the Silverado pickup and every Ford light truck except the F-Series pickup and Escape CUV.
Chrysler May sales beat analysts predictions!
June 3rd, 2009
by Bill Cawthon
Chrysler came in ahead of forecasts that predicted a sales slump of more than 50 percent. All three Chrysler brands improved on their April results giving the company its best retail sales so far this year. Overall sales were down 47 percent compared to May 2008, but that’s not too shabby considering the company spent the entire month in bankruptcy, its production lines were idled and fleet sales were down 90 percent. That meant that 94.6 percent of all Chrysler sales were at retail, a figure that’s well ahead of the overall auto industry.
The Jeep Wrangler continued as America’s favorite traditional SUV and even managed a small 34-unit improvement on its May 2008 numbers. Ram pickup sales were down, but by a smaller margin than any other full-size pickup except the Chevy Silverado.
Minivans took a hit; the Town & Country dropped to second for the month and in year-to-date (YTD) sales behind the Honda Odyssey. Caravan sales dropped 58.6 percent last month, leaving it trailing the Toyota Sienna. The Caravan is still hanging on to third place in YTD sales.
Car sales accounted for 22.8 percent of Chrysler’s overall turn, way down from the 28.3 percent they claimed last year. That’s not surprising as passenger cars accounted for 51.2 percent of total light vehicle sales in May 2009, down from 56.9 percent last year as the feeding frenzy for small cars took off in the face of skyrocketing gasoline prices.
May was a ray of sunshine for the industry as total light vehicle sales came in well ahead of analysts’ expectations. The seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate (SAAR) came in at 9.91 million units, the highest since last December and thousands of sales ahead of the 9.2 million that had been forecast. Given the improvement in consumer outlook and some economic indicators, there’s hope that sales may have bottomed out and the industry can come in at the end of the year well above the 10 million mark.
All three Detroit automakers beat the seers’ crystal balls. Ford sales were down 24.1 percent in May. The Fusion remained the best-selling American-badged car and the Flex actually outsold the Dodge Journey for the month, breaking the 4000-unit mark for the first time. The Ford F-Series pickup retained its lead over the Chevy Silverado as America’s favorite vehicle and Lincoln came in with a sales increase as it beat Cadillac in sales for the month.
Even as General Motors teetered toward Chapter 11, it pulled off an upset. While analysts were projecting a plunge as steep as 42 percent, GM came in with a much smaller deficit of 29 percent. As was the case with Chrysler, GM’s results came from improved truck sales with large increases in sales of the Buick Enclave and Cadillac Escalade.
Here’s an interesting perspective from an investment news web site…
“Ford(F Quote) sales analyst George Pipas said sales figures may have been distorted by the forced June closures of some Chrysler dealers. “Among terminating dealers, there were some fire sales that were taking place,” he said. “Those dealers were highly motivated to get those units off their lot and sold before the deadline.”
Down 50% year over year in Canada. Ford is now #2 with a bullet, erm, yes.
Only 30% decline? Who are these people still buying Chryslers? They’re probably similar to those who bought Daewoos – whether years ago when they were badged as Daewoos or more recently badged as Chevys.
I am starting to believe that Chrysler will be lucky if they sell a million vehicles this year.