Thanks to high consumer demand for SUVs and light trucks, a number of Detroit Three plants are either shortening their summer breaks or eliminating them altogether.
Automotive News reports Ford cut its summer break in half at four of its plants in Chicago, Louisville, Ky. and Kansas City, Mo., all four back online this week to pump out more F-Series Super Dutys, Navigators and Escapes. Its Dearborn, Mich. plant will shut down for the majority of September in preparation for the upcoming aluminum F-150.
Over at Auburn Hills, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is foregoing summer break at both its Jefferson North and Sterling Heights plants, where the Jeep Grand Cherokee boasted its highest-selling May in 2014, 14 years after its previous best. Overall May 2014 sales for the Italo-American automaker charged up 17 percent, followed by a 9 percent increase last month, all on the back of the Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and Chrysler 200.
Finally, General Motors will keep a third of its factories online this month. Though the beleaguered manufacturer kept its list of open factories close to its chest, the publication found four who had not reported any summer shutdowns in Arlington, Texas; Flint, Mich.; and Bowling Green, Ky.
MOPAR or NO CAR…
They’re getting her done! Yee haw!
Your right Mopar is killing now. Well see what happens with the new F150 at the end of the year.
The “new” Chrysler Corporation is still heavily dependent on the full-size Ram pickups and Jeeps, just like the “old” Chrysler Corporation was. For the first half of the year, Ram pickup sales are up 20 percent, while sales of the entire Jeep brand are up 45 percent.
The much-ballyhooed Dodge Dart, on the other hand, is already down by 16 percent for the first half of the year. And last year’s sales of the Dart weren’t that hot in the first place.
Yeah but with “trucks” like the hot selling Cherokee getting 31 mpg on the hwy and the upcoming Renegade, who needs cars?
Mopar Uber Alles
Some of us prefer driving (brand non-specific) cars, Bill.
Chrysler is still heavily dependent on Ram and Grand Cherokee sales.
What happened to truck and SUV sales when gasoline prices shot up dramatically about 8-9 years ago?
Which two companies ended up bankrupt, and one company almost ended up bankrupt, because of an over-dependence on truck and SUV sales?
And you’ve certainly changed your tune on the Dart. Last year it was going to send the Civic, Corolla, Cruze and Focus reeling. Now, given its lackluster sales and reviews, it apparently doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things…
In replay to Davefromcalgary:
For me it’s coupe or no car!
Admittedly it doesn’t have the same ring, but that’s my policy.
It’s slowly getting better with Dart
2014 / 2013
May 8,644 / 7,448
June 7,225 / 6,437
“Chrysler is still heavily dependent on Ram and Grand Cherokee sales. What happened to truck and SUV sales when gasoline prices shot up dramatically about 8-9 years ago?”
You got to git while the gitten’s good!
That Pentastar JGC made 3 sales this year within 2 houses of mine. The next door neighbor was first, and the house on the other side first traded a BMW 5, and last week his wife traded her BMW X5 for one too. I’m more cautious (and more broke)and will definitely wait for more long term reliability knowledge before thinking it’s a Lexus RX killer.
I like the Grand Cherokee, but if it were me, I would have to have the Hemi.
Why?
Because I can have it with the Hemi.
No surprise on Bowling Green…I waited almost four months from order to car. And like Mom said, some things are truly worth waiting for…
Can’t wait for your review! The press has gone gaga river the C7.
Son is working extra hours at Sterling Heights, so no surprise there either.
I thought the economy was in the crapper. How could this be, oh how could this be with an increase in truck sales? Or is this just the drive by media making more lies? Boohaahaahaaaaaaa
Faux News=more lies
Many CONservatives will spite the country to hurt Obama but you can’t hold a good man down forever.
BTW, I think the aluminum F150 will help Ram sales. I think people will be scared of it and it will be hard to price competitively.
“…you can’t hold a good man [Obama] down forever.”
Everything you need to know about bill’s character and higher brain functions, right there.
Morons Uber Alles
The RAM has a lease price that is damn near cheaper than anything else out there. In the Detroit area, its cheaper than any of the midsized sedans.
Possibly because of easy and increasingly careless lending, interest rates that are still rock bottom, longer payment terms, and sup-prime lending masking a weak economy.
Note, I am not one to crow “President Obama sucks” all the time. I will hold my opinions of President Obama to myself and off this particular board. And I am not one of the doom-and-gloom naysayers who say that the economy is on the verge of the second great depression. However, I am also certain that while the economy has improved it is also not all that great.
Note. It is not easy to get a loan right now. Go try and purchase a home with just good credit. People are at a loss for words because they don’t or can’t explain how the economy is doing so well. Yes some people do not have jobs. That’s called a Democratic society. Eww. Obama is a communist. When did Americans become such little cry babies . AM radio and some right wing news stations have made fortunes whining about Obama. Doom and gloom sells. But not for all of us. Some people buckle down and work.