Latest Chrysler News

[MoparDan]

Chrysler April sales zoom 25%
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...-sales-zoom-25
Also has a chart with a breakdown.

May 3rd, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
Chrysler reported a U.S. sales increase of 25% from April 2010 to April 2009, the best year-over-year percentage sales improvement for the company in almost five years. In addition, the company continued its trend of month-over-month sales increases in 2010, up 3% versus March 2010.
“April was a very positive month for Chrysler Group, with concrete results that highlight the company is on-track and gaining momentum,� said Fred Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer – Ram Truck Brand and Lead Executive for the Sales Organization.
“With competitively priced vehicles that customers want to purchase, the company was able to reduce incentive spending compared with last year, while posting improved sales. But we aren’t resting on this month’s results. We are hungry to continue building on the sales improvements – we are just getting started.�
Total U.S. sales for April were 95,703 units, versus April 2009’s 76,682 units. Chrysler Group finished the month with a 53-day supply of inventory [[196,614 units), a 42% decline versus April 2009 [[336,913 units). Overall, U.S. industry sales figures for April are projected at an estimated 11.5 SAAR.
Dodge brand sales [[38,795 units) were up 61%, excluding Ram.
Dodge Challenger sales [[3,713 units) increased 42% and set a new monthly sales record
Dodge Grand Caravan sales [[10,435 units) improved 56%
Dodge Avenger sales increased by triple digit percentages
Dodge Charger sales increased 90%
Dodge Caliber sales [[3,671 units) were up 44%
Chrysler Brand sales [[22,386 units) increased 61%
Chrysler Sebring [[sedan and convertible) both posted triple digit percentage increases compared with April 2009
Chrysler 300 sales [[4,127 units) were up 40%
Chrysler Town & Country minivan sales [[13,367 units) improved 80%
Jeep Patriot sales [[2,404 units) improved 21%
Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickup truck sales improved 13%
================================================== =====
From a personal perspective, I think the sales of minivans is very important as they are bread 'n butter vehicles. A big surprise are the sales numbers of Avenger/Sebring. The fullsize Ram appears to be taking some hits, but it could also be a sign that they don't have to depend on it so heavily to turn any kind of profit. Still a long way to go, but the numbers are encouraging.

[EMG]

http://www.freep.com/article/2010050...-Dodge-Caliber

NHTSA probes sticky pedal problem in Dodge Caliber
Chrysler offers affected drivers inspections and free repairs
BY JUSTIN HYDE
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF


WASHINGTON – Chrysler said today it would offer inspections to owners of 10,000 Dodge Calibers from the 2007 model year after federal auto safety regulators opened a probe into five complaints of sticking accelerator pedals -- the same problem that led Toyota to recall 2.3 million vehicles over sudden acceleration.



The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its preliminary probe would cover 161,000 Calibers, but Chrysler said based on its review of the complaints and warranty data the problem affected only models built during March and April 2006. NHTSA also said the pedals in the Caliber were made by CTS Corp., the Indiana supplier that provided the pedals to Toyota.

Chrysler said the problem "appears to be a supplier manufacturing concern, which is mechanical in nature and not a design or electronic issue." It told owners of vehicles built during that time to go to a dealer for an inspection; if the dealer finds a problem, it will be repaired for free.

The automaker contends the inspection and repair program isn't technically a safety recall. But NHTSA may deem it one if the agency concludes the problem is safety-related, or orders Chrysler to cover a wider range of vehicles.

While none of the complaints reports any crashes or injuries, one owner said the vehicle hit 90 m.p.h., while another reported surging to 75 m.p.h. before the driver could slow down by pulling the pedal back by hand.

In four of the complaints, owners reported finding metal bushings on the floor of their vehicles; NHTSA said without the bushings, “the pedal arm can become misaligned and prevent it from returning to the idle position.”

The Caliber is equipped with brake override systems, which should cut off fuel if it senses both the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed.

Toyota said the same problem was one of two main causes of sudden acceleration in its vehicles. The automaker's delay in launching a recall for the problem has spurred U.S. lawmakers to propose tough new safety rules and powers for NHTSA, including requiring brake override systems and no limits on fines.

Chrysler said it would cooperate fully with NHTSA. The preliminary probe is the first legal step toward a recall, which most automakers issue before NHTSA has to legally order.

Dodge Caliber owners with questions about their vehicles can contact Chrysler at 800-992-1997.

[Stosh]

The Caliber is equipped with brake override systems, which should cut off fuel if it senses both the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed.

but Chrysler said based on its review of the complaints and warranty data the problem affected only models built during March and April 2006.

Wahhh. EMG doesn't like the 25% increase? Piss off.

[Hermod]

Chrysler April sales zoom 25%
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...-sales-zoom-25
Also has a chart with a breakdown.

May 3rd, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
Chrysler reported a U.S. sales increase of 25% from April 2010 to April 2009, the best year-over-year percentage sales improvement for the company in almost five years. In addition, the company continued its trend of month-over-month sales increases in 2010, up 3% versus March 2010.
“April was a very positive month for Chrysler Group, with concrete results that highlight the company is on-track and gaining momentum,� said Fred Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer – Ram Truck Brand and Lead Executive for the Sales Organization.
“With competitively priced vehicles that customers want to purchase, the company was able to reduce incentive spending compared with last year, while posting improved sales. But we aren’t resting on this month’s results. We are hungry to continue building on the sales improvements – we are just getting started.�
Total U.S. sales for April were 95,703 units, versus April 2009’s 76,682 units. Chrysler Group finished the month with a 53-day supply of inventory [[196,614 units), a 42% decline versus April 2009 [[336,913 units). Overall, U.S. industry sales figures for April are projected at an estimated 11.5 SAAR.
Dodge brand sales [[38,795 units) were up 61%, excluding Ram.
Dodge Challenger sales [[3,713 units) increased 42% and set a new monthly sales record
Dodge Grand Caravan sales [[10,435 units) improved 56%
Dodge Avenger sales increased by triple digit percentages
Dodge Charger sales increased 90%
Dodge Caliber sales [[3,671 units) were up 44%
Chrysler Brand sales [[22,386 units) increased 61%
Chrysler Sebring [[sedan and convertible) both posted triple digit percentage increases compared with April 2009
Chrysler 300 sales [[4,127 units) were up 40%
Chrysler Town & Country minivan sales [[13,367 units) improved 80%
Jeep Patriot sales [[2,404 units) improved 21%
Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickup truck sales improved 13%
================================================== =====
From a personal perspective, I think the sales of minivans is very important as they are bread 'n butter vehicles. A big surprise are the sales numbers of Avenger/Sebring. The fullsize Ram appears to be taking some hits, but it could also be a sign that they don't have to depend on it so heavily to turn any kind of profit. Still a long way to go, but the numbers are encouraging.

Dan, I read in the paper today that a big part of the Chrysler sales jump has been sales to rental car fleets which, at best, is a break-even proposition. GM and Ford used to keep their market share numbers up by massive rental fleet sales.

[MoparDan]

Wahhh. EMG doesn't like the 25% increase? Piss off.

He has a death wish for Chrysler & the ONLY time he appears is if there's even the slightest bad news. To boot, he's wound up with sloppy seconds on information that had already been posted.

Amazing how Chrysler is handling it compared to what Toyota did, which reeks of coverup, lies & denial.

[MoparDan]

Dan, I read in the paper today that a big part of the Chrysler sales jump has been sales to rental car fleets which, at best, is a break-even proposition. GM and Ford used to keep their market share numbers up by massive rental fleet sales.

Hermod, if I remember correctly, that was a point of discussion in the AllPar forums over March sales. Here's an article about capping rental fleet sales:
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...al-fleet-sales
Another concerning Police Fleet sales: http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...ice-car-market
The Challenger used as a police vehicle:
http://www.allpar.com/squads/police-...hallenger.html

Where Police fleet sales are concerned, I believe that to be a good market to pursue & exploit. I know the Dallas PD is in the process of converting their Crown Vic fleet to Chargers; I was told this back in February & have to believe that is still the case. I've also noticed some small & medium size PDs are switching over to Chargers. Not every single one of them, but easily 50% that I've visited or worked with.
We're still heavy on Vics & it will continue that way for some time. We have Chargers & more were ordered for this fiscal year. The Caprice had a large presence with us but when GM killed it, they eventually disappeared. With Ford discontinuing the Vic & offering a Taurus replacement, it should prove to be interesting.

[douglasm]

A news article I read today pointed out the power of advertising. Last month, the advertising emphisis was on Town & Country/Caravan mini-vans, and although those ads were targeted to a single product like truck advertising, the van ads pulled people into the dealerships, which opened the door for sales of other products. Truck ads don't do that.

As to police sales, I was talking with our lcoal county sheriff at city council a couple of weeks ago, and he said the Charger police package is currently the best one out there right now when it comes to a combination of power, handling and driver comfort. As an aside, the department had 3 old unmarked Dodge Diplomats that they used for traffic control. Imagine the shock of being hauled down for doing 40 in a 25 by "grandma's car".

[Hermod]

Where Police fleet sales are concerned, I believe that to be a good market to pursue & exploit. I know the Dallas PD is in the process of converting their Crown Vic fleet to Chargers; I was told this back in February & have to believe that is still the case. I've also noticed some small & medium size PDs are switching over to Chargers. Not every single one of them, but easily 50% that I've visited or worked with.
We're still heavy on Vics & it will continue that way for some time. We have Chargers & more were ordered for this fiscal year. The Caprice had a large presence with us but when GM killed it, they eventually disappeared. With Ford discontinuing the Vic & offering a Taurus replacement, it should prove to be interesting.

If "fleet sales" are to police units, more power to them.

If "fleet sales" are to Hertz, Avis, National, Budget, etc, they are probably taking a beating and the sales aren't worth that much.

The fuzz are going to miss those Crown Vics.

[MoparDan]

A news article I read today pointed out the power of advertising. Last month, the advertising emphisis was on Town & Country/Caravan mini-vans, and although those ads were targeted to a single product like truck advertising, the van ads pulled people into the dealerships, which opened the door for sales of other products. Truck ads don't do that.

As to police sales, I was talking with our lcoal county sheriff at city council a couple of weeks ago, and he said the Charger police package is currently the best one out there right now when it comes to a combination of power, handling and driver comfort. As an aside, the department had 3 old unmarked Dodge Diplomats that they used for traffic control. Imagine the shock of being hauled down for doing 40 in a 25 by "grandma's car".

A Diplomat? That has to be something to see after all these years. But at one time, they were everywhere patrolling the streets.
When I'm at these agencies I ask what they think of the Charger. Overwhelmingly, the responses are positive. The main complaint is trunk room for equipment. One sergeant told me he felt the backseat was cramped but since it's the suspect who's inconvenienced, who cares? Another officer said he didn't feel like he was driving an "old man's car" in reference to the Vic.

With regards to advertising, the Charger is getting a lot of air time down here. I haven't seen much in the way of minivan ads, but as usual, the Ram is pushed hard.

[Zacha341]

The Dodge Charger it not broad format seller for Chrysler to put so much emphasis on... but they do. And too many of their cars have those fancy big wheels that cost a lot to replace. The need a standard family car and less of the other.... IMO.

A Diplomat? That has to be something to see after all these years. But at one time, they were everywhere patrolling the streets.
When I'm at these agencies I ask what they think of the Charger. Overwhelmingly, the responses are positive. The main complaint is trunk room for equipment. One sergeant told me he felt the backseat was cramped but since it's the suspect who's inconvenienced, who cares? Another officer said he didn't feel like he was driving an "old man's car" in reference to the Vic.

With regards to advertising, the Charger is getting a lot of air time down here. I haven't seen much in the way of minivan ads, but as usual, the Ram is pushed hard.

[MoparDan]

The Dodge Charger it not broad format seller for Chrysler to put so much emphasis on... but they do. And too many of their cars have those fancy big wheels that cost a lot to replace. The need a standard family car and less of the other.... IMO.

Zach, that's why I mentioned the upswing in minivan sales is good; that was always one of their biggest sellers. To be competetive, they need to clean up the likes of Sebring/Avenger, which has earned a bad reputation. Plus, they put TOO much emphasis on the Ram because they sold well.
The police market is pretty lucrative, so if they can expand into that with the Charger, so much the better. In one sense, it's also extra PR to have the cops cruising around in them.

By the way, have you rented a Fusion yet to see how you like them? I've gotten accustomed to ours here; everyone else still prefers the Malibu. But I found the sweet spot on the seat adjustment & drove about 600 miles last week. Still find the kick panel a little intrusive but overall no real complaints.

[MoparDan]

Chrysler hiring new employees, 2011 Grand Cherokee gets rave reviews, etc. Huge difference from a year ago. Still have lots of work to do but give Marchionne credit for salvaging the carcass that Daimler/Cerebrus left to die.
http://www.allpar.com/news/

[Whitehouse]

Chrysler hiring new employees, 2011 Grand Cherokee gets rave reviews, etc. Huge difference from a year ago. Still have lots of work to do but give Marchionne credit for salvaging the carcass that Daimler/Cerebrus left to die.
http://www.allpar.com/news/

Freep: Chrysler's back, and hiring.

[MoparDan]

Chrysler sales break 100,000 mark as sales soar 33%
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...-sales-soar-33

Summary plus a table showing the break down.

[MoparDan]

Allpar News Briefs
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php

Some recalls on Minivans, Calibers & Compasses. Sticky pedals on the Calibers/Compasses; I guess they could've done a coverup like Toyota did.
Florida Hwy Patrol begins replacing Crown Vics with Chargers[[Our agency just received a new delivery last week).
2010 Viper SRT-10 ACR-X.

[EMG]

OVER 600,000 CHRYSLERS RECALLED

What the above post and related link gloss over is the fact that Chrysler's minivans are apparently once again a FIRE HAZARD - reminiscent of the mid-90's.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/...nivans-hazard/

Fearing the risk of fire, brake failure and sticking accelerator pedals, U.S. automaker Chrysler made a slew of vehicle recalls, U.S. government documents showed Monday.

The Michigan-based firm recalled almost 600,000 vehicles across four models, documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [[NHTSA) showed.

The recall includes 288,968 Jeep Wranglers for faults that could cause friction between an inner fender and tubing, leading to brake failure.

A total of 284,831 Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country models were also recalled because of ill-fitted wiring that poses a fire risk.

Around 25,336 Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass models were also being recalled for problems with a sticking accelerator pedal.

It was just the latest in a raft of recalls from Chrysler and other vehicle manufacturers.

On June 4, Chrysler recalled about 34,700 Dodge Caliber vehicles worldwide over problems with sticky acceleration pedals.

But, hey, at least they're not Toyota, and that makes it all perfectly OK.

[MoparDan]

Let's see...no injuries, no accidents, no coverups, recall is issued & they'll fix the problem. New management has been proactive in trying to remedy the neglect under Daimler & Cerberus. I guess they could always claim it wasn't their fault & blame the driver.
Let us know when Marchionne is called up for a hearing on Capitol Hill. Yawn...

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...minivan-recall
284,831 2008 and 2009 model year Dodge and Chrysler minivans are being recalled, because a misrouted wire harness may be torn by the sliding door, possibly resulting in a short which could cause a fire. All affected vans were made between February 2007 and September 2009.
Chrysler wrote that a “small percentage� of the minivans built would have this problem.
In August 2009, an engineering team relocated the drive unit assembly harness from the B-pillar to the C-pillar for the 2010 model year, to “improve the manufacturing process.� The company later discovered that the change optimized the wire routing, solving a problem of latch fires which the company had been investigating. Thermal damage has so far been discovered on 48 model-year-2008 and nine model-year-2009 minivans, with the damage normally limited just to the area immediately surrounding the power door latch. It has only affected minivans with power doors.
When the recalled minivans are taken to dealers, they will inspect the wire track assembly and power door drive unit, repair and replace any damaged components, tie the harnesses together, and route them under the door’s weatherstripping to prevent future problems.
No injuries or accidents appear to have resulted from the problem. Customers will be notified in June or July, and can call 800-853-1403 for further information. Customers who have already paid for repairs will be reimbursed.

[MoparDan]

Chrysler Staffing Up Again
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...ffing-up-again

"After shedding thousands of jobs, Chrysler has put out the hiring sign again. And this time, the company is looking for permanent employees, not contractors."

[MoparDan]

News Page from AllPar
http://www.allpar.com/news/

NASCAR "Challenger" to debut at Daytona
Chrysler sales climb 33% [[with table showing breakdown)
Chryslers at Carlisle

[MoparDan]

Detroit News: Chrysler may boost CNG

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...-may-boost-cng

[MoparDan]

June Sales Recap – Chrysler increase tops major automakers
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...jor-automakers

July 2nd, 2010
by Bill Cawthon

There was lots of good news this month. At the top of the list is the fact Chrysler Group came in with the largest improvement of any major automaker, up 35.4 percent, easily maintaining its ranking among the top six – or seven, if you lump Hyundai and Kia together.
Highlights were numerous: Chrysler brand sales were up 30.1 percent, Dodge jumped up 66.6 percent, an 85.5% windfall for the Wrangler put Jeep ahead 24.8 percent. Even Ram sales were up: Ram pickup sales grew 9.6 percent while heavy-duty sales improved 29 percent. Dakota sales grew 52.4 percent – more on pickups later. Thanks to strong fleet buying, Chrysler Group passenger car sales skyrocketed 94 percent while trucks came in with a more modest 18% improvement.

Chrysler also picked up 1.46 points of market share, more than any other carmaker, becoming the only one of the Big Six to show a gain.
The Town & Country continued to pace the minivan segment, while the Honda Odyssey found itself in an unaccustomed third place. Competition was tight as less than 1,000 units separated the top four models. The Caravan brought up the rear in June but remains ahead of the Toyota Sienna in year-to-date [[YTD) sales. As a percentage of total sales, the minivan segment has contracted about 0.33% this year.
Along with the sunshine, there were some clouds. In terms of overall sales, the industry had a sobering month. Sales were up 14.4% from last year but the general increases were small. More worrisome was June’s seasonally adjusted annual sales rate [[SAAR) which came in at 11.08 million units. That’s a nice jump from last year’s abysmal 9.70 million, but it’s well short of May 2010′s 11.63 million. In fact, it’s the slowest pace since February. Considering how many of those sales went to fleet buyers of one sort or another, it’s a strong reminder of just how weak the consumer market is. And with the challenges facing the economy right now, it’s hard to predict when confidence will return.
In terms of numbers, 983,738 new vehicles were delivered in June. The majority were passenger cars, many headed for rental fleets. The Big Three took a slightly larger bite of the pie last month, claiming about 46.5% compared to 45.4% last June.
General Motors’ sales were up 11.4% but core brand [[Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC) sales rose 37.1 percent. Of course, dumping the deadwood out of Chrysler’s numbers would have given the Auburn Hills gang a 39.9% improvement, so cherry-picking is of limited use. On the other hand, Chrysler isn’t trying to look pretty for an IPO.
Ford finished June 13.4% ahead of June 2009, its smallest monthly gain since last November. Mercury sales were strong, but Lincoln’s weren’t, no doubt due to the absence of the tarted-up Focus that’s supposed to be a game-changer in the premium segment. Ford’s results were also dragged down by a 29% plunge in Volvo sales.
Honda and Toyota posted mediocre improvements of 6.2% and 6.8%, respectively and both gave up market share – over a point in Toyota’s case, making it the biggest loser in June. Nissan’s gain broke the double-digit mark, coming in at 10.8% but Nissan gave up a couple of tenths of a point in share.
Among the second-tier Japanese brands, the results were mixed. Subaru brought home another sales record as sales jumped 16.0% and Mazda zoom-zoomed to a 32.8% gain. Mitsubishi and Suzuki both missed their numbers, Mitsu by 3.8% and Suzuki by 5.3 percent.
The Koreans were happy campers: both Hyundai and Kia set new monthly and first-half sales records. Hyundai almost equalled Chrysler with a 35% leap while Kia settled for 18.9 percent. Their combined sales would make Hyundai Kia Automotive Group the sixth-largest in the U.S. market, surpassing Nissan.
Porsche had a very good month with the largest increase of any automaker. Sales warped 137.4% as the new Cayenne added to the success of the Panamera. All of the Porsche lines were up in June.
Volkswagen was the European volume king in June; sales increased 11.5% thanks to some help from Audi with posted a record first half and leapfrogged Inifiniti to take the No. 6 slot in the luxury segment. A strong month for BMW gave it the top spot in the segment, followed by Mercedes-Benz, leaving Lexus in the show position. Cadillac was the top-ranked American premium brand, coming in at No. 4.
The big story of the month, outside of Chrysler’s good results, is pickups. For the past three months, growth in sales of full-size pickups has outpaced the market’s growth. In June, full-size sales left no doubt they are trending upward, climbing 25.9 percent, almost double the increase in general light vehicle sales. Company officials say a large number of these pickups are going to commercial fleets that are replacing significant numbers of older vehicles and, in some cases, actually enlarging their fleets. While this may be a short-lived phenomenon, it is seen as a possible harbinger of good news for the economy. If businesses are spending money on vehicles again, it’s possible they will start hiring again, one of the key factors in any hope of vehicle sales returning to anything like their pre-crash levels. People who are out of work or are afraid of losing their jobs don’t commit to big-ticket purchases and consumer confidence has taken a couple of recent hits.
July and August will likely be challenging; last year, sales were fueled by the “Cash for Clunkers” program and private-sector rebates of that magnitude are out of the question this year. July’s 11.22 million pace is doable; sales have already surpassed that figure twice this year. However, August’s 14.09 million is probably out of reach even for Ford. JD Powers has already reduced its forecast for the year to 11.8 million light vehicles but there is still hope for a 12 million-unit year provided the economy doesn’t have another big hiccup. Beyond that, it’s going to take some serious job creation in the United States. For too long, we have depended on consumers to drive the engine of commerce while depriving them of the needed fuel by offshoring, outsourcing or eliminating their jobs. American consumers have lost an estimated $10 trillion of wealth in just the past three years: that’s an awful lot of cars and trucks.

[MoparDan]

Chrysler starts selecting Fiat dealers

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...g-fiat-dealers
July 5th, 2010 by DaveAdmin
Chrysler has begun to select dealers for the launch of the Fiat 500, which, according to some reports, will be the only car sold under the Fiat brand for some time. The new version will hit American shores late in 2010, with the Cabrio version arriving in 2011. While the first batch of cars will be made in Italy, production for the Americas is to be moved to Mexico.

Dealers will be in around 41 states, covering 125 markets where small cars are viable for sales. The goal is, according to Chrysler’s dealer network leader, Peter Grady, to “establish a dealer network that will reflect and enhance the brand’s reputation for innovation and fun, and will offer a unique, personalized customer experience.”

[fryar]

It's a shame that thing won't be marketed under a US badge or produced in the US. In the case of the latter, globalism is happening everywhere, of course, and in keeping, the European Fiat 500 is manufactured in Poland.

[MoparDan]

It's a shame that thing won't be marketed under a US badge or produced in the US. In the case of the latter, globalism is happening everywhere, of course, and in keeping, the European Fiat 500 is manufactured in Poland.

No argument there.
As China is finding out, cheap labor eventually starts acting up & demanding better wages/conditions/benefits. They're about where we were 100yrs ago with regards to industrialization.
How far corporations will go in finding dirt cheap labor remains to be seen; I put nothing past them in that quest.

I wasn't thrilled about Fiat coming in but will give them credit for going at it harder than Daimler or Cerebrus did. The Challenger commercial, while not a home run, is worthy of at least a double. Play ball!

[dtowncitylover]

I would like to get one when they come.