June auto sales: Chrysler posts best results in 6 years
Chrysler posted its best June since 2007, with sales up 8% year-over-year, the automaker reported Tuesday.
Sales of the Dodge Durango led the way with a 39% increase, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram trucks helped boost sales with 33% and 23% increases, respectively, the company said.
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“Chrysler is weaning itself some from the out-sized percentage of daily rental car sales it had been selling, which puts the automaker in a healthier financial position,” said Michelle Krebs, an analyst with auto information company Edmunds.com. “June truck sales across the industry are expected to be robust, which is good news for the bottom lines of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.”
Chrysler reported U.S. sales of 156,686 units in June.
“Last month, Chrysler Group set seven individual vehicle-line sales records and achieved our 39th consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth,” said Reid Bigland, head of U.S. sales for the automaker. “The fundamentals for continued industry gains in new vehicle sales remain intact.”
Overall Jeep sales were flat, but that’s because Chrysler ditched the Jeep Liberty almost a year ago and is awaiting the arrival of the new Jeep Cherokee later this summer, Krebs said. Every other Jeep model posted double-digit sales gains.
“Once the Cherokee is fully launched, Jeep will be firing on all cylinders,” Krebs said.
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