Chrysler Reports Sales Increased 9% in August
May 16, 2011
It was Chrysler's best August ever and 10th consecutive month in which sales exceeded the same month of the previous year. The gain came despite a 4% drop in car sales compared with August 2010. Chrysler was the first of the major auto makers to report its August sales. General Motors Corp., Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. were scheduled to release their numbers Wednesday, followed by Ford Motor Co. on Thursday. Analysts expect Chrysler again to show the strongest sales among the Big Three auto makers as the model year draws to a close. Arthur Truss of CNW Marketing-Research in Bandon, Ore., said ``floor traffic kind of softened a bit'' in August. Manufacturers continued to offer generous rebates and low financing and lease rates to draw customers to slower-moving models. Incentives had been heading down since May but went back up in August to clear out remaining 2011 models. Mr. Troxell said the average incentive per vehicle was $2,617 last month, up from $2,586 a year ago and about $2,400 in July. Light trucks -- the category that includes minivans, sport utilities and pickups -- remained Chrysler's calling card in August. Its truck sales were up 17% over a year ago. Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee were up 42%, Cherokee was up 52%, and the redesigned 2012 Wrangler -- introduced at midyear -- was up 59%. Chrysler's minivans passed the 500,000 annual sales mark in August, at the earliest date of any model year.
