It may be Jeep’s 75th anniversary this year, but instead of accepting gifts and accolades, the brand seems to be giving them out monthly to parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Backed by Jeep’s 17.5 percent sales gain for April, FCA reported an overall 5.6 percent sales increase for the month – its best April sales since 2005 and 73rd consecutive month of year-over-year monthly sales gains.
Through the first four months of the year, Fiat Chrysler’s U.S. sales are up about 18 percent compared to the same time period a year ago, the automaker reported.
“Consumer preference for SUVs and pickup trucks continued unabated in April and helped to propel us to our strongest April sales in 11 years,” said Reid Bigland, FCA-North America senior vice president of sales. “Both our Jeep and Ram Truck brands recorded strong year-over-year sales gains last month.”
Overall Jeep sold 84,298 vehicles for the month – its best ever April showing – and the total is just about what Dodge (43,575) and Ram (45,810) sold combined.
Ram sales (up 12.1 percent) were also a positive for FCA, but once again Chrysler (down 17.5), Fiat (down 18.9) and Dodge (down 3) continued to underperform.
“Even though Q1 ended with a relatively lackluster March, the industry still as strong as ever, and this month’s sales will only reinforce that strength,” said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com director of industry analysis. “Considering that April is typically the calm before the storm of summer sales, there’s every reason to believe that 2016 will be a year for the history books.”
