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Chrysler Group LLC Reports December 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 6 Percent – Best December Sales in 6 Years;
Full-Year Sales Up 9 Percent – Strongest Annual Sales Since 2007

45th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
Chrysler Group full-year U.S. sales increase 9 percent in 2013; 4th-consecutive year of annual sales growth
Jeep® and Ram Truck brands each post double-digit sales increases in December compared with same month a year ago
Jeep brand posts best December sales ever with 34 percent sales gain; brand sets global sales record in 2013
All-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee sales top 15,000 units in its 2nd full month of sales; sales up 48 percent compared with previous month of November
Motor Trend selects Ram 1500 as its 2014 Truck of the Year; Ram pickup sales up 11 percent in December
2014 Dodge Dart, Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200 sedans earn Top Safety Pick ratings from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

January 3, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 161,007 units, a 6 percent increase compared with sales in December 2012 (152,367 units), and the group’s best December sales since 2007.

The Jeep® and Ram Truck brands each posted double-digit percentage sales gains in December compared with the same month a year ago. The Jeep brand’s 34 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand during the month. FIAT brand sales were up 1 percent. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 45-consecutive months in December.

“Chrysler Group ended the year with a 6 percent sales gain in December and our 45th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. “Our Jeep and Ram Truck brands had a strong finish led by the all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee and the Ram pickup truck, Motor Trend’s 2014 Truck of the Year. Sales of the new Cherokee topped 15,000 units in December as our newest SUV continues its solid sales performance out of the gate.”

In its 2nd full month of sales, the new Cherokee mid-size SUV recorded sales of 15,038 units, surpassing sales of the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep brand recorded its best December sales ever. In addition, the Wrangler and Jeep Patriot each recorded their best December sales ever.

Full-year Chrysler Group sales were up 9 percent in 2013, compared with sales during 2012. It was the 4th-consecutive year of Chrysler Group sales growth. The Ram Truck brand, with its 22 percent increase in 2013, had the largest full-year sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand. Chrysler Group realized sales growth in both its car and truck segments during the year. Chrysler Group car sales in the U.S. were up 11 percent in 2013, while truck sales were up 8 percent. The Jeep brand set a global sales record in 2013.

Chrysler Group finished the month of December with a 79 days supply of inventory (508,615 units). U.S. industry sales figures for December are internally projected at an estimated 15.8 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).

December 2013 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand

Jeep® Brand

Jeep brand sales were up 34 percent in December, its best December sales ever and the largest percentage sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand for the month. The Jeep brand’s December sales were 2nd only to record sales in July 2005.

Sales of the all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee were up 48 percent compared with the previous month of November. Jeep brand dealers sold 15,038 units of the new Cherokee during December, its 2nd full month of sales. The Cherokee topped Jeep Wrangler sales in December as it continued its strong sales launch. The Cherokee was crowned the “Best New SUV/CUV Under $35,000” in December by the Automobile Journalist Association of Canada. The new Cherokee bested a quartet of rivals from 1 of the country’s most popular and hard-fought vehicle segments.

The Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each posted year-over-year sales gains in December. The Patriot compact SUV, with its 35 percent increase, logged the largest percentage sales gain of any Jeep brand model in December. Wrangler sales were up 4 percent in December, compared with the same month a year ago. Both the Wrangler and Patriot each posted their best December sales ever.

Ram Truck Brand

Sales of the Ram pickup truck were up 11 percent in December, its 44th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and its best December sales since 2004. Sales of the Ram Heavy Duty pickups were up 16 percent, while Ram Light Duty sales increased 7 percent. Motor Trend selected the Ram 1500 in December as its 2014 Truck of the Year, its 1st ever back-to-back winner. 9 Truck of the Year contenders were put through an extensive battery of testing designed to evaluate virtually every aspect of each vehicle. The judges were particularly impressed with the performance of the Ram 1500’s all-new EcoDiesel V-6 engine as well as its 8-speed TorqueFlite transmission, a combination that boasts a towing capacity of up to 9,200 pounds. The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 is among Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2014.

Ram Truck brand sales were up 17 percent in December compared with the same month a year ago. Sales of the all-new 2014 Ram ProMaster van were up 126 percent, compared with the previous month of November. The ProMaster van went on sale in the U.S. in October. The Ram Commercial Truck division in December announced that it will offer an all-new small van for the North American market. Joining the larger ProMaster as an additional van offering, the 2015 Ram ProMaster City will compete with small commercial and passenger vans.

Full-year Ram Truck brand sales were up 22 percent in 2013, the largest percentage sales increase of any Chrysler Group brand for the year.

FIAT Brand

FIAT brand sales were up 1 percent in December compared with the same month a year ago. The FIAT brand recorded 9 months of year-over-year sales gains during 2013. Sales of the new Fiat 500L, which debuted in June, were up 52 percent in December compared with the previous month of November.

The all-electric Fiat 500e Battery-Electric Drive System was among Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2014 and the lone representative of electric-vehicle technology. The battery-electric drive system in the 500e hatchback delivers the best-in-class range of 87 miles.

Dodge Brand

Dodge brand sales were down 9 percent in December, but full-year sales in 2013 were up 14 percent on strong Dodge Dart, Dodge Durango, and Dodge Challenger sales. Sales of the Durango full-size SUV were up 3 percent in December compared with the same month a year ago, extending its run of year-over-year sales gains to 14-consecutive months. It was the Durango’s best December sales in 8 years. Sales of the Dodge Charger were up 29 percent in December.

The 2014 Dart and Dodge Avenger sedans earned Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in December. The announcement marks the 5th-consecutive year that the IIHS has commended the Avenger mid-size sedan. Meanwhile, the insurance industry organization has hailed the Dart compact sedan each year since it arrived on the market in 2012. The Dodge sedans feature significant advanced-technology steel content, which enhances structural integrity. The Dart’s 68 percent content ratio of high-strength steel is among the highest in the industry. The Dart also boasts a 5-star safety rating based on crash tests performed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Chrysler Brand

Chrysler brand sales were down 21 percent in December, but sales of the award-winning Chrysler Town & Country minivan were up 5 percent compared with the same month a year ago. It was the Town & Country’s best December sales in 3 years. For the full year, Town & Country sales were up 9 percent in 2013.

Chrysler 200 sedan sales were up 3 percent for the full year, compared with sales in 2012. The 2014 Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan earned a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in December, the model’s 4th-consecutive Top Safety Pick from the insurance industry organization.

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Chrysler Group LLC U.S. Sales Summary Thru December 2013
            Month Sales     Vol %           Sales CYTD     Vol %
Model     Curr Yr     Pr Yr     Change     Curr Yr     Pr Yr     Change
500     2,324     3,707     -37%     35834     43772     -18%
500L     1,421     0     NEW     7402     0     NEW
FIAT BRAND     3,745     3,707     1%     43236     43772     -1%
200     5,652     9,080     -38%     122480     125476     -2%
300     4,881     7,175     -32%     57724     70747     -18%
Town & Country     9,737     9,258     5%     122288     111744     9%
CHRYSLER BRAND     20,270     25,513     -21%     302492     307967     -2%
Compass     3,534     3,131     13%     52993     40235     32%
Patriot     6,158     4,566     35%     75797     62010     22%
Wrangler     12,028     11,545     4%     155502     141669     10%
Liberty     0     3,508     -100%     6101     75483     -92%
Grand Cherokee     16,517     17,121     -4%     174275     154734     13%
Cherokee     15,038     0     NEW     25786     0     NEW
JEEP BRAND     53,275     39,871     34%     490454     474131     3%
Caliber     0     31     -100%     45     10176     -100%
Dart     5,449     6,105     -11%     83388     25304     230%
Avenger     4,950     7,382     -33%     93842     96889     -3%
Charger     10,145     7,867     29%     98336     82592     19%
Challenger     2,872     3,942     -27%     51462     43119     19%
Viper     55     0     NEW     591     20     NEW
Journey     7,616     7,688     -1%     83933     79563     5%
Caravan     11,226     14,160     -21%     124019     141468     -12%
Nitro     0     0           0     3269      
Durango     5,376     5,216     3%     60727     42589     43%
DODGE  BRAND     47,689     52,391     -9%     596343     524989     14%
Dakota     0     0           0     490      
Ram P/U     33,405     30,211     11%     355673     293363     21%
Cargo Van     751     674     11%     8900     7075     26%
ProMaster Van     1,872     0     NEW     3270     0     NEW
RAM BRAND     36,028     30,885     17%     367843     300928     22%
                                     
TOTAL CHRYSLER GROUP LLC     161,007     152,367     6%     1800368     1651787     9%
                                     
          TOTAL CAR     37,749     45,289     -17%     551104     498095     11%
          TOTAL TRUCK     123,258     107,078     15%     1249264     1153692     8% 


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Ford And Chrysler Miss Expectations

The big auto makers are announcing their December sales stats. Chrysler reported that sales climbed 5.7% to 161,007 units. This missed analysts expectation for an 8.4% gain.
Ford sales increased by just 1.7% to 218,058. Analysts were looking for a 4.3% increase.
Analysts predict total sales came in at an annualized pace of 16.00 million units, down from 16.31 million in November.
"After a strong end to November over Black Friday weekend lifted sales for the month to six-year high of 16.3 million units annualized, initial mid-month industry surveys observed some slowing in sales in the first half of December, reflecting the pull forward into November as well as a drag from December winter storm," said Morgan Stanley's Ted Wieseman. "Renewed upside was expected in the second half of the month, but overall December sales may show a 5% pullback after jumping 8% in November."

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U.S. December auto sales seen up 4 percent

(Reuters) - December U.S. auto sales, spurred by end-of-the-year bargains, likely rose about 4 percent from a year earlier, industry analysts said.
If confirmed, that would mean 2013 will end as the best for U.S. auto sales since pre-recession 2007, at around 15.6 million new cars and trucks sold, which would be an increase of about 8 percent from 2012.
Major automakers report December sales on Friday.
U.S. consumers are expected to spend more than $34 billion on new vehicles in December, a historic high for the month, said J.D. Power & Associates, which said the annual sales haul would also be a record at more than $370 billion.
Auto sales continue to outpace the recovery of the U.S. economy. While auto sales are expected to rise again in 2014, the pace of the sales climb is expected to slow.
Factors that contributed to higher sales throughout 2013 were at play again in December, including low interest rates on loans, attractive lease deals and consumers wanting to replace older vehicles.
Plus, in December, there were manufacturer discounts as shoppers had time off during the holidays to visit a dealership, said Alec Gutierrez, analyst with auto research firm Kelley Blue Book.
December is one of the strongest months for U.S. auto sales, in part because of the bargains available, but also because consumers have developed over decades behaviors that favor end-of-the year buying, said Thomas King, senior director at J.D. Power & Associates.
December's typical rise in auto sales is often followed by a drop in sales in January. This past January, U.S. retail auto sales were down 40 percent from December.
Larry Dominique, president of auto industry research firm ALG, said discounts as deep as 25 percent from manufacturers' list prices were seen in December, including $5,000 off the price of a 2014 Ford Motor Co (F.N) Focus hatchback.
The Ford F-Series pickup truck, the top-selling vehicle in America, has been discounted by 23 percent for a new F-150 Super Cab, Dominique said.
Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters see the annual sales rate for December U.S. auto sales at 16 million vehicles, a level that has been topped only in November and August.
Incentives paid by manufacturers in December rose only about $100, while the average transaction price per vehicle rose to about $31,000 from about $30,200, which should help the profit margins for auto manufacturers, said Jesse Toprak, president of Topak Consulting in California.
General Motors Co (GM.N), will see auto sales slide about 3 percent from a year earlier, while No. 2 Ford Motor Co (F.N), will sell about 5 percent more vehicles this month than a year ago, according to auto research firm TrueCar.com.
TrueCar also predicted that Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) December sales will rise 3 percent, and Chrysler Group's will increase 4 percent. Chrysler's majority owner is Italy's Fiat SpA (FIA.MI).


http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9BT0OZ20131230

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Reality Check: Year-End Incentives Push December US Auto Sales

By Claudia Hirsch
--Auto Dealers: Manufacturers' Rebates Juice Late-December Sales
--Lavish Thanksgiving Incentives Slowed Some Dealers' Early-Dec Biz
--2014 Begins With Solid Momentum

NEW YORK, Jan 2 (MNI) - A flurry of last-minute buying incentives drew drivers into showrooms after Christmas and pushed December and 2013 US new-vehicle sales to a strong finish, according to dealers around the country.
Dealers said the auto industry begins the new year with solid momentum, and they expect the recovery to gather steam in 2014. Greater job security, more working hours and, in some regions, the return of job creation are driving trade-ins of the oldest U.S. auto fleet in history. Also supporting the turnaround are ultra-low borrowing rates and improved access to financing.
Automakers' generous year-end buying inducements propelled late December sales, after lavish Thanksgiving promotions robbed some sales from earlier in the month, dealers said. Pickup truck sales continued to percolate, as recovering construction and related trades captured tax benefits on vehicle purchases before the close of 2013.
"I'm bullish. I'm feeling better about business than I have in three or four years," said Nick DePasquale, general manager of Fairview Ford, in San Bernardino, California, an inland area ravaged by home foreclosures and still-high unemployment.
"It's been a recovery year, and December's up pretty good," he said.
Even in the seasonally "tougher" 10 days before Christmas, DePasquale said, his sales were already running 6% higher than last December. He expected that number to shoot higher by the accounting-close of the month, noting that his dealership would be open on New Year's Day for what he termed the "last call" of Ford's year-end "Sellathon" promotion.
Across 2013, Fairview Ford clocked 40% gains in new-vehicle sales, but DePasquale pointed to a slide in business in 2012. "The percentages are real, but we'd gone down to the depths of hell," he said.
He said long-delayed purchases are rolling out and trade-ins of vehicles with 175,000 and even 200,000 logged miles are still "commonplace."
"The economy is recovering out here a bit, but not at the pace that cars are," DePasquale said. "Home prices are up a few percent, Wall Street is breaking records and people are feeling better."
Some buyers are now shelling out for more upgrades like rear-view cameras and navigation systems, he said and described a better situation for area residents who are employed.
"I don't see any job creation yet, but I think people who were cut back quite a bit are now getting their full-time hours back," he said. "For a while here, it seemed like everybody went to part-time."
He described Ford's holiday incentives as less "wild" than in years past. Rebates on model-year 2013s ranged from about $250 to about $1,000 for passenger cars but were deeper for higher-markup pickup trucks, which saw give-backs of $5,000 to $7,000 or more, he said. Trucks also got a boost in December from businesses taking advantage of the year-end bonus depreciation tax deadline.
An East Coast dealer with a constellation of 24 stores across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and in Jacksonville, Florida said special Christmas deals from many automakers hoisted her sales up from "disappointing" levels earlier in the month.
"We'll be up over December of last year, but it was a very slow first two weeks this December," said Tammy Darvish, vice president of Darcars, which sells Detroit's Ford and Chrysler and brands, as well as Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Nissan, Kia, Volkswagen and Volvo imports.
She said buying enticements over Thanksgiving weekend were "far greater" than in early December, sparking better-than-expected late-November sales.
"But around the 24th of December, most manufacturers came back with modifications to their incentive programs."
She noted an 11.5% increase in Darcars' December internet traffic year-on-year, which she said is a fairly accurate gauge of serious buying interest, but she also noted that November web numbers were even higher.
Though Chrysler brand sales have been "way up" all year, Darvish said, the Toyota nameplate enjoyed a bigger bump at year-end.
"You have to look at the amount of money Toyota pours into the market this time of year versus Chrysler," she said, and pointed to the Japanese brand's annual "Toyotathon."
Ford sales were also brawny in 2013, but availability issues cost Darcars some business, Darvish said.
Importantly, she said drivers are now comfortable spending a little more money on a new vehicle.
"With these very low interest rates, it's so much easier to get more for less."
She said the D.C. area market was "difficult" in the first half of 2013 because of broad government spending cuts due to sequestration.
"That has dissipated in the second half, and now people are way less fearful of the unknown," she said, and added that job security appears to be on the rise.
Darcars itself expanded its payrolls by 200 in 2013, and is still looking to hire - and train - mechanics.
"If I could hire 100 technicians today, I would," she said. A "decent" mechanic can earn $50,000 per year, and a "really good" one can bring home upwards of $100,000, Darvish said.
Darcars' total 2013 new-vehicle sales will print up around 14%, Darvish said. "We had a great year across all brands."
She expects sales growth to accelerate in 2014.
A General Motors dealer near Philadelphia said his December passenger-car sales firmed 15%, but pickup truck sales dipped some after a "phenomenally strong" October and November.
"The Silverado was our number-one core product for the year, and we've not historically been that pickup-intensive," said Rich Diver, of Diver Chevrolet, in Wilmington, Delaware. "That bodes well for the overall economic outlook."
Businesses are buying new trucks, while some consumers are turning to pickups from their worn-out sport utility vehicles, he said.
"We're up 70% year-to-date on Silverado," Diver said of Chevy's signature pickup truck. Incentives on model year 2013 trucks and even 2014s drove a brisk business in the fall, he said.
Diver described December demand as "sporadic." The showroom was quiet at mid-month, but sales and internet traffic have "exploded" since then, he said.
"We robbed Peter to pay Paul," Diver said, noting the automaker's bountiful Thanksgiving incentives that lured buyers in ahead of the usual December crush. In all, pent-up demand has been fairly measured in its roll-out, Diver said.
"There's more growth in real income, but there's still kind of a hesitancy to pull the trigger," Diver said. "None of us are giddy with euphoria yet."
Automakers are scheduled to release December domestic sales data on Friday.


https://mninews.marketnews.com/index...-us-auto-sales

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wow, jeep up 34%.

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Detroit Gains Ground in 2013 as Ford Fusion Sets Growth

Charlee Smith said he sees Toyota Motor Corp. (7203)’s Camry and Honda (7267) Motor Co.’s Accord all over California and their styling makes him think “appliance.” To stand out, he picked a gas-electric hybrid with a grille that evokes British sports cars, buying a Ford Motor Co. Fusion.
“I know it’s an ego or a vanity thing, but I’ll admit: I like it when people turn their head,” said Smith, 63, who works for an adhesive manufacturer between Los Angeles and San Jose. The Fusion “has proven to be everything I wanted in a car.”
Americans are snapping up U.S. cars spanning from Chrysler Group LLC (CGC)’s Dodge value brand to General Motors Co.’s Cadillac luxury line, highlighting the newfound breadth of offerings in the automakers’ showrooms. Armed with what Kevin Tynan, an auto analyst for Bloomberg Industries, has called their most competitive lineups in a generation, each of the Detroit Three entered December on track to gain U.S. market share for the year. They’ve all increased sales faster than the total industry for a calendar year only once in the last two and a half decades -- when Japan’s 2011 tsunami wiped out months of Toyota and Honda output -- according to the Automotive News Data Center.

Fielding attractive cars such as the Fusion has freed the Detroit Three from the longtime bind of choosing between volume or charging enough for their cars to earn profits on them, said Tynan. Each of the automakers boosted the average selling prices of their vehicles in 2013 as they outpaced a U.S. auto market now poised for a fifth consecutive year of expansion in 2014.
‘Both Ways’

“Prior to 2009, for Detroit it was ‘pick one,’” Tynan said in a telephone interview. “If you were doing volume, you weren’t doing any kind of pricing or profitability. And if you were doing any kind of pricing, you weren’t getting any volume. It’s all come together now to where they can have it both ways. That’s significant.”
Results for 2013’s final month, to be released tomorrow, are projected to show U.S. car and light truck sales in December climbed 3.8 percent to 1.41 million, the average of nine estimates in a survey by Bloomberg News. That would push deliveries for the full year to more than 15.6 million, the most since 2007.


The industry probably will end the year with a monthly annualized sales rate, adjusted for seasonal trends, of 15.8 million, the average of 14 December estimates, from 15.2 million a year earlier. November’s pace of 16.4 million was the best since February 2007, according to researcher Autodata Corp.


Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg Leading the way for Detroit last year was the Ford brand, which extended its sales lead... Read More

Ford vs. Toyota

Leading the way for Detroit last year was the Ford brand, which extended its sales lead over the Toyota line on the strength of Fusion and its F-Series pickups.
The second-largest U.S. automaker said this week that it expects to sell more than 2.4 million Ford brand vehicles in 2013, up from 2.16 million a year earlier. Analysts project that deliveries of Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles for the Dearborn, Michigan-based company increased 4.3 percent in December, the average of nine estimates.
Related: Ford Adds Solar Cells to Recharge Electric Concept Car
The Ford brand’s lead over the namesake for Toyota City, Japan-based Toyota was 388,825 light vehicles entering December, according to Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based Autodata. The Toyota line trailed Ford by 322,521 in 2012.
Americans paid $34,164 per vehicle from Ford and $34,869 per car and truck from GM last year, according to research by Kelley Blue Book that includes preliminary data for December. Compared with the industry average, that equates to a premium of $2,118 per Ford Motor model and $2,823 for each GM vehicle, Kelley Blue Book said. Chrysler’s transaction prices rose at a faster rate than the industry to pull within $100 of the average.
$60,000 Looks

The gains by Detroit are striking Toyota and Tokyo-based Honda in the hearts of their lineups. Deliveries of Ford’s Fusion climbed 22 percent from January to November, outpacing gains of 1.3 percent for Camry and 11 percent for Accord. And Fusions sold for an average of $26,378 last year, a premium of $897 to Accord and $2,224 to Camry, the lock to be the top-selling car in the U.S. for a 12th consecutive year.
“From so many views, it shouts out ‘I’m a $60,000 car,’” Smith, the Californian, said of the white-platinum Fusion hybrid that he bought for $33,500. “The Aston Martin look really draws attention.”
The Fusion is a standout in a crowded field of more competitive passenger cars from Detroit. Deliveries of GM’s Cadillac cars jumped 55 percent last year through November, and Chrysler’s Dodge line of cars boosted sales by 31 percent. Those were the two biggest gains of any car brand with at least 20,000 deliveries last year.
Share Gains

Sales probably rose 8.4 percent for Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler and 1.5 percent for Detroit-based GM, the averages of analysts’ estimates. Italian automaker Fiat SpA reached an agreement with a United Auto Workers retiree medical trust to buy the shares of Chrysler it doesn't already own. The $4.35 billion deal was announced yesterday.
GM would eke out a market share gain of less than 0.02 percentage point based on analysts’ projections for its sales and those of the industry. Ford entered December with an increase of almost 0.5 percentage point, the industry’s largest advance, and Chrysler’s share had risen by about 0.1 point.
The U.S. automakers are arguably going for their first sweep of market share gains since 1988. While Ford reported a market share gain in 2011, its calculation excluded year-earlier sales for the Volvo brand, which it owned for the first seven months 2010. If Volvo deliveries from before Ford’s sale of the brand to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. are counted in its 2010 results, Ford’s share slipped from 16.9 percent to 16.8 percent in 2011.
Toyota, Honda and European carmakers including Volkswagen AG will test Detroit’s growth this year. Automakers plan to add 2.1 million vehicles of incremental capacity in North America after 2013, with almost all of the output being added by Asia and Europe-based companies, IHS Automotive said last month.
December Estimates

Deliveries probably rose 3.1 percent for Toyota and 4.1 percent for Honda in December, according to the averages of seven analysts’ estimates. Sales probably increased 13 percent for Nissan Motor Co. (7201) and 7.2 percent for affiliates Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., the analysts projected.
A potential challenge for the broader industry will be to maintain pricing as additional production capacity comes on line, especially since inventory has climbed in anticipation of the first year of at least 16 million light vehicle sales since 2007. Industrywide supply of passenger cars rose to 1.8 million at the beginning of December, the highest monthly total since March 1996, according to Automotive News Data Center.
“If you believe sales next year are going higher, and that we’re going to come into a very robust spring and summer sales cycle, a lot of the inventory concerns that are out there will dissipate very quickly,” Erich Merkle, Ford’s sales analyst, said in a telephone interview.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...ts-growth.html

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Ford Motor Company Delivers Best Sales Year Since 2006;
Ford Is Top Brand with Records for Fiesta, Fusion, Escape

Ford brand 2013 retail sales up 14 percent, with cars up 12 percent, utilities up 13 percent, trucks up 17 percent; Ford is best-selling brand for fourth consecutive year
Ford Motor Company total December sales up 2 percent, with retail sales up 3 percent for best December since 2005
Ford Fusion sales up 27 percent for a record December; both Ford Fusion and Ford Fiesta hit annual sales records in 2013
Ford Escape sales up 22 percent, helping the vehicle to an annual sales record in 2013
Ford F-Series tops 70,000 sales following 8 straight months of sales above 60,000 vehicles; F-Series now best-selling truck for 37 years and best-selling vehicle for 32 years

Download Full Sales Release (PDF)

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 3, 2014 – Ford reigns as America’s best-selling vehicle brand in 2013 for a fourth consecutive year, with annual sales records set for Ford Fiesta, Fusion and Escape, and F-Series continuing as the country’s best-selling truck and vehicle for another straight year.

Ford Motor Company 2013 U.S. sales totaled 2,493,918 vehicles. For December, total sales are 218,058 vehicles up 2 percent – with retail up 3 percent.

Ford brand U.S. retail sales are up 14 percent for the year. Overall, the Ford brand closes out 2013 with 2,412,224 vehicles sold. Ford produced double-digit annual retail gains across its lineup – cars up 12, utilities up 13 percent, and trucks are up 17 percent – with higher average transaction prices. Retail sales gains for the Ford brand are strongest in the West, where sales are up 21 percent, and the Southeast, with sales up 17 percent for the year.

“December was a strong close to an even better year for Ford Motor Company,” said John Felice, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “We saw strong growth across the entire Ford lineup and made significant gains in the import-dominated coastal markets.

“Strong demand for our new cars, utilities, hybrids and trucks provided Ford with the largest share point gain of any full-line automaker in 2013,” Felice continued.

Ford Fusion December performance is up 27 percent with 24,408 sales, setting a record for the month. Fusion sales of 295,280 vehicles in 2013 represent a 22 percent increase, setting an annual record.

Fusion continues to be a significant driver to the company’s growth in the U.S. western and southeastern regions, where retail sales are up 61 percent and 29 percent, respectively in 2013.

Ford Fiesta sales of 71,073 vehicles for the year mark a record, as well – and up 25 percent over 2012.

Ford Escape sales are up 22 percent for the month, with 24,462 vehicles sold. For the year, Escape sales of 295,993 vehicles represent a 13 percent gain, setting an annual record.

December sales of 74,592 Ford F-Series vehicles extend the truck’s string of selling more than 60,000 units a month to eight. Sales of 763,402 F-Series vehicles in 2013 represent the truck’s highest level since 2006. F-Series remains America’s best-selling truck for 37 straight years and the country’s best-selling vehicle for 32 consecutive years.

Lincoln MKZ December sales increase 73 percent, with 2,823 cars sold, providing the Lincoln brand with an overall increase of 8 percent.

GS69

Audi establishes U.S. sales record of 158,061 vehicles sold in 2013

• With December 2013 coming in as 36th consecutive record sales month, Audi concluded its fourth record year in a row
• December 2013 sales of 17,013 stand as the first time Audi sold more than 15,000 vehicles in any month
• Audi Q5 finishes as the best selling model for Audi in the US in 2013; strong demand seen throughout product lineup in 2013

Audi achieved its 4th-consecutive year of record U.S. demand by recording full-year sales of 158,061, a 13.5% increase over the previous annual record set a year earlier.

In addition, Audi set an all-time monthly sales record in December 2013 with sales of 17,013 new models, a 14.6% improvement over the previous monthly sales record set in December 2012. The most recent month also stands as the1st time Audi monthly sales have ever topped 15,000 vehicles. December 2013 was also established the 36th consecutive monthly sales record for Audi in the U.S. market.

“After 36 consecutive record sales months, 2013 was another year to thank America for embracing Audi,” said Mark Del Rosso, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Audi of America. “These record results show the payoff from our longstanding strategy to build the Audi brand through exciting products, committed dealer partners and a sustainable business model.”

December results were bolstered by sales of Audi luxury SUVs, with a record month for the Audi Q5 crossover posting a 32.2% gain in December with 4,794 units delivered for the month. Sales of the Audi Q7 increased 52.6% to 2,279 vehicles sold for the month. Year-to-date sales for the Audi Q5 increased 40.8% to a total of 40,355 vehicles sold for the year, while YTD sales for the Audi Q7 increased 45.1% to a total of 15,978 vehicles.

Through December, sales of the Audi A6, A7, A8 and Q7 made up one of every 3 models the brand sold. That compares to a 19% mix for the most exclusive models just four years ago.

Luxury sedan sales remain strong as the Audi A6 increased 43.3% to 2,686 vehicles sold for the month, while YTD sales increased 18.1% to 22,428 vehicles sold.

There has been high demand for the updated 2014 Audi R8 models, including the Audi R8 V8, Audi R8 V10 and Audi R8 V10 plus. Customers have responded well to the changes in the vehicle’s transmission showing an increase of sales to 37.3% MTD.

December 2013 was also the top sales result for Audi Certified pre-owned vehicles sales with an increase of 21.1% for the month, to a total of 4,022 vehicles. For the full year, Audi CPO sales increased 10.2% to a total of 40,190 vehicles, also an all-time record for Audi of America.

Highlights:
• Sales of Audi premium category vehicles (Audi A6, Audi A7, Audi A8, and Audi Q7) increased 19.2% YTD, representing 33.7% of total Audi sales year-to-date and 46% of the Audi year-to-date sales gain.
• Sales mix for Audi S performance variants finished the month at 16.1% for the S4 sedan; 39.7% for the S5/ RS 5; 4.6% for the S6; 26.1% for the S7 and RS 7; 10.2% for the S8; 27% for the TTS / TT RS and TTS Roadster, and 8.6% for the SQ5 crossover.
• Sales of Audi A6 increased 43.3% compared to December 2012; YTD sales grew 18.1% compared to previous period.
• Sales of the Audi Q5 increased 32.2% compared to December 2012; YTD sales grew 40.8% compared to previous period.
• Sales of the Audi Q7 increased 52.6% compared to December 2012; YTD sales grew 45.1% compared to previous period.
• Audi R8 sales up 37.3% compared to December 2012.
• Sales mix for Audi A6 TDI finished the month at 12.5%, for the Audi A7 TDI at 11%, for the A8 TDI to 12.8%, the Audi Q5 TDI at 16%, and for the Audi Q7 TDI at 28.7%.
• Audi Certified pre-owned sales increased 21.1% to 4,022 vehicles in December; YTD increased 10.2% to 40,190 vehicles sold.
• The Audi A3 is being phased out in advance of the all-new A3 sedan arriving in the U.S. market next spring.

PHP Code:

AUDI US SNAPSHOT                       --YTD--
Model Line     Dec. '13 Actual     Dec. '12 Actual     Yr/Yr % change     Dec.. '13 YTD Actual     Dec. '12 YTD Actual     Yr/Yr % change
A3     0     397     -100%     857     7,205     -88.1%
A4     3,543     3,369     5.2%     36,744     34,163     7.6%
A5     1,384     1,572     -12.0%     18,664     17,270     8.1%
A6     2,686     1,875     43.3%     22,428     18,998     18.1%
A7     944     926     1.9%     8,483     8,598     -1.3%
A8     718     900     -20.2     6,300     6,002     5.0%
allroad     436     437     -0.2%     5,386     4,367     23.3%
Audi Q5     4,794     3,626     32.2%     40,355     28,671     40.8%
Audi Q7     2,279     1,493     52.6%     15,978     11,008     45.1%
R8     70     51     37.3%     813     802     1.4%
TT     159     195     -18.5%     2,053     2,226     --7.8%
Total Audi Sales     17,013     14,841     14.6%     158,061     139,310     13.5%
Total CPO Sales     4,022     3,321     21.1%     40,190     36,469     10.2% 


GS69

VOLKSWAGEN REPORTS DECEMBER 2013 AND YEAR-END RESULTS

- December sales total 34,015 units, 2nd best December since 1972 -
- For the 1st time in 40 years company delivers over 400,000 vehicles in back-to-back years-

• High-mileage, TDI® Clean Diesel models account for 17.8 percent in December, 23.5 of sales in 2013 and selling 95,823 units for the year, the best year on record
• Chattanooga-built Passat sold 9,254 units in December; 109,652 units for the year
• Jetta Sedan sales total 13,719 units in December; 141,259 year-to-date
• 2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible achieved 2,819 units in December; 43,134 units for the year

Herndon, VA - Volkswagen of America, Inc. (VWoA) today reported 407,704 units delivered in 2013. December deliveries totaled 34,015.

Volkswagen’s high-mileage, TDI® Clean Diesel models totaled 95,823 units for the year accounting for 23.5 percent of sales in 2013 and 17.8 percent in December. Since 2,000, Volkswagen of America has delivered over 500,000 TDI® Clean Diesel vehicles.

“Volkswagen is now operating at a new plateau, delivering over 400,000 units for the 2nd consecutive year in over 40 years,” said Mark McNabb, chief operating officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We look forward to 2014, with the introduction of the new Golf family, continued increased awareness and enthusiasm for the brand’s core models and the strength of our TDI offerings, we are well positioned for our next phase of growth to come over the next few years.”

The Chattanooga-built Volkswagen Passat continues to demonstrate its strong appeal in the market with 9,254 units sold in December and 109,652 for the year. Clean Diesel TDI Passat sales were the best year on record with 34,963 vehicles delivered, accounting for 32 percent of sales of the year.

Jetta sedan sales totaled in 13,719 in December and 141,259 for the year, demonstrating that affordable, German Engineering is a key selling point for the brand.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

The Ford Fusion is on a roll. Great looking car!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

GM’s U.S. Dealers Deliver 2.8 Million Vehicles in 2013

All Four GM Brands Gained Retail Market Share for the Year

2014-01-03

DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) dealers delivered 2.8 million vehicles in the United States in 2013. Retail sales increased 11 percent and total sales were up 7 percent compared with 2012.
Dealers delivered 230,157 vehicles in December, down 6 percent versus a year ago. Retail sales were down 6 percent and fleet sales were down 9 percent.

“2013 was the year that GM and the auto industry put the last traces of the recession in the rearview mirror, so now we can devote our full attention to the things that matter most to customers: compelling design, world-class quality and delivering the best ownership experience in the business,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president, U.S. sales operations. “GM has laid a strong foundation to pursue all of these goals. We have announced more than $10 billion in capital investments in the United States since 2009 and plowed billions more into R&D to refresh our product portfolio at twice the rate of the last few years.”
Major upcoming launches include all-new large SUVs for Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet, the award-winning Cadillac ELR and all-new heavy-duty and mid-size pickups for Chevrolet and GMC.
In addition, GM will begin the industry’s largest deployment of high-speed mobile broadband later this year. Additional details will be released at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.
2013 Highlights (versus 2012)

• GM became the first American auto company in history to top the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, with eight individual model awards, including five for Chevrolet.
• Chevrolet redesigned iconic products, including the Silverado 1500, Corvette and Impala, all of which won numerous awards for product excellence.
• Cadillac finished the year as the industry’s fastest-growing full-line luxury brand.
• Buick had its best sales year since 2006 as the brand expanded into new segments with the Verano sedan and the Encore small crossover.
• The all-new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 helped the company increase its full-size pickup sales by 14 percent.
• GMC sales were the strongest since 2007, and the Sierra now has the highest average transaction prices of any full-size pickup truck line in the industry, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates.
• Overall, GM’s share of the $40,000 and up light-duty pickup segment, which is about one-third of the market, has increased 7 percentage points to 36 percent.
• Combined sales of GM’s mini, small and compact cars increased by 10 percent, bolstered by best-ever sales of the Chevrolet Sonic and Cruze, and a remarkable year for the new Chevrolet Spark, which saw more than 34,000 deliveries.
• Crossover deliveries were strong all year long, increasing by 14 percent. New products like the Buick Encore drove the growth along with stalwarts like the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, which had their best sales years ever. The GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave also had their best years ever.

December Sales Highlights (vs. 2012)

• Sales in the fourth quarter increased 6 percent and December’s volume was the highest since August.
• The Chevrolet Corvette had its best December sales since 2006.
• The redesigned Chevrolet Malibu and the all-new Impala were up 33 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
• Crossover and SUV sales were strong, with the Chevrolet Traverse and Tahoe, and the GMC Acadia and Yukon XL all posting higher sales. The Acadia was up 53 percent, for its best-ever December.
• Small business customers took delivery of 26,231 vehicles in December up 20 percent. For the year, small business deliveries were up 35 percent.

“December started a little slow but sales were stronger later in the month, especially in the week between Christmas and New Year’s,” McNeil said. “We didn’t make any big changes to our ‘go-to-market’ strategy during the month, which is to offer competitive incentives and market aggressively, and we are carrying good momentum heading into January.”


http://media.gm.com/content/media/us...n/gmsales.html

LexFather

Lol......

Toyota

http://corporatenews.pressroom.toyot...?view_id=39709

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

happy you're amused. let me get that content for you to save people clicking

TORRANCE, Calif. (Jan. 3, 2014) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported December 2013 sales results of 190,843 units, an increase of 2.2 percent over December 2012 on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw-volume basis, unadjusted for 25 selling days in December 2013 versus 26 selling days in December 2012, TMS sales decreased 1.7 percent from year-ago month.

With the same number of selling days in 2013 and 2012, TMS reported annual sales of 2,236,042 vehicles, up 7.4 percent versus last year on both a DSR and raw-volume basis.

“The auto industry was a consistent bright spot in the economic recovery throughout 2013,” said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “We expect the economy will continue to gain strength in 2014, with car sales rising to pre-recession levels.”

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

well they sure glossed over the change (drop), although audi...

VW December sales plummet, Audi booms

VW Group's Audi premium brand rode new products and a luxury sales boom to big December sales and a record year, while the more proletarian VW brand saw sales dive 22.7% for the month to close 2013 down 6.9% from 2012.

Audi said December sales were up 14.6% to 17,013 -- first time Audi has broken 15,000 U.S. sales in a month -- and that 2013 finished up 13.5% at 158,061.

More important to the bottom line, more buyers are choosing the high-end models pushing up the brand's average transaction price nearly $10,000 over the past three years, Audi of America President Scott Keogh said.

SUVs were standouts and the Q5 posted record sales for the month and the year, making it the best-selling Audi.

VW generated little sales heat with its annual winter no-money-down sales event. The bright spot was the Jetta compact sedan -- up 4.7% from a year ago to 13,719, and the brand did finish the year with sales of 407,704, its second 400K year.

VW also continues to be the U.S. diesel leader: TDI versions of its vehicles were 17.8% of December sales and 23.5% for the year, a total of 95,823.

But sales for VW's other volume model model -- the midsize, U.S.-built Passat sedan -- dropped 36% to 9,254. And the only VW model to finish 2013 up from 2012 was the Beetle -- thanks to a first full year of sales for its new convertible version.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...cedes/4297089/

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Still don't understand these folks who think the Fusion is some supermodel alongside the Accord and Camry

I think the Accord is the best looking of the three, but don't consider the Fusion any better looking than the Altima, Camry, etc. I seem to be the only one though