FCA Seeing Increased Sales as it Sticks to its Roots
After years of feeling like an underdog or little brother compared to Detroit’s other Big Three automakers, FCA recently announced sales numbers which beat Ford’s for the first time since 2015, and matched GM’s sales. As FCA sticks to its big-vehicle roots and consumers continue to gravitate towards larger trucks and SUVs, could we see FCA continue to outperform its hometown rivals in years to come?
Little Brother, Big Month
During October, FCA saw significant increases in sales across all their brands, excluding Fiat which dropped 35%. Jeep’s sales rose 8.5%, its 10th consecutive month of increased sales numbers. Chrysler rose 21%, there was a 38% increase for Dodge and Alfa Romeo saw a 44% sales increase. Combined, FCA sold 177,391 units in October, resulting in a total increase of 8.5% across all brands compared to the previous month and a 16% increase in sales compared to the same time last year. This was the 8th consecutive month of increased sales for FCA.
Not only did FCA see a lot of sales in general, October turned out to be a historic month regarding the sales of Ram trucks. Sales of the trucks were up 14% compared to this time last year, and FCA expects sales to continue to rise with the introduction of the next-gen Ram heavy-duty pickups. Next Spring, Jeep will launch its Wrangler pickup at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which FCA expects will further boost its Jeep sales and overall net profits.
Overall, FCA’s net profits rose 10.2% during October of 2018. This matched GM’s numbers during the month, however Ford saw only an 8.8% increase in their profits. Ford reported a decrease in car sales by 17.1%, but an increase of SUV sales by 6.7%. With FCA producing more large vehicles than Ford and consumers clearly purchasing bigger vehicles, it’s clear why FCA has been seeing increasing sales throughout the year.
Conclusion
When FCA first started out in Detroit, it was known for making big, reliable trucks and vehicles. As drivers continue to move towards purchasing pickup trucks and SUVs, FCA’s plus-sized lineup is proving to be exactly what consumers want. Experts predict this trend will continue in the future, and we’ve already seen Ford respond to this trend by announcing the discontinuation of their cars- besides the Mustang. From here it looks like the future of Detroit will make room for large trucks and EV’s, but only time will tell.
At Holbrook Auto Parts, we’re eager to continue working on cars from the Big Three and help the citizens of Detroit stay On the Move! Not only have we been in the Motor City for over 75 years working on Detroit’s finest automobiles, but our skilled mechanics are familiar with virtually any make and model. No matter what kind of parts or service you need for your vehicle, you’ll find it for less at Holbrook Auto Parts!
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