Chrysler sales gain, but falls to No. 4

Chrysler sales gain, but falls to No. 4
http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/03/news/companies/autosales/index.htm?postversion=2007010312

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Chrysler Group reported an unexpected rise in
sales in December, although it wasn't enough to stop its parent company from
falling to fourth place in full-year U.S. sales for the first time.

Chrysler reported its U.S. sales gained 1 percent to 190,415 vehicles in the
month, up 1 percent from year-earlier sales. Auto sales tracker Edmunds.com
had been looking for a 6.7 percent decline in sales for the period.

But Mercedes-Benz, the luxury brand which like Chrysler is owned by
DaimlerChrysler (Charts), reported a 10 percent drop in sales, leaving the
overall company with a 1 percent drop in U.S. sales in December from a year
earlier.

Even with better than expected November results, Chrysler ended the year
with U.S. sales of 2.1 million, off 7 percent from 2005, while Mercedes
gained 11 percent for the year. That left DaimlerChrysler's sales here down
5 percent to 2.4 million vehicles.

The result almost certainly will drop DaimlerChrysler into fourth place in
U.S. sales for a full year for the first time, behind General Motors
(Charts), Ford Motor (Charts) and Toyota Motor (Charts), which is likely to
move past DaimlerChrysler. Toyota's sales through November were already at
2.3 million, and Edmunds is forecasting its December sales gained 7 percent
from the 203,279 it sold in December 2005.

GM and Ford also are likely to report lower 2006 sales later in the day
Wednesday, along with Japanese automaker Nissan (Charts). Honda Motor
(Charts) is likely to join Toyota in reporting improved sales, although
Edmunds expects its December sales to be below year-earlier results.

 

During my recent visit to LA and Tucson (and points in-between) I was struck
by the fact that Mercs and BMWs almost disappear off the road outside LA but
the number of 'Japanese' brands remains uniformly high. ('Japanese' because
I know much built in the US.)

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

 

That's consistent with here in the Vancouver, BC area, particularly in
the winter on roads to our ski hills.
Perhaps RWD is part of the problem in the winter, but in the summer it
must be the different travel style of the richer car owners.

 

Of course the road conditions were fine. Only risk of ice in the Flagstaff
area. RWD/FWD not an issue, I would say.

Maybe most Americans just drive "Made in America".. ?...

(In case you did not see from my address, am based in UK.)

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling