Chrysler Reports Year End Sales
6 January 1998
Record December Sales Drive Chrysler to Second-Best Year EverAUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 6 -- Chrysler Corporation's December sales were the best in the Company's history, totaling 190,191 units, up 2 percent from December of 1996. Sales for calendar year 1997 tallied 2,303,788 units, the second highest yearly total ever. "Our very good December performance continued the sales momentum started at the beginning of the fourth quarter," said James P. Holden, Executive Vice President - Sales and Marketing, "quite an accomplishment considering the increased competitiveness of the marketplace and the fact that we had virtually none of our newest cars, Concorde and Intrepid, to sell during the quarter. "Consecutive record sales in November and December gave us our second-best year ever. What's most encouraging, however, is that we see this momentum continuing well into the first quarter of 1998." For the month of December, records were set for total sales, truck sales, and the Dodge Division. Moreover, individual records were set by Dodge Ram, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Stratus, Dodge Neon, Plymouth Breeze, Plymouth Neon, Chrysler Sebring Coupe and Chrysler Town & Country minivan. Sales records for calendar year 1997 were established by Chrysler's compact sedan platform -- the Chrysler Cirrus, Dodge Stratus and Plymouth Breeze -- with combined sales of 203,088 units. Individual model records for the year include Stratus (99,040 units), Breeze (72,499 units), Chrysler Sebring Coupe (35,365 units) and Jeep. Wrangler (81,956 units). "We are heartened by the continued strength of the market," said Holden. "Demand remains strong. Our trucks and minivans continue to have considerable presence in the marketplace. The new Dodge Durango is selling as fast as we can build them and is attracting a new type of sport utility buyer to our Dodge showrooms. Our recent resurgence in car sales, plus the introductions of the all-new 1998 Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde, as well as the mid- year introductions of the new 1999 Chrysler LHS and Chrysler 300M, will bode well for the passenger car side of our sales equation." CHRYSLER MONTHLY SALES SUMMARY DATA THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1997 MONTH CYTD 1997 1996 1997 1996 TOT VEHICLE UNITS 190191 179804 2303788 2450826 % CHG VS PR YR 2% -6% CAR DOMESTIC UNITS 52624 57602 736530 827941 % CHG VS PR YR -12% -11% IMPORT UNITS 0 0 0 4692 % CHG VS PR YR 0% -100% TOTAL UNITS 52624 57602 736530 832633 % CHG VS PR YR -12% -11% TRUCK DOMESTIC UNITS 137567 122202 1567258 1618193 % CHG VS PR YR 8% -3% IMPORT UNITS 0 0 0 0 % CHG VS PR YR 0% 0% TOTAL UNITS 137567 122202 1567258 1618193 % CHG VS PR YR 8% -3% DIVISION C/P/J/E UNITS 85227 81339 1069279 1158561 % CHG VS PR YR 1% -7% DODGE UNITS 104964 98465 1234509 1292265 % CHG VS PR YR 3% -4% SELLING DAYS 26 25 307 308 ALL CHANGES COMPUTED ON A DAILY RATE BASIS SOURCE Chrysler Corporation