Chrysler Announces April Sales
1 May 1998
Record Truck Sales Lead Chrysler to Strong Month, Sales up Eight Percent
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 1 -- Led by record truck sales,
Chrysler Corporation announced today total sales of 220,802 vehicles
for the month of April, an eight percent increase over the same period one
year ago. Total truck sales of 156,850 vehicles is an all-time record,
surpassing the previous mark of 155,945 set in May 1996 and a 17 percent
increase over the same period last year.
Dodge Truck also set an all-time record, with total sales of 96,625, a 27
percent increase over a year ago and surpassing the previous record of 89,283
set last month. Individually, the Dodge Dakota set an all-time record of
14,622 vehicles sold, up 22 percent from April 1997.
Total sport utility vehicle sales of 50,593 were up 31 percent over last
year, surpassing the April 1996 record of 41,061 vehicles sold. Jeep(R) Grand
Cherokee sales of 20,035 vehicles showed a six percent increase over last
year. Sales of the new Dodge Durango remained strong with 11,535 units sold
for the month.
Additionally, minivan sales rose nine percent over last year, with 49,174
units sold.
"Our truck and sport utility numbers speak for themselves," said John
MacDonald, Vice President - Sales and Service. "But we're very encouraged by
our car numbers this month. Total car sales are down, but that number
reflects a lack of fleet inventory versus last year. On a retail basis, our
car sales are up two percent. With a host of new passenger car offerings now
hitting showrooms, I believe we're seeing a definite upturn on the car side of
our sales equation."
Total car sales of 63,952 vehicles were down nine percent over the same
period a year ago. Chrysler Division car sales remained particularly strong,
led by the all-new Chrysler Concorde, up 91 percent over last year with 7,443
units sold. This marks an all-time record month for the Concorde, surpassing
the previous record of 6,908 set in March, 1994. Also, the Chrysler Cirrus
was up 54 percent (3,502 units) and the Chrysler Sebring Coupe (3,119) up two
percent.
Total sales year to date are 799,102, a three percent increase over last
year.
Chrysler U.S. Sales Summary, Thru April 1998
Month Sales DR % Sales CYTD DR % Sales MYTD DR %
Model Curr Pr Change Curr Pr Change Curr Pr Change
Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr
Neon 6773 7555 -10% 27784 28935 -4% 49746 48540 2%
Breeze 6718 6338 6% 22126 28420 -22% 42639 44424 -4%
Prowler 131 0 0% 374 0 0% 466 0 0%
PLYMOUTH
CAR 13622 13893 -2% 50284 57355 -12% 92851 92964 0%
Voyager 14702 13561 8% 52161 51157 2% 85455 84680 1%
PLYMOUTH
TRUCK 14702 13561 8% 52161 51157 2% 85455 84680 1%
PLYMOUTH
BRAND 28324 27454 3% 102445 108512 -6% 178306 177644 0%
Cirrus 3502 2268 54% 13311 9040 47% 22872 15498 48%
Sebring
Convertible 5309 6182 -14% 19641 21188 -7% 29434 33521 -12%
Sebring
Coupe 3119 3056 2% 10266 10551 -3% 17859 16615 7%
Concorde 7443 3893 91% 20534 16618 24% 24108 28271 -15%
LHS 493 2824 -83% 1067 13373 -92% 2835 21773 -87%
300M 0 0 0% 0 0 0% 0 0 0%
CHRYSLER
CAR 19866 18223 9% 64819 70770 -8 97108 115678 -16%
Town &
Country 6465 6039 7% 23843 22840 4% 43706 41681 5%
CHRYSLER
TRUCK 6465 6039 7% 23843 22840 4% 43706 41681 5%
CHRYSLER
BRAND 26331 24262 9% 88662 93610 -5% 140814 157359 -11%
Wrangler 7798 8216 -5% 23392 28116 -17% 40778 47816 -15%
Cherokee 11225 11619 -3% 43942 35500 24% 80390 66856 20%
Grand
Cherokee 20035 18930 6% 75695 80332 -6% 147918 159289 -7%
JEEP BRAND 39058 38765 1% 143029 143948 -1% 269086 273961 -2%
Talon 430 970 -56% 1527 3659 -58% 3524 6001 -41%
Vision 48 554 -91% 255 2644 -90% 766 4400 -83%
EAGLE BRAND 478 1524 -69% 1782 6303 -72% 4290 10401 -59%
CPJE CAR 33966 33640 1% 116885 134428 -13% 194249 219043 -11%
CPJE TRUCK 60225 58365 3% 219033 217945 0% 398247 400322 -1%
CPJE
DIVISION 94191 92005 2% 335918 352373 -5% 592496 619365 -4%
Neon 10431 11068 -6% 40457 39576 2% 72250 66166 9%
Stratus 8929 9068 -2% 41971 32970 27% 67582 55606 22%
Intrepid 8443 12958 -35% 32707 55095 -41% 44854 85880 -48%
Avenger 2026 3049 -34% 7083 10301 -31% 13019 16008 -19%
Viper 157 131 20% 426 521 -18% 780 1104 -29%
DODGE CAR 29986 36274 -17% 122644 138463 -11% 198485 224764 -12%
Caravan 28007 25591 9% 98166 94985 3% 161661 162477 -1%
Durango 11535 0 0% 45073 0 0% 65336 0 0%
Dakota 14622 11960 22% 52634 43460 21% 87589 71690 22%
Ram P/U 35277 30723 15% 122302 117684 4% 218308 213470 2%
Ram Wagon 2514 1987 27% 6131 8096 -24% 7140 12578 -43%
Ram Van 4670 5540 -16% 16234 21674 -25% 26543 37216 -29%
DODGE
TRUCK 96625 75801 27% 340540 285899 19% 566577 497431 14%
DODGE
DIVISION 126611 112075 13% 463184 424362 9% 765062 722195 6%
TOTAL CAR 63952 69914 -9% 239529 272891 -12% 392734 443807 -12%
TOTAL
TRUCK 156850 134166 17% 559573 503844 11% 964824 897753 7%
TOTAL CAR
& TRUCK 220802 204080 8% 799102 776735 3% 1357558 1341560 1%
Selling Days 26 26 102 102 179 179
SOURCE Chrysler Corporation