DaimlerChrysler Accelerates with Second Consecutive U.S. Record Sales Year
5 January 2000
DaimlerChrysler Corporation Accelerates with Second Consecutive U.S. Record Sales Year for Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep(R) and Dodge Brands
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 4 -- DaimlerChrysler Corporation
sold a record 2,638,561 Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep(R) and Dodge
brand vehicles in the U.S. in 1999, setting an all-time sales record for the
second consecutive year. Total sales volume for the year surpassed the 1998
record of 2,510,011 vehicles, an increase of five percent.
December sales were a monthly record 204,754, up one percent over the
record level of 203,325 in 1998.
Total light truck sales for 1999 -- including minivans and Jeep vehicles
-- set a record also for the second consecutive year with 1,893,286 units, a
seven percent increase over the 1,770,794 vehicles sold in 1998. Of those,
sport utility vehicles (SUVs) accounted for 744,306 units, a 21 percent
increase over 1998, making 1999 a second-straight record year for SUVs. Total
car sales were up slightly for the second straight year with 745,275 vehicles.
"We are very excited about our second-straight all-time record sales of
our Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep and Dodge brands," said Theodor R. Cunningham,
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. "With our record December
sales, we ended 1999 on a high note, with record levels for eight months of
the year.
"Our business is showing an excellent balance with light trucks continuing
a record-setting pace and our car sales showing steady year-over-year
improvement. This momentum is due to our strong line-up of cars and trucks
that meet our customers' demands. We have a lot to look forward to in this
new year with an unprecedented number of exciting new vehicles due to hit the
streets in 2000, starting with the segment busting Chrysler PT Cruiser this
spring," Cunningham said.
Fourteen sales records were established in calendar year 1999, in addition
to the high marks set by light trucks. Records include:
* Jeep sales of 554,466 were up 21 percent over last year, breaking the
calendar year record of 509,183 units set in 1996. Additionally, it was a
record year for all Jeep vehicle lines -- Wrangler, Cherokee and Grand
Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee led the way with a record 300,031 units, a
31 percent increase over last year and breaking the previous record of 279,195
set in 1996.
* Dodge Division sales were 1,498,067, a four percent increase over last
year's record levels of 1,442,777.
* Dodge Ram pickup sales were a record 428,930, beating the 1998 record
by five percent. Dodge Durango sales were a record 189,840 up 21 percent over
the 1998 record.
There were 12 sales records established in the month of December. Records
include:
* 16th consecutive monthly record for sales of sport utility vehicles. A
total of 58,975 SUVs were sold in December, up three percent versus 1998.
* A new monthly high for the Jeep brand, with 43,597 in sales, compared
to the previous record of 41,127 set in 1997.
* A record sales month for Dodge Division of 120,194 units, surpassing
last year's record of 117,332.
* A record sales month for Dodge Dakota of 13,012 units, boosted by the
introduction of the Dakota Quad Cab, up 12 percent over last year and
surpassing the previous record of 12,053 set in 1997.
"This record-setting month and year are the result of the hard work of all
our employees, dealer partners and the loyalty of our customers," Cunningham
said.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation U.S. Sales Summary, Thru December 1999
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 4154 3460 20% 71561 78533 -9% 13933 15992 -13%
Breeze 2821 3392 -17% 52054 59543 -13% 7647 11134 -31%
Prowler 252 147 71% 2365 1594 48% 724 436 66%
PLYMOUTH
CAR 7227 6999 3% 125980 139670 -10% 22304 27562 -19%
Voyager 8528 12630 -32% 138644 156971 -12% 23051 33523 -31%
PLYMOUTH
TRUCK 8528 12630 -32% 138644 156971 -12% 23051 33523 -31%
PLYMOUTH
BRAND 15755 19629 -20% 264624 296641 -11% 45355 61085 -26%
Cirrus 2715 2429 12% 31859 38504 -17% 7745 8136 -5%
Sebring
Coupe 1300 1875 -31% 25581 33584 -24% 4676 6321 -26%
Sebring Convertible
2941 3775 -22% 51750 51342 1% 9155 9849 -7%
Concorde 4017 5227 -23% 59855 64912 -8% 13231 16225 -18%
300M 3933 4623 -15% 55966 30765 82% 13894 13793 1%
LHS 1994 1765 13% 24307 16753 45% 7025 5884 19%
CHRYSLER
CAR 16900 19694 -14% 249318 235860 6% 55726 60208 -7%
PT
Cruiser 0 0 0% 0 0 0% 0 0 0%
Voyager 129 0 0% 129 0 0% 129 0 0%
Town & Country
8179 6302 30% 71957 71981 0% 21399 17080 25%
CHRYSLER
TRUCK 8308 6302 32% 72086 71981 0% 21528 17080 26%
CHRYSLER BRAND
25208 25996 -3% 321404 307841 4% 77254 77288 0%
Wrangler 6074 5680 7% 89174 83861 6% 19415 19149 1%
Cherokee
13450 12267 10% 165261 146298 13% 41791 38960 7%
Grand Cherokee
24073 22421 7% 300031 229135 31% 74647 62880 19%
JEEP
BRAND 43597 40368 8% 554466 459294 21% 135853 120989 12%
Talon 0 0 0% 0 2957 -100% 0 149 -100%
Vision 0 0 0% 0 501 -100% 0 0 0%
EAGLE BRAND 0 0 0% 0 3458 -100% 0 149 -100%
CPJE
CAR 24127 26693 -10% 375298 378988 -1% 78030 87919 -11%
CPJE
TRUCK 60433 59300 2% 765196 688246 11% 180432 171592 5%
CPJE DIVISION
84560 85993 -2% 1140494 1067234 7% 258462 259511 0%
Neon 7622 5554 37% 112236 117964 -5% 24409 23468 4%
Stratus 8683 5697 52% 94413 106434 -11% 25827 19193 35%
Avenger 787 1200 -34% 17658 24084 -27% 3135 4448 -30%
Intrepid
12045 12487 -4% 144355 110499 31% 34480 33967 2%
Viper 166 101 64% 1315 1248 5% 365 274 33%
DODGE
CAR 29303 25039 17% 369977 360229 3% 88216 81350 8%
Caravan 23967 25581 -6% 293100 293819 0% 62701 66110 -5%
Durango 15378 17112 -10% 189840 156923 21% 48980 50789 -4%
Dakota 13012 11658 12% 144148 152629 -6% 34226 36839 -7%
Ram P/U 33865 32796 3% 428930 410130 5% 101073 111178 -9%
Ram
Wagon 957 970 -1% 19824 16937 17% 3007 2909 3%
Ram Van 3712 4176 -11% 52248 52110 0% 12322 12830 -4%
DODGE TRUCK
90891 92293 -2% 1128090 1082548 4% 262309 280655 -7%
DODGE DIVISION
120194 117332 2% 1498067 1442777 4% 350525 362005 -3%
TOTAL
CAR 53430 51732 3% 745275 739217 1% 166246 169269 -2%
TOTAL TRUCK
151324 151593 0% 1893286 1770794 7% 442741 452247 -2%
TOTAL CAR & TRUCK
204754 203325 1% 2638561 2510011 5% 608987 621516 -2%
Total Minivan
40803 44513 -8% 503830 522771 -4% 107280 116713 -8%
Total Sport Utility
58975 57480 3% 744306 616217 21% 184833 171778 8%
Selling
Days 26 26 307 307 77 77