By Chelsey Dulaney
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said Friday that its U.S. auto
sales grew 5.8% in April, as a jump in car sales helped to offset
flat truck sales.
April isn't traditionally the hottest sales month for the auto
industry, as many consumers delay purchases until the summer
selling season--a boom time for many car companies. Meanwhile, auto
makers have been slowing the use of incentives to drive sales.
So far this year, U.S. car and light-truck sales have been
strong, bolstered by low gasoline prices and despite nasty winter
weather. Buyers are continuing to favor heavier vehicles that had
fallen out of fashion when high gas prices and a weak economy
restrained consumers near the end of last decade.
Auto executives expect the light-truck gains to hold as long as
gasoline prices remain relatively low. Light trucks, which include
SUVs and many so-called crossover wagons, generally command higher
prices and profits than cars.
Automotive information provider Kelley Blue Book said
transaction prices of new light vehicles in April rose 2.6% from a
year ago to $33,560, lifted by interest in full-size and midsize
trucks.
Fiat Chrysler's consistent monthly sales increases have been
driven by sales of its Jeep and Ram brands. But in April, its
Chrysler 200 led growth.
Overall, FCA US said sales of its Chrysler-branded vehicles rose
26%.
Sales of the midsize sedan jumped to 18,850 vehicles from 4,204
a year earlier.
That helped drive a 29% surge in car sales to 49,788 vehicles,
offsetting a less than 1% drop in truck sales to 139,239
vehicles.
Overall, Fiat Chrysler sold 189,027 units in April, up from
178,652 a year ago. Still, Edmunds.com had forecast Fiat Chrysler
would sell 192,027 vehicles.
The Ram brand reported a 4.3% uptick in sales, while sales fell
16% for the Dodge brand. Jeep sales rose 20%.
Chrysler projected total industry sales in the U.S. to be a
seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17 million units.
Edmunds.com had projected a rate of 16.7 million.
Write to Chelsey Dulaney at Chelsey.Dulaney@wsj.com
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