2008 Chrysler Aspen Limited 4x4 Sunroof Htd Leather 55k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

May 2016: FCA wins, Ford and GM stumble on weak car volumes

The May 2016 sales numbers are in, and it looks as though FCA is getting some vindication for boldly cancelling two slow-selling car models. Meanwhile, Ford saw overall sales dip and GM's May volume took a big dive versus the same month in 2015. While Marchionne's decision to axe the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart has drawn criticism as being short-sighted, it's working for FCA so far. Although the Dart and 200 aren't out of production yet and no capacity has been shifted to crossover or trucks, May's numbers show that the emphasis on Jeep and Ram models makes sense right now. FCA's US sales rose 1 percent last month compared to May 2015, putting the year-to-date total at 955,186 vehicles, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Standouts included the Jeep Renegade, Compass, and Patriot, and the Fiat 500X. Ram pickup sales were down 3 percent. And your fun fact is that Alfa Romeo sales were up precisely 10 percent, for a total of 44 4Cs sold versus 40 in the same month last year. At FoMoCo, the Ford brand took a hit to the tune of 6.4 percent from May 2015 to 2016, registering 226,190 sales last month. Lincoln showed improvement on its modest numbers, going from 9,174 to 9,807, a 6.9 percent increase. Overall, Ford was down 5.9 percent for the month to 235,997; despite the slump, year-to-date total Ford sales are up 4.2 percent to 1,112,939. Strong sellers included Escape, Expedition, F-Series, and Transit - big stuff. Most small and/or efficient models (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max) saw sales slides. Fusion sales were also down, likely due to effects of model changeover to the freshened 2017 model. Ford has promised four new crossovers and SUVs by 2020 and if things keep trending this way the company will be able to sell them, but things could change in the next four years. GM saw the worst of it for domestic brands. Retail and fleet sales were down for each of the four divisions, with the May 2016 total dropping 18 percent to 240,450 vehicles. GM's year-to-date sales are down 5.0 percent in 2016 to 1,183,705. Both the Sierra and Silverado were down significantly, and the majority of Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac nameplates saw sales decreases, with both small cars and larger utilities included. Not even big stuff could help GM this month, it seems. We'll have more on the rest of the industry's May sales as those figures trickle in.

Marchionne says the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart were terrible investments for FCA

In a press conference during the Detroit Auto Show, Sergio Marchionne was quite candid about why the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart were discontinued altogether without replacement. He essentially said they weren't worth the trouble. "I can tell you right now that both the Chrysler 200 and the Dodge Dart, as great products as they were, were the least financially rewarding enterprises that we've carried out inside FCA in the last eight years," Marchionne said. "I don't know one investment that was as bad as these two were." Marchionne was responding to a question about whether he felt the company's shift toward trucks and SUVs and sacrifice in sedan development was shortsighted. Marchionne said he felt that the market would likely continue to be strong for trucks and SUVs, and that the sedan market requires enormous investment that might not pay off. He used the 200 and Dart as examples. When we tried out the 200 and the Dart, we had mixed feelings. We enjoyed the 200's potent V6, pleasant interior, and solid handling. However, it was lacking in space (especially in the rear seat area), and doesn't drive any better than the top vehicles in the midsize sedan class. As for the Dart, it was fairly roomy, and had great infotainment thanks to Uconnect, but lackluster handling and a surprising amount of weight left it only average. With that in mind, it's probably not a bad idea to get rid of the 200 and Dart. The sedan segment is shrinking, and FCA can only afford to invest in areas where it can be a class-leader. Related Video:

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid starts at $43,090, or just over $35,000 with a tax credit

Chrysler has announced pricing for its 2017 Pacifica Hybrid plug-in minivan, and with the federal tax credit, it's priced similarly to mid-range vans. The Hybrid Premium starts at $43,990, or $35,590 after the credit, and the Hybrid Platinum starts at $46,090, or $38,590 with the credit. In Chrysler's line-up, these are close in cost to the Touring L and Touring L Plus Pacifica models, as well as mid-level trims on competitors' minivans. The big difference being that the Pacifica Hybrid provides up to 30 miles of electric range on a full charge and an 80 MPGe rating in the city. The Pacifica Hybrid is equipped similarly to the mid-range Pacificas. The Premium trim comes standard with leather seats all around, seat heaters for the front, remote start with pre-conditioning, three-zone automatic climate control, active noise cancellation, 7.3 inch color display in the instrument panel, and the SafetyTec package. This package includes features such as rear park assist and blind-spot monitoring. The Platinum trim adds Nappa leather and front ventilated seats, a heated two-tone steering wheel, 13-speaker sound system, Uconnect Theater rear entertainment, and a programmable key for young drivers (or sketchy-looking valets). At a potential price of just over $35,000, the Pacifica Hybrid is an appealing package, since it's a plug-in hybrid with usable range and loads of space. However, this is the case as long as the tax credit holds out. Once the credit is no longer available, the Pacifica Hybrid will top the line for pricing. At that point, its value proposition will have to be weighed more heavily against its green cred and driving dynamics. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.