A mix of incentives on Chrysler and Dodge vehicles and the introduction of new Jeep products--Compass, Patriot and the four-door Wrangler--are helping prop up the Auburn Hills automaker in a year when
General Motors and Ford have seen significant declines, experts agree.
Sales of Jeep Wranglers are up nearly 71% so far this year, according to Autodata. A new design was launched last
fall. The Jeep Compass, which was introduced in August 2006, and the Jeep Patriot, which was introduced in December 2006, are also providing a lift and "play right into where the market is going in
terms of smaller vehicles and in terms of crossovers," says Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis with J.D. Power and Associates' Power Information Network.
Chrysler sees
North America in general as a market where it is trying to defend its share and get marginal growth. "We battle it out segment by segment," says Steve Landry, Chrysler executive vice president of
North American sales. Its U.S. market share is 12.86% so far this year, up from 12.85% in the same period last year.
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