Chrysler group sales in non-US markets increased 6.8% to 135,907 units in the first three months of 2007 as the automaker said it was moving forward with its plans to double international sales growth in five years.
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International sales (ie outside North America) were up 13.3% in the first quarter and included an increase of 3.5% in Canada (53,089 units); 2.2% in Mexico (30,248 units); and 13.3% outside of North America (52,570 units).
“The efforts of our sales teams in all of our international regions contributed to this first quarter performance,” said the automaker’s executive director of international sales and marketing Thomas Hausch.
“We have said that our business outside North America has a key role in the Chrysler Group’s recovery and transformation plan. These markets have solid teams in place to help grow our business, and with the right products tailored to meet the needs of global markets, there is lot of potential to reach new customers.”
Chrysler said its sales increases in its “global” (export) markets were driven by its new fuel- efficient, four-cylinder engine compact car and sport-utility vehicle models such as the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass and Patriot – which are all built on the same new platform and share engines built by a Chrysler/Mitsubishi/Hyundai alliance facility in the US.
“Increasingly, our vehicles will be designed from the start with world markets in mind,” said Chrysler president and CEO Tom LaSorda. “We are continuing with our global expansion; 2007 will be the year for the largest number of new-vehicle launches in the company’s history.”
Overall, though, it should be noted that Chrysler ‘s worldwide vehicle sales decreased 2.4% in the first quarter to 673,156 units, dragged down by what the automaker described as a “highly competitive market environment of the US”, where sales fell 4.4% to 537,249 units.
