Monday, September 10, 2007

Chrysler says August international sales up 26 percent from year ago



FRANKFURT, Germany: The newly separate Chrysler LLC said Monday that sales growth in Asia and Latin America fueled a 26 percent year-on-year boost in sales outside its North American home market in August.

The Auburn Hills, Michigan-based company, which was sold last month to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP by DaimlerChrysler AG, said it sold 18,556 cars outside North America during the month.

For the year so far, international sales from January to August rose 19 percent to 153,813 units sold.

"It is important to recognize opportunities outside North America to balance the impact any one region can have on the business," said Michael Manley, executive vice president of international sales, marketing and business development. "Our focus of growth outside North America is not only to increase sales internationally, but also to ensure that the growth is balanced among the company's three brands."

The results were released a day ahead of the start of the 62nd Frankfurt Auto Show, where the company will feature its 2009 Journey, a sporty crossover wagon. Journey is the company's first crossover and will go on sale in North America, Europe and Asia next year.

In the year to date, the company said that Italy remained the top-selling market outside North America, with 14,409 cars sold, while Venezuela surged to the No. 2 spot, for the first time with 12,198 cars sold, led by locally produced versions of the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and imported models like the Dodge Ram and Jeep Wrangler.

"With four solid sales months left in the year, we expect that the momentum will continue," said Thomas Hausch, Chrysler's vice president of international sales.

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