Chrysler Group LLC’s Jeep brand sold more than 700,000 vehicles across the globe in 2012. This was an increase of 19 percent from the previous year. Mike Manley, who heads the Jeep brand, said he expects this year’s sales to continue to increase as new versions of Jeep’s biggest seller Grand Cherokee and the Jeep SUV are introduced.
Jeep’s sales last year was 701,626 units, which is the new record topping the previous mark of 675,494 that was reached in 1999. Among the brands under Chrysler, Jeep is the one with the most global reach. The three best sellers from the brand are the Grand Cherokee full-sized SUV, the compact SUV Compass, and the Wrangler. These are the models that are aggressively marketed outside North America.
Demand for the Grand Cherokee increased in the United States and almost doubled in Asia. Sales of the Grand Cherokee increased 26 percent at 223,196 around the world. Compass sales went up 20 percent at 103,321. Wrangler sales increased 16 percent at 194,142. Sales in Asia in 2012 soared 94 percent, up 29 percent in Europe, and increased 18 percent in Latin America. In the United States, Jeep’s sales went up13 percent.
The new midsize Jeep SUV is a replacement for the Jeep Liberty in the brand’s lineup. In the United States, Chrysler’s best seller in 2012 was Dodge. It sold 825,917 vehicles, which is up 16.5 percent. The Chrysler Group is majority owned by Italy’s Fiat SpA.
Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne, who also heads Fiat SpA, said that the company plans to expand Jeep’s global presence by adding production of its SUVs in Russia, China, and Italy. He added that the high consumer awareness of Jeep makes it one of the main global brands for the Chrysler and Fiat group.
Mike Manley, chief operating officer for Fiat and Chrysler in Asia as well as the president of Jeep brand, said that the company has strengthened its distribution channels worldwide. They made Jeep the main global brand for Chrysler.
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