AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
Jan. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --
- Ram brand notches record sales of 703,023 vehicles
- Ram pickup truck sales rise 18 percent to record
633,694 vehicles
- Ram ProMaster commercial van sales rise 21 percent to record
56,409 vehicles
Ten years ago, in the midst of a recovering U.S. automotive
industry, a new leadership team decided to do the unthinkable –
launch a new brand.
The announcement came in October
2009. The Dodge brand, which consisted of Dodge cars and
Dodge trucks, would be "unbundled" and the Ram brand was born.
Today, the Ram brand reported record sales of 703,023 vehicles
for 2019. It is the highest level of full-year sales ever for the
brand and an 18 percent increase over 2018.
Ram full-year pickup truck sales also rose to a record level of
633,694 vehicles. It is an 18 percent increase over 2018.
All this comes as the average transaction price of the Ram 1500
has jumped almost 50 percent from 2010 to about $50,000. Meanwhile, the average transaction price
for the Ram Heavy Duty has increased more than 20 percent to about
$55,000.
"These results underscore two significant decisions we have made
when it comes to Ram – invest in technology and adopt a three-truck
strategy," said Reid Bigland, Head
of Ram and U.S. Sales. "It has taken some hard work, but it has
been a true reward to see how Ram has evolved over the past 10
years."
Technology
FCA decided to leapfrog the competition in 2018 by introducing a
new Ram 1500 equipped with the new Uconnect 4C with a massive
12-inch touchscreen in the center console. It leads the pickup
world in technology, featuring split-screen capability, 360-degree
camera views and exclusive content from SiriusXM with Personalized
Stations Powered by Pandora, which delivers ad-free
personalization not found on any other audio entertainment
service. The move was predicated on the belief that Americans were
spending more time in their trucks and they wanted the same
accessibility to all things cyberspace they could get in their
homes. Meanwhile, the idea of keeping a separate "work truck" has
faded. People are now making their trucks the family
vehicle.
Three-truck Strategy
When FCA introduced the new Ram 1500 in 2018, it was decided that
production of the previous generation would continue. The Ram 1500
Classic now provides consumers more choice since the entry-level
truck represents the best full-size value in America.
Consumers who want additional features and technology now shop
the new Ram 1500. This year, FCA followed the Ram 1500 success by
introducing a redesigned heavy-duty Ram.
"We are still in the early days for Ram," Bigland said. "There
are still multiple opportunities we will continue to explore as we
look to excite both our loyal Ram owners and the Ram owner yet to
come."
The Ram Heavy Duty and the Jeep Gladiator are both finalists for
the 2020 North American Car and Truck of the Year. Winners will be
announced Jan. 13 in
Detroit.
The Ram 1500 took home the coveted award in 2019.
Ram Facts:
- The company's first trucks (then known as Dodge Brothers) were
produced in 1917 – commercial "Screenside"
models. Pickups would come later as would chassis-cab upfits,
including ambulance models that would serve the United States forces in World War I
- The Ram Laramie Longhorn uses real leather, metal and
wood throughout the truck's cabin. Each Longhorn's dash is
individually branded and, as a result, no two Longhorn trucks are
exactly alike
- The third-generation EcoDiesel engine is available across the
entire 2020 Ram 1500 line, including the off-road Rebel model. The
Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is not only America's best half-ton pickup truck
value, but also offers the longest range of any vehicle in the U.S.
– more than 1,000 miles on a single tank
About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American
automaker based in Auburn Hills,
Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes
vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo
brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company
also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories.
FCA US is building upon the historic
foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry
visionary Walter P. Chrysler and
Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in
Italy in 1899 by pioneering
entrepreneurs, including Giovanni
Agnelli. FCA US is a member
of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies.
(NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA). For the methodology of determining FCA
US LLC monthly sales, click here.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ram-brand-reports-record-sales-for-2019-300980887.html
SOURCE FCA US LLC