Fiat Chrysler November Sales Climb 3%

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted a 3% gain in November U.S. auto sales as Black Friday deals against a favorable economic backdrop helped buoy a traditionally sluggish month damped by fewer selling days.

Car sales are on track to reach their highest November sales volume since 2001, and analysts say that the month's tally will indicate whether 2015 could set the all-time annual record.

Fiat Chrysler sold 175,974 vehicles—its best November since 2000—compared with 170,839 for the month last year, extending the Italian-U.S. auto maker's sales gains streak to 68 months. Jeep brand sales soared 20%, with the Cherokee, Compass, Patriot and Wrangler each recording their best November ever. The Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey and Ram pickup truck also posted records for the month.

Car-researching firm Edmunds.com had projected a 3.4% increase for Chrysler.

Car shoppers continue to drive away in larger, pricier vehicles amid low interest rates, cheap fuel and a stronger economy. Growth in November comes despite the month having only four selling weekends for the first time since 2012 and the fewest selling days of any month since 2013, according to J.D. Power.

Edmunds.com analyst Jessica Caldwell says car dealers in recent years have embraced Black Friday as a big sales driver and since 2010, November has brought one of the three best seasonally adjusted annual rates in each year, with Thanksgiving weekend raking in twice as many sales as any other weekend in the month last year.

Those trends are expected to continue this year, and the U.S. auto industry could post its third-consecutive annual sales rate above 18 million units.

WardsAuto is calling for 1.33 million light vehicles to be delivered over November's 23 selling days—pushing the daily selling rate to a 12.1% improvement from the month last year. While new-product launches and inventory clear-out sales keep car segments in the black, light-truck sales are expected to boom 14.8% daily, largely on a lift from crossovers.

WardsAuto's forecast for an 18.4 million-unit seasonally adjusted annual rate would make November the highest month since July 2005's 20.6-million and the first-ever three-month streak of 18 million-plus results.

Write to Anne Steele at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 01, 2015 08:25 ET (13:25 GMT)

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