Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s surging Ram truck brand had a monster month in June, carrying the Italian-American carmaker to a surprise total sales gain in a shrinking market.
Ram’s standout June puts the truck further ahead of General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Silverado, which has long been the No. 2 model line in the highly lucrative full-size pickup segment. Trucks have become even more crucial to Fiat Chrysler, GM and Ford as consumers thumb their nose at passenger cars, taking wind out of the broader U.S. auto market’s sails.The industry is headed for the second annual sales decline in three years.
The story behind the Ram pickup’s emergence is more than just 12-inch touch screens and fancier leather seats. Fiat Chrysler has been flooring it with a two-pronged approach to winning market share. First, it’s continuing to manufacture the cheaper Ram Classic — a bare-bones version of its truck built on an older platform — through at least the end of this year, in tandem with the 2019 model year pickups decked out with higher-tech touches.
Poaching truck buyers with big incentives is a down payment on future sales, and the hefty profit margins on pickups give automakers more room to offer substantial deals.
Yeah, I know that Americans love pickups. 🙂
Have you driven these new trucks?!? They are amazing. Really nice
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RamLover69