WASHINGTON -- Jeep and Ram brands racked up strong gains helping Chrysler’s U.S sales increase 17% from a year ago.
The company, a unit of Italian company Fiat Chrysler, said it sold 166,596 units last month, its best May sales since 2007.
The number-three U.S. automaker said sales of Jeep sport utility vehicles jumped 58%, the largest increase of any Chrysler Group brands. It was Jeep's third consecutive month of record sales.
Ram pickup truck sales rose 17%.
"Our Jeep sport-utility vehicles and Ram pickups continued to do well in May as our dealers reported brisk May sales over five weekends and the Memorial Day holiday," said Reid Bigland, head of U.S. sales.
Chrysler was the first to publish U.S. sales in May on Tuesday; other automakers were due to release their data later in the day.
Edmunds.com estimates overall U.S. vehicle sales slowed to a 7.3% year-over-rise in May from a gain of 8.1% in April.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014
