Chrysler said its US auto sales jumped 20 percent in August as the Jeep brand continued its string of strong sales, posting the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand during the month.
Despite a spate of recalls, the auto industry’s sales have continued to march upward, a bright spot for the economy in recent years.
Analysts predict that trend to continue in August and for the rest of the year amid steady, if lukewarm, economic growth and continued low interest rates.
Automotive information website Edmunds.com recently projected that August’s sales could hit the highest sales volume for the month since 2003, when the industry delivered more than 1.6 million new cars.
“August is a huge month for dealers who need to clear out 2014 models to make room for 2015 inventory,” said Jessica Caldwell, a senior analyst for Edmunds.com.
Chrysler said it sold 198,379 vehicles in August, up from 165,552 during August 2013. The auto maker said it was the company’s best August sales since 2002.
Truck sales — accounting for about 78 percent of total sales in August — rose 28 percent. Car sales slipped 3 percent.
Jeep vehicles posted a 49 percent jump in sales, the brand’s best-ever sales in the month of August and the second-best sales month so far this year, the company said. The Ram brand’s sales rose 39 percent.
Chrysler projected August US sales for the industry to be a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.4 million units.