Associated Press
DaimlerChrysler Oct. U.S. Sales Increase
Wednesday November 3, 3:24 pm ET DaimlerChrysler Posts 1.6 Percent Growth in U.S. Car Sales for October

NEW YORK (AP) -- German carmaker DaimlerChrysler AG on Wednesday said its total U.S. vehicle sales grew 1.6 percent in October, with a slight rise in sales of Chrysler Group vehicles offset by waning demand at the Mercedes-Benz Group.

The company sold 188,492 vehicles last month, up from 185,535 in the year-ago period. DaimlerChrysler said sales of Mercedes-Benz cars slipped 4.9 percent to 18,323 vehicles from 19,273 last year.

Chrysler Group -- which includes the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands -- saw its sales gain 2.3 percent to 170,169 vehicles last month, helped by a sharp rise in car sales, which soared 24.2 percent to 36,397. Truck sales fell 2.3 percent to 133,772 during the period, the company said.

Sales of Chrysler-brand vehicles surged 38 percent to 48,178, fueled by strong demand for its 300 and Crossfire models. Dodge sales, despite an upswing in sales of Sprinter vans and Durango trucks, were down less than 1 percent at 90,859, while sales of Jeeps dropped 23 percent to 31,132.

There were the same number of selling days -- 27 -- last month and in the year-earlier period.

Year-to-date, DaimlerChrysler sold 2 million vehicles, an increase of 2.3 percent after adjusting for one extra selling day this year. Chrysler Group sales rose 2.7 percent to 1.8 million, while Mercedes-Benz sales declined 2 percent to 175,881. In afternoon activity, shares of DaimlerChrysler fell 4 cents to $41.75 on the New York Stock Exchange.