FCA leads Brazilian and Latin American market for automobiles and light commercial vehicles in 2020

Fiat Chrysler Automóveis (FCA) led the market for automobiles and light commercial vehicles in Brazil and Latin America in 2020 and was also the company in the sector that most expanded its sales in Argentina compared to the previous year.

FCA ended the year with more than 502 thousand vehicles sold in Latin America (excluding Mexico), leading the sector's sales with a 16.5% market share and an increase of 2.9 percentage points over the market share obtained in 2019.

The good performance was leveraged by the leadership in the Brazilian market, with 433.6 thousand units sold and 22.2% market share, and by the ability to react in the Argentine market, where FCA gained 2.8% percentage points of market share. market compared to the previous year.

Accelerating recovery in Brazil

The good performance in Brazil boosted the leadership in Latin America. FCA accelerated its sales in December in Brazil, with a total of 54,800 registered vehicles, with 23.6% market share, with 39,700 units of the Fiat brand and 14,900 of the Jeep brand. It was the best sales month for both brands in the year.

With this performance in the last month of 2020, FCA ended the year with 433.6 thousand vehicles sold, equivalent to 22.2% of market share. The company led the Brazilian market for automobiles and commercials, expanding the distance in relation to competitors. The Fiat brand accounted for 321,700 vehicles sold in the year, with a 16.5% market share, while Jeep surpassed the level of 110,000 registered vehicles, with a 5.7% market share.

Four models manufactured by FCA are among the ten best-selling vehicles in the country in the year: the Fiat Strada pickup, which exceeded the range of 80 thousand units sold, Fiat Argo with 66 thousand units, Jeep Renegade, with 57 thousand sales and Fiat Toro, with 54 thousand units sold.

Fiat celebrates market share growth

Fiat was the brand that grew the most in the Brazilian market in 2020. The brand ended the year with 16.5% market share, advancing 2.7 percentage points. This result was due to the well combined performance of several models.

Although the Brazilian market for automobiles and light commercial vehicles suffered a 26% drop in the year, the Fiat Strada pickup managed to expand its physical sales volume by 4.9%, totaling more than 80 thousand units sold, equivalent to 4.1 % of all vehicles sold in Brazil in the year. Thanks to this result, Fiat ended 2020 with its best historic performance in the pickup truck segment. The same occurred in the van segment, in which Fiat ended the year with 46.2% of sales and the leadership of the segment.

Other models of the brand also gained market share in the year: Argo (+0.4 percentage points), Mobi and Uno (+ 0.4pp), Toro (+ 0.3pp) and Fiorino (+ 0.2pp).

Herlander Zola, director of the Fiat brand for Latin America and Brazil commercial operations, highlights that 2020 was a challenging year and the Fiat brand exceeded all expectations. “The launch of Nova Strada and the rebranding of the brand brought us exceptional results, taking Fiat to the market leadership in the last quarter with an 18% share and positioning three cars in the ranking of the ten most plated in Brazil. In addition, we also maintained a consistent partnership with our dealer network, which proved to be essential for overcoming the difficult moments of the year”, he points out.

Jeep leads SUV segment for the fifth consecutive year

The Jeep brand led the SUV segment in Brazil for the fifth consecutive year, with a 20.9% share of sales. The two models produced by the brand performed well. The Jeep Renegade registered 57 thousand license plates, while the Jeep Compass had 53 thousand units sold. The Jeep Renegade recorded in December the best month of sales in its history, with 7,875 registered units, surpassing the previous record of December 2015 with 6,976 registered cars. The launch of Renegade Moab brought Jeep's acclaimed 170 hp turbo diesel engine to a larger segment of consumers.

Similarly, imported models stood out. Sales of the Jeep Wrangler grew 5.7% and the Grand Cherokee increased 33%.

Everton Kurdejak, director of Jeep Commercial Operations in Brazil, explains that Jeep's commercial results in 2020 were supported by a robust tripod of factors, which together resulted in great results and the leadership of the SUV market. “The first factor is the brand: we are recognized as a brand of desire and the most off road in the country, which makes us top of mind in SUVs. To this is added the quality of the product, as robustness, level of finish and technology are recognized as our differentials”, analyzes Kurdejak. He also emphasizes business agility and flexibility. “We adapted our entire service structure and offer format. In just two days we launched the Jeep ON, adapting the offers to the customer, with payment starting in 2021, with a test drive made at the customer's home, with Jeep lives showing the off-road world and with super offers, among many other actions, that even in the most severe moment of the pandemic, made our website beat records of accesses and customers who declared their desire to purchase our vehicles”, he concludes.

Ram has the best historic result of the brand in Brazil

In 2020, Ram achieved the best historic result of the brand in Brazil. 1,474 Ram 2500 units were registered, more than double the volume sold in 2019. The year also marked the Ram 1500 pre-sale. Presented on December 10, the new pickup had 100 units sold in 18 hours, for delivery in April 2021.

Breno Kamei, director of Portfolio, Research and Competitive Intelligence and Brands Ram, Dodge and Chrysler, evaluates: “Despite the challenges faced in 2020, Ram, which operates in the Premium segment, had the best year since 2005, doubling the volume of sales compared to 2019. We also recorded the success of the unprecedented New Ram 1500 launch with pre-sales. These are results that make us even more optimistic for 2021 ”.

The fastest growing company in the Argentine market

In Argentina, FCA was the company that grew the most in comparison with 2019: it advanced from a market share of 12.4% to 15.2% this year, gaining 2.8 percentage points of market share. The company ended the year with 48,941 units sold.

The Fiat brand was the one that grew the most in the Argentine market, gaining 2 percentage points of market share, which increased from 9.7% to 11.7% last year. The brand sold 37,711 vehicles, especially the Fiat Cronos, the best-selling car of the year in Argentina with 16,561 units. The Fiat Toro pickup resumed the leadership of the segment with 7,630 units sold in the year.

The Jeep brand ended the year with 9,836 units sold, expanding its market share from 2.5% to 3.0% (+0.5 p.p.). The RAM brand doubled its share in the Argentine market, with a total of 1,361 units sold in the year.