Posted by Dave Dykema - email
TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Chrysler is celebrating a boost in Jeep sales. The Wrangler, assembled at the Chrysler Toledo South Plant, set a sales record with 14,355 units sold.
So many people are buying Jeep Wranglers, Grogan's Towne Chrysler Jeep Dodge can hardly keep up with demand.
It sold twice the usual number in July.
"Last month was a really good month," said Grogan's Towne Managing Partner. "The whole Chrysler/Jeep line has really been moving."
Once a new engine was put into production in mid-July, dealer orders to the Chrysler Toledo South Plant, where the Wrangler is assembled, more than doubled.
Right now, the plant is at full capacity, producing about 38 Wranglers per hour.
It already has two 9-hour shifts working overtime and will soon add some Saturday shifts.
If demand for Jeep's flagship vehicle keeps up, it could exceed the plant's annual production capacity.
"You could add more vehicles per hour to the line speed and add some people in but I don't think we can add a third shift over there," Bruce Baumhower, President of United Auto Workers Local 12 said.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said last week he wants to begin distributing Toledo-made Wranglers world-wide, which could further increase demand.
"It's exciting to try to think of what that number will be like. If it's something like 200,000 per year, we'll have to do something to expand that facility. It's the only option," Baumhower said.
An expansion could mean more jobs, and more good news for Toledo, as Chrysler considers new investment at its Toledo North Plant where Jeep Libertys and Dodge Nitros are built.
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