Top US auto safety regulator says Chrysler to face sanctions

“Strong retail momentum continues building for our newest vehicles – including F-150, Mustang, Edge, and now Explorer”, Mark LaNeve, Ford’s vice president of USA marketing, sales and service, said in a release.

Total sales for Cadillac and Chevrolet brands rose 13 percent, while GMC sales increased 18 percent and Buick sales jumped 29 percent, the company said. While past twelve months price to sales ratio recorded as 0.34 and price to cash ratio remained 2.20. The group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 63-consecutive months.

For Buick and Cadillac, the winners were the Encore and SRX, up 22 and 45 percent respectively. The auto maker “could have done better in carrying out the campaigns you identified”. The watchdog has been blasted by lawmakers and government auditors for long-running internal weaknesses that they say prevented the agency from moving quickly against deadly defects including faulty General Motors Co (GM.N) ignition switches. The Camry remains the best-selling vehicle in the USA, but sales of the midsize slipped 8 percent.

The recalls which are under examination involve 23 models from model years stretching back to 1993 and include Jeep Grand Cherokees and Jeep Libertys, Dodge Ram trucks, Chrysler 200s and 300s among them.

— Hyundai sales rose less than 1 percent. This was partially offset by strong sales of the Mustang, which grew 54 percent to 11,719 units, as well as solid sales of the Fiesta, which increased 24 percent to 7,971 units.

Sales of Jeep were up by 25% to over 71,500 vehicles thanks to higher sales of Cherokee and Patriot.

“Fiat Chrysler’s failure to provide timely, accurate and complete information to NHTSA on its recalls impedes our ability to do our job, which is to help ensure the safety of this nation’s roadways”, said Jennifer Timian, acting director of NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation and chief of its Recall Management Division.

The spotlight is especially intense on Fiat Chrysler.

The company has put a major emphasis on finding ways to better capitalize on Jeep’s global brand recognition, and one important part of that strategy is to develop local production capabilities, which can significantly reduce taxes, tariffs, and shipping costs. Overall sales of Nissan crossovers, trucks and SUVs set a June record, climbing more than 30 percent. “Tomorrow is part of our information gathering process so that we can make a final determination”. Private industry data reviewed by Reuters showed that in the first half of the year, a large portion of Chrysler 200 sedan sales were to rental agencies. Dealers offered promotions in June to clear some smaller cars off their lots.