The Chrysler brand will disappear from the UK market in 2017.
The news, which has come as little surprise, has been confirmed today by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ UK management.
UK sales of Chrysler models have been steadily declining in recent years – according to Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders figures the brand registered only 1,982 vehicles in 2014, down 21 per cent from the 2,515 of 2013 and the close to 3,500 figure recorded in 2012.
Attractive and distinctive models such as the 300C saloon/estate and the Grand Voyager people carrier formerly brought success for Chrysler in the UK, but sales of these have been virtually killed off by increasingly stringent emissions regulations and a move away from MPV-based vehicles.
New models such as the Fiat 500-based Ypsilon have not saved Chrysler’s UK presence.
Following the global brand’s rescue by Fiat in 2011 Chrysler launched two new models, the Ypsilon supermini – built on the same platform as the Fiat 500 – and the VW Golf-sized Delta, which were effectively Lancia models rebadged for the UK market.
However the slow-selling Delta was quietly dropped in 2014, leaving only the Ypsilon as the major model in the UK line-up.
CarandVanNews understands that the realignment will also see Lancia withdrawn from European markets apart from Italy.
In the UK, FCA will focus its efforts on Chrysler’s sister brand, Jeep. The iconic US badge is on the expansion trail in Britain, particularly with its just-launching Renegade model.
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