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The FCA Group has announced that Dodge and Chrysler vehicles will no longer be available in South Africa. We find out the details.
This year has seen some of the most popular vehicle manufacturing brands abandon SA shores.
General Motors made the shock announcement earlier this year that they were pulling out of the country, together with their long list of brands such as Opel, Citroen and Chevrolet.
The latest announcement comes from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). They have announced that they will no longer supply South Africa with Dodge and Chrysler vehicles.
Read More about GM pulling out of SA here
What Is The Reason?
According to FCA's Media Manager, Richard Sloman, the company has made a strategic decision by pulling these vehicles out of the country. This will assist the company to grow with their other products even further."This unfortunate situation has arisen from our principals in the USA no longer building Chrysler or Dodge vehicles in Right Hand Drive configuration. We will, however, continue to support and service the existing Chrysler and Dodge vehicles through our franchise dealers," explains FCA in a recent press release.Sloman has confirmed that owners can still rest easy, as they can still take their vehicles to franchise service stations for service and parts. The resale value of these cars might be a question on everyone's minds.
"We cannot comment on the resale value of these cars as this is a market related issue, not something we can control from a manufacturer point of view," explains Sloman. Are you driving one of these vehicles? Make sure you have comprehensive insurance today to be totally covered in any circumstance.
What's On The Cards?
From next year, the Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa (Pty) Ltd. and Chrysler South Africa (Pty) Ltd will merge to become FCA."The FCA brands have not quite taken their fair share of the demanding market conditions, yet the brands have managed to successfully launch a number of key models into the market that will continue our legacy into the future."Towards the end of this year, the Alfa Romeo will launch the Stelvio SUV, the first of it's kind to hit SA. This model has proven to be very successful internationally. Loyal Jeep customers can also expect a few new models. The new Jeep Compass will launch in the first quarter of next year. The Jeep Wrangler is also being replaced with a face lift. And then the brand new Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, powered by a supercharged 707 HP V8 engine, will make its local debut.
The Future Of FCA
According to Sloman, in the past year, the Chrysler and Dodge sales have been on the decline. This year, no one purchased the new Chrysler 300C. While the dealership only sold 38 Dodge Journey vehicles. FCA CEO, Robin Van Rensburg, is looking forward to the various launches of new vehicles and dealerships in the upcoming year."FCA’s brands have succeeded in the past, and, will once again, become a force to be reckoned with in the local market and we look forward to travelling this road with our customers, dealers and partners."Keep an eye out on the exciting new additions to the FCA family.