In the automotive world, nameplates come and go. But now since the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has dropped its official sales numbers for the entire year of 2019, where are getting a look at some of the past vehicle nameplates from the company that continued to sell throughout the year in both the United States and Canada. Of course, these are leftover new dealer inventory vehicles, but it may just shock you at how many leftover vehicles were sold from previous years, throughout 2019.
To make it easy for everyone, we are simply focusing on the vehicles who have had their nameplates discontinued and not been replaced with a new vehicle.
For the Jeep® brand, the last time the Jeep Patriot was produced was for the 2017 model year. The compact SUV was discontinued by the far superior and more technologically advanced Renegade, after being in the brand’s lineup with the Renegade for two model years. Yet, in 2019 there were a remaining 27 Patriots that were sold by Jeep dealers in the United States.
There have been several nameplates to disappear from the Dodge brand over the past several years, as the brand is continuing to rebrand itself as a performance-oriented brand. While vehicles like the successful Grand Caravan and Journey will be joining the list soon, there were a few surprising numbers released by FCA with the release of the sales numbers.
Starting off with the Dodge Avenger, Dodge’s midsize sedan was discontinued after the 2014 model year in favor for FCA to absorb both the Avenger and 200 into the 2015 Chrysler 200 Series (which we will talk about later in this article). Yet, it didn’t stop 1 person in the United States from buying one as a new unregistered vehicle from a Dodge dealership in 2019.
Of course, there was the popular Dodge Dart that was discontinued after four short model years from 2013 to 2016. While some may have thought the Dart was a straight-up failure, it proved to be more valuable than any other vehicle during the 2010s to FIAT, allowing the company to help then Chrysler LLC build a car capable of 40 MPG and allowing the Italian automaker an additional 10% stake in Chrysler from the United States and Canadian governments. The bigger than compact sedan proved it wasn’t dead with 15 of the cars leaving dealers in the United States and 1 lone model being sold as new in Canada.
Dodge’s iconic sports car, the Dodge Viper also had several vehicles leave Dodge dealerships during 2019 as new inventory. This is despite being discontinued after the 2017 model year and its manufacturing home being turned into the new home for the Chrysler Historical Collection. There were 5 of the legendary hand-built sports cars sold as new inventory in 2019 in the United States and another 2 in Canada.
The last-generation of the Chrysler 200 Series was a stylish midsize sedan. Despite people saying it was a flop, the 2015 to 2017 Chrysler 200 managed to keep around the sales numbers that the Avenger and pervious 200 Series (Sebring) produced together. However, changing markets, the cost of development, being built in the United States with union wages, and the fact that most of the cars being produced were built as lease specials and fleet units and not the more profitable luxurious models caused the company to rethink the midsize car game in only two and half years of production. While the company tried to save the midsize sedan to have a third-party supplier manufacturer the car outside the United States, the 200 Series home at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant has since been reconfigured to build the company’s most successful and profitable vehicles, the Ram 1500. How ironic, right? But it still didn’t keep 48 units of the midsize sedan left dealer inventories in 2019 as new vehicle sales in the United States, while 1 lone car was sold in Canada.
Another Chrysler vehicle, that refuses to die is the widely popular Town & Country nameplate. Dropped after the 2016 model year for the much more advanced Chrysler Pacifica, the Town & Country’s sibling continues to be the most popular minivan option in the United States and Canada. The Town & Country used to outsell its Dodge sibling in the United States, so it’s no surprise that there would be some leftover inventory in dealers showrooms. With that being said, 5 Town & Country models left dealer lots in the United States as new vehicle inventory during 2019.
