Chrysler Group LLC may have reported its 32nd consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains in November, but sales of its all-new 2013 Dodge Dart were down almost 18 percent, raising concern about a vehicle that has so much riding on it.
The Dart, which went on sale in August, is aimed squarely at the heart of the fast-growing compact car segment — an arena in which Chrysler has not fielded a serious contender since it pulled the plug on the Neon back in 2005. Based on the acclaimed Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it also represents the first real offspring of the marriage between Chrysler and Italy's Fiat SpA.
Last month, Chrysler sold just 4,489 Darts, almost a thousand less than it sold in October. That is significant, because the industry as a whole reported its strongest sales in nearly five years on Monday. And that has some analysts worried.
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