Fiat 500 was another model that is still in existence.
Stellantis has yet another quarter, and another batch of zombie cars is still on the sales charts. The numbers show that some vehicles just won’t die, making them the mainstream equivalent to a Pagani Zonda. In Q1 2022 there were no Chrysler 300s or Jeep Patriots. However, one person purchased a Dodge Dart and two others bought the equivalent from Chrysler, the compact sedan 200.
These cars are how old? The last Dart made in Illinois at Belvidere Assembly Plant was produced in September 2016. The Chrysler 200 is almost as old. It was assembled at the Sterling Heights factory in December 2016. Although we wouldn’t rush to buy a car that hasn’t been used in six years, the tempting discount might have been worth it.
There’s more. If you look deeper into the numbers, you’ll see other cars that are still alive but not yet dead. Fiats are specifically mentioned as both the 500L and 500L sold during the first three months. After the 2020 model year, the cutesy minivan and the 500L were both sold in the USA. The Fiat’s Italian Miata, Spider was discontinued in 2021. However, five people purchased one in 2022.
One Alfa Romeo 4C was also sold during the same period, though it is not clear if it was a Coupe model or a Spider. In 2018, the former was scrapped, while 2020 will see the retirement of the latter. We are disappointed that the Dodge Viper isn’t generating any sales this year. It’s odd that the model is still listed on the Q1 2022 sales charts. We’re reminded that two of them were sold in the same quarter last year. A second big “0” is right next to the Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The North American Stellantis side sold 405,221 cars during the first quarter, a decrease of 14%. The Jeep Compass (+22%) and Grand Cherokee (+36%) were the only models that saw a decrease in sales compared to Q1 2021. The newcomers Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer sold 7,055 and 3,169 units, respectively.