Wednesday, January 27, 2016
DETROIT (AP) — Fiat Chrysler is betting the SUV craze is here to stay and drivers around the world will want even more Jeeps.
The company predicts Jeep brand sales will nearly double to 2 million worldwide by 2018.
Low gas prices and new products are among the reasons for the growth. Fiat Chrysler now believes low gas prices will be "permanent" in the U.S. and more customers will gravitate to SUVs as a result.
The company expects Jeep's biggest growth will come from Asia and Latin America. Fiat Chrysler began producing Jeeps in China and Brazil last year. But it also expects sales to grow in Europe and North America as it introduces more vehicles.
Jeep sold 1.2 million vehicles worldwide in 2015, more than triple its sales in 2009.