Chrysler group sales outside North America rise 24% in May

Chrysler group's vehicle sales outside its core North American market rose 24 percent last month to 20,553 units, its best-ever May for foreign sales, the automaker said today.

Overseas sales in the first five months of the year gained 16 percent to 91,412 units.

Sales in western and central Europe, the company's most important foreign market, grew 13 percent in May and 11 percent in the first five months.

The Dodge Caliber remained its top seller outside North America this year, with 13,265 units sold by the end of May.

Jeep Grand Cherokee sales were second with 13,017 units, followed by Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager sales with 12,358 units, it said.

Chrysler group, which DaimlerChrysler AG is in the process of selling to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, sells vehicles in more than 125 countries. Sales outside North America account for around 8 percent of total sales.