< International Hit European Dodge dealers can't keep the Caliber in stock

JASON STEIN | HARALD HAMPRECHT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE - - Dodge is enjoying early success in Europe with its Caliber.

In some European markets there is a six-month wait for the five-door lower-medium hatchback.

“We underestimated demand for the product,” Thomas Hausch, Chrysler’s executive director of international sales and marketing, told Automotive News Europe.

In June, when the Caliber launched in Europe, some critics questioned whether consumers here would buy a car that has Dodge’s bold American styling.

Through the first three months on the market, Dodge sold 3,238 Calibers in western Europe, according to Mary Beth Halprin, a spokeswoman from DaimlerChrysler, Dodge’s parent company. Last year Dodge sold 311 vehicles in western Europe.

Hausch said Dodge has been aggressive with pricing and has seen some success selling through a retail network that is increasingly paired with Chrysler and Jeep in Europe. The Chrysler group includes the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands.

The Caliber’s starting price is €14,990 in Germany.

Sonia Nunes, the commercial director at Pacific Motors, a Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep dealer in Paris, said she has sold four Calibers since June, but customers are still waiting for the cars to be delivered.

“We are selling without any incentives, but there are delays in delivery,” she said.

Hausch said Dodge is working hard to relieve the order backlog.

“But for 2007, I already know I don’t have enough Calibers,” he said.

Chrysler expects the Dodge brand to help boost its European sales volume. It wants to double its market share in Europe to 1.4 percent by 2009. That would represent close to 200,000 unit sales.

Last year Chrysler sold 92,951 units in Europe, down from 97,551 units in 2004, according to UK-based market researcher JATO Dynamics.

Hausch said Chrysler should show a “double-digit” increase for 2006. Through the first half of the year, Chrysler has seen the third-largest gain in sales – up 14.5 percent versus the year-ago period. Only Fiat (+26.1) and Saab (+24.4) have grown faster in Europe this year, according to ACEA, the European car manufacturers association. Future sales improvements will be made with the addition of more diesel engines and more cars in new segments.

Alex Ricciuti contributed