REPORT: FCA May Add 400 U.S. Dealers

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is expanding its 2,500-member U.S. dealer network by as many as 400 points, sources tell Automotive News.

Some facilities are already being added in major markets, such as Houston, Tex., where FCA already has 14 stores, according to the report. AN says some of the new sales points are being opened only a few miles from existing outlets.

The expansion is intended to help FCA gain market share. AN notes that the company’s sales in the U.S. have declined since September, eroding its market share by 1.5 points to 11.3%. One dealer tells the newspaper the expansion should have come several years ago when the U.S. market was growing strongly, and not now as demand appears to be plateauing.