(MENAFN- Arab News) Jack rodencal regional manager of chrysler group in the middle east confirmed in an exclusive interview with arab news that the saudi market forms about 42 per cent of total regional sales. he highlighted strong growth of the group outpacing market performance and achieving double-digit growth. he also emphasized the importance of the saudi market with 58 outlets across the kingdom and a distributer that is among the top performers in the world.

these are the highlights of the interview:

how is chrysler organised in the middle east after the formation of fiat chrysler group (fcg) and what brands do you handle?

fiat and chrysler began fully integrating from day 1 sharing product development and their most valuable know-how engineering commercial approach and strategies — thanks to the economies of scale and the synergies created by the merger we have become the seventh largest automobile producer in the world.

the result is a huge offering of vehicles that brings together the best of two automotive cultures combining european refinement and sophistication and a special passion for handling and dynamics with the manic care for tough durability and attention to customer service that's characteristic of us products.

our brand portfolio now comprises chrysler dodge jeep® ram srt® fiat alfa romeo fiat professional and mopar meaning that we offer a wider than ever range of driving options — from light efficient vehicles such as the iconic fiat 500 and alfa romeo giulietta through to the latest high performance srt models and the legendary 'go anywhere do anything" jeep range.

what is the relative size of the me market to fcg and what was the rate of growth in 2013?

the middle east is highly significant in the global scheme of things and one of the world's most important markets for the group.

we are the fastest growing automotive group in the middle east recording double digit sales volume increases that far outstrip market growth rates over the past three years and continuing to create and break all-time sales records on a regular basis.

total vehicle sales in 2013 (34982 units) saw us achieve a 34.5 percent increase in vehicle volume over 2012 — this against an industry that grew just 10 percent year on year.

what is the projection of sales in 2014 and what new models are you introducing to the region?

although i can't share detailed sales information with you at this stage we're projecting further sustained growth for 2014 and have some great new products to help us achieve our objectives.

so far this year we've already launched the new 7-seater dodge durango suv and the all-new jeep cherokee mid-size suv both of which set new benchmarks in their respective segments.

the alfa romeo 4c will arrive around the middle of the year and will be followed by the fiat 500l alfa romeo giulietta qv and the highly anticipated new jeep renegade that has received rave reviews since its global reveal in geneva so we've got plenty to get excited about.

describe the dealer network in saudi arabia and their performance over the past 12 months.

united motors company (umc) the sole distributor of chrysler dodge jeep and ram in the kingdom of saudi arabia began operations in 1999 following the creation of a partnership between united arab motors company and al-esayi trading corporation.

since then it has firmly established itself as one of the largest companies in the saudi automotive market a direct result of consistently placing paramount importance on gaining customer trust and building a solid reputation through a focused strategy that is specifically designed to provide customers with comprehensive premium service.

in 2012 it was the world's largest independent distributor of chrysler dodge jeep and ram 3rd in terms of world top performers and received a special award for achieving a middle east sales record for the dodge charger. continuing this success in 2013 umc maintained its position as the world's largest independent distributor of chrysler dodge jeep and ram and 3rd in terms of world top performers. umc continues to make significant investments in its sales and service network and today employs over 1000 chrysler academy trained experienced staff in all areas of the business.

to keep pace with consistent year on year growth in sales (between 2009 and 2013 volumes have more than quadrupled) umc's world-class network has grown rapidly and 26 additional facilities were added in 2013. umc currently operates 58 facilities across the kingdom.

what is the relative importance of the saudi market to fcg and what are the most popular models there?

the sales achieved by united motors company (umc) represent a significant proportion of total middle east sales for the brands — 42 percent overall in 2013 comprising 45.1 percent of chrysler sales 27 percent of jeep 54.1 percent of dodge and 28.5 percent of ram. dodge charger dodge durango jeep grand cherokee and chrysler 300 are our most popular models in the kingdom.

in 2013 gulf motor company (gmc) achieved sales volumes that represented almost 50 percent of the total number of alfa romeo fiat and fiat professional vehicles sold in the region as a whole.

what are your efforts to market the fiat brand in the middle east?

in addition to expanding and strengthening our distributor network across the region we've already put in place a programme of marketing activity to raise the profile of the fiat brand across the region and after years of relative inactivity are effectively re-launching the brand.

expanding on the style efficiency and driving enjoyment that has made the fiat 500 an icon for more than 55 years the 500l expands the cinquecento's appeal by offering 42 percent extra interior space with comfortable seating for five engaging driving dynamics a 160hp 1.4-litre multiair turbo engine and fuel-saving six-speed transmission all wrapped in contemporary italian design.

who are your strongest suv competitors in the region and why should customers choose your brand?

the middle east is undoubtedly one of the most competitive anywhere in the world for suv's and there is strong competition from all the major us european and japanese manufacturers plus increased activity from the korean brands.

however the iconic jeep brand is recognised the world over — forever linked to freedom capability and adventure — and every jeep vehicle has a unique story to tell with a rich heritage that links back to the original willys ma. in fact in 2013 (and for the second consecutive year) jeep recorded an all-time new global sales record with a 4% year on year increase to a total of 731565 units confirming jeep's position as the #1 suv brand. the recently launched all-new 2014 jeep cherokee sets a new benchmark for mid-size suvs and projects the jeep brand into the future.