Fiat brand sales for May set a record. Fiat sold a total of 4,771 cars last month, the most ever since the brand came back to the US market in 2011. May sales were up 18 percent compared to the same month a year ago, the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. So far this year Fiat has sold a total of 20,494 cars compared to 17,562 for the same period last year, a 17 percent increase.

Sales of the Fiat 500L also set a record. Fiat sold a total of 1,434 cars in May, the best month for the 500L since its introduction last June. Sales have no doubt been helped by an aggressive ad campaign featuring Godzilla and the fact that the Fiat 500L is a phenomenally roomy and versatile car.

The Fiat 500 hatchback and Cabrio models also had a good month, with sales up 10 percent over last month. The Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio did particularly well with sales up 66 percent over last year. The Fiat 500T Turbo and 500E all electric vehicle all recorded sales gains for the month.

Since January 2013, sales of Fiat 500 hatchback and Cabrio models have averaged around 2,900 units per month, so May's 3,337 figure is a definite plus. Below is a look at how sales of the Fiat 500 stack up against its popular competitors:

Fiat 500 May sales = 3,337, year-to-date total = 14,851
VW Golf May sales = 1,793, year-to-date total = 8,941
MINI Cooper May sales = 3,244, year-to-date total = 9,366
Hyundai Veloster May sales = 2,971 year-to-date total = 12,416
Toyota Yaris May sales = 1,616, year-to-date total = 7,210

May Recap
It was a busy month in the Fiat world. Biggest news was Fiat Chrysler Automobiles unveiled their five year business plan that outlined new products. Alfa Romeo fans were excited to hear that Fiat is spending upwards of 7 billion dollars on new products including engines over 500 HP and a high performance Alfa Romeo 4C Quadrifoglio to debut next year.

Alfa Romeo 2014 Business Plan

Alfa Romeo North American Dealer List

Fiat announced a new specialty car arriving at the end of 2015, probably the highly anticipated sportscar based on the next generation Mazda Miata. Undisguised images of the Fiat 500X crossover utility were also revealed. The Fiat 500X is a sporty crossover that is expected in Fiat showrooms early next year. Absent from the plan was talk of a replacement Fiat 500 hatchback, but sources say expect many enhancements and refinements to make their way into a refreshed Fiat 500 coming in the future.

Fiat 500X Body Spotted!

Fiat 2014 Business Plan

Fiat turned up the marketing on the Fiat 500L with a huge TV ad campaign featuring the star of the blockbuster hit Godzilla. The eye-catching ad features the creature preferring to munch exclusively on Fiats to satisfy his culinary desire, but when he gets to the large Fiat 500L, he bites off more than he can chew. The ad plays up the Fiat 500L tagline "Unbelievably Big" in a fun way. Follow the link to watch the video:

Godzilla Takes on the Fiat 500L

For Fiat 500E owners, Fiat announced last month a voluntary recall to replace the car's power inverter module. There is also a major software update download available at dealers that enhances the operation of many features of the all electric 500E.

Fiat 500e Update and Recall

Fiat 500 Sales in the United States - May 2014

Fiat 500	Current Month	Last Year	Vol Change	Current YTD Total	Last Year YTD Total	Vol Change
May 2014 500 500L	3,337 1,434 4,771	4,051 0 4,051	-18% new 18%	14,851 5,643 20,494	17,562 0 17,562	-15% new 17%
April 2014 500 500L	3,041 1,257 4,298	3,899 0 3,899	-22% new 10%	11,514 4,209 15,723	13,511 0 13,511	-15% new 16%
March 2014 500 500L	3,316 1,422 4,738	3,807 0 3,807	-13% new 24%	8,473 2,952 11,425	9,612 0 9,612	-12% new 19%
Feb 2014 500 500L	2,664 801 3,465	3,302 0 3,302	-19% new 5%	5,157 1,530 6,687	5,805 0 5,805	-11% new 15%
Jan 2014 500 500L	2,493 729 3,222	2,503 0 2,503	0% new 29%	2,493 729 3,222	2,503 0 2,503	0% new 29%