DETROIT – Ally Financial has financed more consumer new-vehicle purchases in the United States than any other lender during 2010, according to AutoCount data by Experian Automotive.

In 2010, Ally financed more than 803,000 new-vehicle purchases, resulting in nearly $23 billion in consumer retail contracts in the U.S. This represents an approximately 60 percent increase in new vehicle originations compared to 2009, reported F&I and Showroom.

“Ally accounted for one in every eight new vehicle purchases that are financed in this country last year,” said Bill Muir, Ally Financial president. “We are proud to support a broad network of automotive dealers and their customers with financing products and services, and as the leading auto financing source in the market, we are committed to this industry for the long-term.”

In total, combining new and used vehicles, purchases and leases, Ally financed $31.6 billion in consumer auto contracts in the United States in 2010. Ally financed nearly 1.2 million vehicles, an increase of more than 80 percent from 2009. In addition, the company provided financing for more than 2.8 million vehicles sold to over 5,000 dealers in 2010, an increase of nearly 80 percent from the prior year.

Ally Financial accepts financing applications for new and used vehicles from dealers of all auto makes, and is the preferred provider of financing for the automotive dealer networks of General Motors, Chrysler, Saab, Suzuki, Fiat and Thor Industries.

Experian Automotive reports Department of Motor Vehicles registration information from all 50 states. Four states do not report the financing source: Wyoming, Delaware, Rhode Island and Oklahoma.

DETROIT – Chrysler Group got a boost this week when Ally Bank, the former GMAC, lowered its credit-score threshold for Chrysler customers to qualify for a vehicle lease from 660 to 620, reported Automotive News.

The move by Ally, Chrysler’s preferred finance provider, broadens the pool of lease customers. A 660 FICO score is on the lower end of prime, while a 620 score is on the upper end of subprime.

In a memo to dealers this week, Chrysler confirmed that Ally had revised its minimum score. Dealers confirmed the 620 figure.

A credit score helps determine what interest rate a bank will charge a customer for a loan. FICO scores range from 300 to 850.

Chrysler’s leasing business collapsed in July 2008 when its former captive finance company, Chrysler Financial, left the leasing business when the resale value of its pickups and SUVs plunged amid soaring gasoline prices.

In 2006, when Chrysler Financial was still its captive finance company, leases accounted for about 22 percent of all Chrysler new-vehicle transactions. After Chrysler Financial left the leasing business, along with most of Chrysler’s lenders, that percentage plummeted to under 1 percent by mid-2009, according to Ralph Kisiel, a Chrysler spokesman.

“Since then, as lenders have resumed leasing, our corporate average has gradually been increasing to where we’re at today, 4 percent to 6 percent,” said Kisiel. “We are now taking a disciplined approach to leasing. We still want to remain competitive by offering a wide variety of financing options.”

Leasing will account for less than 22percent of sales, he said, and Chrysler is “comfortable” with leasing levels at their current level.

David Kelleher, owner of David Doge Chrysler Jeep in Glen Mills, Pa., and a member of Chrysler’s National Dealer Council, said the shift would be a big help to dealers in extending lease offerings to more customers.

Ally declined to comment on the change in Chrysler credit scores.