indien - Auto sales surge on robust demand
2 Feb 2010, 0013 hrs IST, Chanchal Pal Chauhan, ET Bureau
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NEW DELHI: India?s automobile sector continued its brilliant run into the new year with carmakers led by market leader Maruti Suzuki posting
impressive sales figures in January, helped by eager buyers trying to preempt a possible increase in prices.
The companies benefited also from low interest rates on auto loans and a host of new cars such as General Motors? Beat. The momentum is likely to continue with a bevy of new cars such as the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Figo expected to hit the market in March. Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Hero Honda also recorded their best January sales despite price increases across board in the month.
The auto industry is likely to continue the momentum with double-digit sales growth expected across segments, said Rakesh Batra, partner & national director-auto practice at consulting firm Ernst & Young. ?Some budget sensitivity has also crept in with an anticipated hike in excise duty, propelling sales in the domestic market. The likelihood of some price impact coming from new emission norms will further add to the positive consumer sentiment,? he said.
Maruti Suzuki posted a 33% increase in sales to a record 95,649 vehicles in January, helped by booming exports.
Domestic sales increase by 21% to 81,087 cars, compared with the same month a year ago. Strong demand for its A2 segment cars Alto, Wagon R, Zen, Swift, A-Star and Ritz, which grew 25% to 58,540 units, helped the company to boost sales. Its sedan range comprising Swift DZire and SX4 grew 37% to 8,995 units in the month, while sales of its oldest model M800 declined 55% to 2,494 units.
The second largest carmaker, Hyundai Motor India, reported a 42% growth in sales to 52,635 vehicles last month from 37,171 units in January 2009. Domestic sales grew 41% to 29,601 cars in the same period.
India?s largest auto company by turnover, Tata Motors, posted a 43% jump in sales to 28,547 cars, including 2,302 cars of its Italian JV partner Fiat India. The company sold 4,001 Nanos and 11,448 Indicas. The Indigo sedan range grew 83% to 7258 cars, the highest ever since its launch in 2002.
The other home grown auto major M&M saw its sales jumping 52% to 20,332 units as demand for multi utility vehicle Bolero and pick-up trucks remained robust in rural markets. However, sales of Logan sedan dropped to 555 units in January as against 597 in January last year.
GM India made a comeback of sorts and recorded a 139% growth in sales to 9,421 vehicles in January 2010 over the year-ago period. Its highest monthly sales was backed by the huge dispatch of 2825 Beats, its new small car and 686 units of premium sedan Chevrolet Cruze.
Premium car maker, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI), which has been in news for recalling over 8,500 second generation City sedan in India, managed to sell 5,983 cars last month over 5,773 units sold last year. The company sold 4,485 City sedans in the month.
The high growth momentum continued in the two-wheeler segment as well with leader Hero Honda recording its best ever January sales at 3.89 lakh units, a jump of 24%. Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS Motor posted a 37% increase in sales to 1.09 lakh units against 79,729 units sold in the same month last year. Japanese two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India reported a 93% jump in sales to 20,441 units in January.
2 Feb 2010, 0013 hrs IST, Chanchal Pal Chauhan, ET Bureau
Save Print EMail Share Comment Text:
NEW DELHI: India?s automobile sector continued its brilliant run into the new year with carmakers led by market leader Maruti Suzuki posting
impressive sales figures in January, helped by eager buyers trying to preempt a possible increase in prices.
The companies benefited also from low interest rates on auto loans and a host of new cars such as General Motors? Beat. The momentum is likely to continue with a bevy of new cars such as the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Figo expected to hit the market in March. Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Hero Honda also recorded their best January sales despite price increases across board in the month.
The auto industry is likely to continue the momentum with double-digit sales growth expected across segments, said Rakesh Batra, partner & national director-auto practice at consulting firm Ernst & Young. ?Some budget sensitivity has also crept in with an anticipated hike in excise duty, propelling sales in the domestic market. The likelihood of some price impact coming from new emission norms will further add to the positive consumer sentiment,? he said.
Maruti Suzuki posted a 33% increase in sales to a record 95,649 vehicles in January, helped by booming exports.
Domestic sales increase by 21% to 81,087 cars, compared with the same month a year ago. Strong demand for its A2 segment cars Alto, Wagon R, Zen, Swift, A-Star and Ritz, which grew 25% to 58,540 units, helped the company to boost sales. Its sedan range comprising Swift DZire and SX4 grew 37% to 8,995 units in the month, while sales of its oldest model M800 declined 55% to 2,494 units.
The second largest carmaker, Hyundai Motor India, reported a 42% growth in sales to 52,635 vehicles last month from 37,171 units in January 2009. Domestic sales grew 41% to 29,601 cars in the same period.
India?s largest auto company by turnover, Tata Motors, posted a 43% jump in sales to 28,547 cars, including 2,302 cars of its Italian JV partner Fiat India. The company sold 4,001 Nanos and 11,448 Indicas. The Indigo sedan range grew 83% to 7258 cars, the highest ever since its launch in 2002.
The other home grown auto major M&M saw its sales jumping 52% to 20,332 units as demand for multi utility vehicle Bolero and pick-up trucks remained robust in rural markets. However, sales of Logan sedan dropped to 555 units in January as against 597 in January last year.
GM India made a comeback of sorts and recorded a 139% growth in sales to 9,421 vehicles in January 2010 over the year-ago period. Its highest monthly sales was backed by the huge dispatch of 2825 Beats, its new small car and 686 units of premium sedan Chevrolet Cruze.
Premium car maker, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI), which has been in news for recalling over 8,500 second generation City sedan in India, managed to sell 5,983 cars last month over 5,773 units sold last year. The company sold 4,485 City sedans in the month.
The high growth momentum continued in the two-wheeler segment as well with leader Hero Honda recording its best ever January sales at 3.89 lakh units, a jump of 24%. Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS Motor posted a 37% increase in sales to 1.09 lakh units against 79,729 units sold in the same month last year. Japanese two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India reported a 93% jump in sales to 20,441 units in January.
