Car firms drive full throttle in September

Major passenger car manufacturers today have reported double-digit sales growth for the second consecutive month.

Car market leader Maruti Udyog sold 46,393 units in the domestic market in September 2005, 15 per cent increase over volumes sold in September 2004.

Hyundai Motor India reported 22.6 per cent growth in domestic sales in September, with the total volume at 14,391. Its total sales in the month, including exports, stood at 23,768 units - a growth rate of 18.6 per cent over last year.

The third volume player in the market, Tata Motors reported total sales of 40,095 vehicles (including exports) for September 2005, a growth of 13.24 per cent over 35,406 vehicles sold in September last year.

Sales of commercial vehicles during the month in the domestic market was 19,087 units, an increase of 11.1 per cent over 17,179 vehicles sold in September last year. Medium and heavy commercial vehicles sales stood at 11,331, while light commercial vehicles (LCV) sales were 7,756 numbers.

The passenger vehicle business reported a total sale of 16,078 vehicles in the domestic market in September 05, an increase of 1 per cent over September 04. Indica saw 9,669 units being sold. The Indigo family registered sales of 3,354 units. The Sumo and Safari accounted for sales of 3,055 numbers.

The company's sales from exports were 4,930 vehicles in September '05 compared with 2,301 vehicles in September 04, an increase of 114.3 per cent. Cumulative sales from exports in the current period at 23,479 numbers have recorded a 121.7 per cent growth over the corresponding figures for the previous period.

The growth reported by Maruti and Hyundai comes as a much-needed breather in the market that had resigned to single-digit growth this financial year.

In August 2005, cumulative sales of all passenger vehicle manufacturers stood at 72,165 units, 15 per cent more than the 62,845 units sold in August 2004.

Utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra today reported a 6 per cent growth in sales in the domestic market in September to 10,410 units against 9,800 units in the same month last year.

The company said it sold 3,164 units of its flagship model, Scorpio, registering a growth rate of 37 per cent and the highest-ever sales for the model since inception.

Total passenger vehicle sales, including light commercial vehicles and three-wheelers, stood at 13,300 units in the domestic market, growing by 4 per cent.

Three-wheeler sales, however, declined 7 per cent to 2,157 units. M&M's exports of passenger vehicles grew 66 per cent to 539 units in September.

General Motors India, however, reported near-flat sales in September with total volume at 3220 units against a sales of 3207 units in September 2004.

Besides 1,600 Taveras, the September sales included 855 Optras and 762 Opel Corsas.

However, the year-to-date sales grew by 27 per cent to 18517 units.

Premium and luxury car maker, SkodaAuto India, reported a 31 per cent jump in sales to 909 units in September 2005 compared with 693 units in September last year.

On the export front, Hyundai reported a 12.8 per cent increase in September 2005 with total volume shipped at 9,377 units. Exports for Maruti in September were down 20.5 per cent to 2,885 units from 3,627 units in the same month last year.