Car sales down 2.31% to 68,840 units in Nov

Domestic passenger car sales were down by 2.31 per cent at 68,840 units in November 2005, as against 70,468 units sold in the same month a year ago.

With festival sales coming to an end this year by the end of October, November sales took a beating, not just in passenger car sales, but also in motorcycle sales, where the graph remained almost flat.

Motorcycle sales during the month increased by 0.97 per cent to 483,884 units against 479,212 units sold in November last year. Commercial vehicle sales improved by 5.52 per cent to 28,010 units in November as against 26,544 units in the same month last year.

Market analysts said that unlike 2004, when Dussehra and Diwali were spread over two months (October and November), this year, the two major festivals, were over by November 1 (Diwali), leaving little opportunity for major festival buying in November 2005.

The third month slide this fiscal, apart from June and July, also reflected in the overall passenger cars sales between April and November this year. Total growth in volumes of domestic sales in this segment was only 5.22 per cent, confirming the overall fear of the year ending in March with a single digit growth.

Total domestic sales of passenger cars in the first eight months of this financial year was 557,813 units, against 530,117 units recorded last year. Passenger vehicle sales, including utility and multi-purpose vehicles between April and November 2005 was 772,348 units or 5.77 per cent higher than last year.

Commercial vehicles sales in the medium and heavy segment was flat during this period at 0.92 per cent (120,373 units), while the light commercial vehicle segment recorded a 20.56 per cent growth to 89,843 units sold between April and November this year.

The buoyancy in the light commercial vehicle segment managed to pull up the overall commercial vehicle sales to 210,216 units or 8.47 per cent higher than the sales in the same period last year.

Three wheeler sales between April and November was 14.46 per cent higher at 225,714 units.

Scooter and scooteretee sales in the first eight months of the financial year, reported a fall or 4.59 per cent, with total sales falling to 610,397 units. Motorcycle sales during this period increased by 18.83 per cent to 38.12 lakh units. Moped sales remained flat at 215,991 units, during this period. Losing pace

In November 2005 68,840 units of cars were sold as against 70,468 units sold in the same month a year ago.

Motorcycle sales during the month increased by 0.97 per cent to 483,884 units against 479,212 units sold in November last year.

Commercial vehicle sales improved by 5.52 per cent to 28,010 units in November as against 26,544 units in the same month last year.