Maruti sales grow 14.5% in October

Maruti Udyog's best selling model Alto sold 15,558 units last month, its all-time monthly high. It had sold 9,884 units in October last year. That translates into a growth of 57 per cent.

The overall B segment sales grew at an impressive 35 per cent during the month with total volumes at 31,531 units. This takes the total volume in the segment during the first seven months of this year to 1,48,219 units, resulting in growth of 25.5 per cent.

The company's overall domestic sales in October 2005 was 50,308 units, a growth of 14.5 per cent over the total domestic sales in October 2004.

The once-volume magnate, Maruti 800, continued its downward trail in October 2005 as well, with total volumes slipping by 22 per cent to 9,087 units.

The MUV segment for the company, consisting of the Gypsy and Vitara, also reported a drop in sales by 12 per cent with total volume during the month at 256 units, against 291 units sold in October 2004.

Despite the impressive volumes in October, the volume in the first seven months grew by only 7.5 per cent in the domestic market, with total sales at 293,944 units.

Total volumes in the sedan segment, consisting of the Esteem and Baleno, was 3,058 units in October 2005, an increase of 18.7 per cent over the 2,577 units sold in the corresponding month last financial year.

Exports suffered a major set back with volume during the month dropping by 77 per cent to a total shipment of 1,235 units in October 2005. Exports in October 2004 was 5,458 units.

Meanwhile, General Motors India (GMI) reported near-flat sales in October 2005 with total volumes at 2,829 units, a growth of 3 per cent over the 2,752 units sold in October 2004. GMI sold 1,901 units of Tavera, 652 units of Optra and 274 units of Opel Corsa during the month.

The year-to-date (January to October) sales of GMI was 26,371 units, representing a growth of 24 per cent over the same period last calendar.