Maruti lags peers in July sales

This year is turning out to be a dream run for automobile companies. Most of the prominent car makers today reported scorching growth in July sales, with only Maruti, the market leader, striking a slightly discordant note.

Maruti reported 10.1 per cent growth in sales to 44,653 units in July this year. While this was higher than the car market growth of 8 per cent last financial year, it pales in comparison to the sharp increase reported by all its rivals. Tata Motors sold 45,056 vehicles, including exports, in July, a growth of 44.5% over 31,173 vehicles sold in July last year.

The company sold 18,238 passenger vehicles in the domestic market, an increase of 40.4 per cent. Its sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market were 21,534, an increase of 54.3 per cent, while light commercial vehicles sales were 9,395, a growth of 58 per cent.

Hyundai Motor India sold 24,615 vehicles in July, a growth of 50.5 per cent. Of this, 16,209 vehicles were sold in the domestic market and 8,406 were exported.

General Motors India registered a 37 per cent growth in July sales to 2,450 units. The July 2006 sales consist of 1,302 units of Chevrolet Tavera, 309 units of Chevrolet Optra and 839 units of Chevrolet Aveo.

Ford India, riding on the enthusiastic response to its Fiesta, reported a growth of 120 per cent to 3,019 cars sold in July this year.

Mahindra & Mahindra's tractor sales grew 40 per cent in July to 7,526, including exports. Its tractor exports rose 38 per cent.

Arvind Mathew, Ford's president and managing director, said: "We have received an overwhelming response for the Ford Fiesta and especially for the diesel variant. Ford now leads the premium midsize segment in 17 top markets in India."

TVS Motor Company, buoyed by a 28 per cent growth in motorcycles sales to 68,335, said it had sold 1,21,462 two-wheelers in July, a growth of 20 per cent. Its motorcycle sales have received a boost by the growing popularity of the Apache motorcycle.

TVS Motor exported 10,382 units in July 2006, its highest ever export figure in a month, reflecting a growth of 15 per cent over the same period last year.