Skoda Auto sells 87 units in Nashik

Unveils Laura, first showroom in the city

Skoda Auto India registered 25 per cent growth in sales at 9,000 units in the calendar year 2005. The company has set a target of 13,500 units for the current year.

Elaborating on the company's performance at the launch of the company's first showroom in Nashik, Lucas Folc, managing director, Skoda Auto India, said, "We have sold 9,000 units in 2005, 25 per cent growth over 7,202 units sold in 2004. Our target for this year is 13,500 units."

"We also take this opportunity to unveil the SkodaLaura in Nashik. Internationally, the Laura brand was well received and Indian respoonse is also not different. In just a couple of weeks of its launch, the Laura has bagged awards such as the most technologically advanced car and the executive car of the year," Folc said.

"In Nashik, around 87 units were sold in the year 2005. Currently, the company has a market share of 26 per cent in the luxury segment in Nashik and aims to increase this to over 30 per cent by the end of 2006. Since 2001, we have sold over 26,000 units till date," he said.

The manufacturing plant at Aurangabad is spread across 300,000 sq mt area, with 110,000 sq mt built-up. The company plans to double the annual production capacity to 30,000 cars. Currently, it is manufacturing 12 luxury models and planning to launch six new products this year (2006).

Skoda Auto has decided to increase its dealerships to 51 by the end of this year. Besides, the company is also planning to open its dealerships in Sri Lanka and Nepal.