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Maruti sales go up 14% in October

BS Corporate Bureau

Domestic car majors Maruti Udyog, Hyundai Motor India and Honda Siel Cars India have reported a rise in sales during October 2001 as compared to the same month of the previous year.

Market leader Maruti recorded domestic sales of 20,172 cars in October 2001-a rise of 14.2 per cent over October 2000. However, when compared to the sales during September 2001, October car sales were down by a whopping 28.96 per cent. As per figures made available by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Maruti had sold 28,396 cars in India during September 2001.

However, Maruti car sales during April-October 2001, at 189,000 were up 6 per cent over car sales during the same period of the previous year. According to a company release, the car industry has registered a 4.5 per cent drop in sales during the period.

Hyundai India, the second largest car maker in the country, reported 7,734 car sales in October 2001, up five per cent from 7,361 in October 2000. The October sales represent a 14 per cent growth over that in September 2001. Hyundai's latest offering, luxury sedan Sonata, saw sales improving from 301 in September 2001 to 351 in October 2001.

During April-October 2001, Hyundai India sold 53,568 cars, an improvement of 4.5 per cent over the sales of 51,208 cars during April-October 2000. Commenting on the sale, Hyundai India managing director YS Kim said: "Even during the general slump in the market, our sales performance shows the level of consumers' confidence in Hyundai cars."

Honda Siel sold 740 units of its Accord and City models during October 2001 as against 621 units in October 2000, a rise of 19 per cent. The company's April-October sales were down slightly from 5,772 in 2000 to 5,741 in 2001. "This year has been particularly bad for the car industry with the premium segment falling by 21 per cent compared to last year and the upper premium segment falling by 31 per cent," a company release said.

October car sales of General Motors India increased by 35.4 per cent from 443 in 2000 to 600 in 2001. October 2001 sales, however, were down by 25 per cent as compared to 800 cars sold in September 2001. April-October sales too fell by 4.8 per cent from 5,018 in 2000 to 4,775 in 2001.

CK Birla-controlled Hindustan Motors saw October sales decline eight per cent from 1,702 in 2000 to 1,565 in 2001. October sales were also down 5.3 per cent as compared to 1,653 cars sold during September 2001. April-October sales were down by 27.1 per cent to 10,754 cars in 2001 from 14,767 cars in 2000.

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