The Hindu Business Line : Car sales rise 9.88 pc in May

As per the data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), two-wheeler sales posted a rise of 3.70 per cent as motorcycle and step-through sales grew by 4.05 per cent at 3.61 lakh units.

Scooter and scooterette sales dipped 1.32 per cent at 70,444 units. Moped sales, however, shot up 14 per cent to 25,633 units. Meanwhile, utility vehicle (UV) sales went up by 18.7 per cent at 12,224 units. However, sales of multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) dived 5.58 per cent at 5,051 units. The three-wheeler sales grew by 17.8 per cent at 20,722 units. Readily available low-interest loans, rise in disposable income and launch of an array of models has helped the industry.

In the car segment, the country's largest carmaker Maruti Udyog posted a rise of 5.72 per cent at 32,663 units while Hyundai Motor India suffered a loss of 13.3 per cent at 7,715 units. Sales of the third-largest carmaker Tata Motorssurged 31.2 per cent at 11,487 units during the month.

Honda Siel Cars India witnessed a rise of 101.7 per cent at 2,417 units. The growth is largely attributed to increased sales of premium mid-size sedan New City.

The local unit of General Motors India registered an increase of 70.7 per cent at 1,518 units while sales of C.K. Birla group company Hindustan Motors slipped 5.60 per cent at 1,112 units.

Ford Motor India sold 43.6 per cent more vehicles at 1,627 units in May.

Sales of Toyota Kirloskar Motor skidded 7.90 per cent at 815 units. Volkswagen group company Skoda Auto India sold 601 units while slumping sales of troubled Italian carmaker Fiat India resulted in a loss of 51.7 per cent to 581 units.

Luxury automaker DaimlerChrysler sold 37 less vehicles at 82 units.

In the utility vehicles segment, market leader Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) posted a growth of 12.5 per cent at 5,345 units while Toyota registered a rise of 32 per cent at 3,487 units. Tata Motors and Bajaj Tempo witnessed 3.88 and 27.5 per cent rise at 2,245 and 505 units respectively.

In the commercial vehicle category, sales of medium and heavy (M&H) buses and trucks stood at 14,883 units.

Truck sales in the M&H segment surged by 64.7 per cent at 13,204 units as Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland posted rise of 71.7 and 48.4 per cent at 9,204 and 2,916 units respectively. M&H bus sales, however, dipped 12.6 per cent at 1,679 units.

Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sales grew by 27.7 per cent at 8,549 units as light truck sales jumped 30.4 per cent at 6,668 units while light bus sales went up by 19 per cent at 1,881 units.

In the motorcycle and step-through category, Hero Honda posted a 26.8 per cent rise at 2.07 lakh units while its nearest rival Bajaj Auto saw a dip of 8.56 per cent at 78,066 units. Motorcycle sales of TVS Motor Co slipped by 35.6 per cent at 40,425 units while that of Yamaha Motor India went up by 131 per cent at 20,954 units.

Kinetic Engineering saw a rise of 28.3 per cent to 3,507 units while LML registered a decline of 58.3 per cent at 7,990 units. Majestic Auto sales skid 39.2 per cent at 730 units. Eicher group company Royal Enfield suffered a jolt of 20.1 per cent at 1,968 units.