The Hindu Business Line : Passenger car sales up in April

Snapshot
In the passenger car segment Maruti holds the top spot, followed by Hyundai Motors.
In 2-wheelers, Hero Honda holds the top spot, whereas both Bajaj and TVS Motors' sales have dipped.

New Delhi May 11 The auto industry's performance in April 2007 has been mixed.

According to Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) data, there was a dip in the sales of commercial vehicles, goods carrier and two-wheelers as against the growth in passenger car sales and utility vehicles compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

The total two-wheeler segment recorded a 3.28-per-cent dip in its sales at 7,32,724 units from 7,56,828 units over the corresponding period last year. Total commercial vehicles sales fell by 6.45 per cent at 30,836 units.

However, passenger car sales in April stood at 82,934 units, a 11.25-per-cent growth as against 74,542 in April 2006.

In the passenger vehicles, Maruti remained at the top slot recording a growth of 16.44 per cent by selling 42,326 units in April as against 36,350 units in April 2006. This was followed by Hyundai Motors India Ltd that sold 15,697 units from 14,961 units last year, a 4.91-per-cent increase in sales. Tata Motors stood at third position with its sales up 21.85 per cent at 13,502 units from 11,080 units.

Utility Vehicles

Utility vehicles category recorded a 11.4-per-cent increase in sales at 16,910 units for April 2007. Mahindra &Mahindra led the market by selling 7,201 vehicles, an increase of 9.38 per cent as against 6,583 units in April 2006. Toyota Kirloskar, which has the second largest market share, sold about 3,649 units as against 3,470 units, recording a marginal growth of 5.15 per cent. Tata Motors sold 3,340 units as compared to 2,248 units, recording a 48.57-per-cent jump over the previous fiscal.

Two-wheeler segment

The domestic two-wheeler motorcycle market reported a 9.67-per-cent slump to 4,63,091 units for April 2007 as against 5,12,695 units in the corresponding period a year ago.

Hero Honda Motors Ltd continued to remain at the top position by selling 2,55,408 units in for the month of April 2007, a 8.84-per-cent increase as compared to 2,34,656 units in the corresponding period the previous year. Bajaj Auto Ltd registered a 23.71-per-cent fall in sales at 1,26,494 units as compared to 1,65,811 units the previous year, followed by TVS Motors which registered a 37-per-cent dip in its sales at 48,058 units as against 76,285 units last year.

Sales for the scoter/scooterette rose to 72,369 units, an increase of 10.18 per cent.