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Passenger vehicle sales in India rose 14.29 per cent in November mainly due to a low base during the same month last year on account of demonetisation.
However, robust sales of utility vehicles and discounts have also helped the sales of passenger vehicles (PVs) grow last month to 2,75,417 units against 2,40,983 units in November last year, according the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
“We had demonetisation last November. So, we have grown on a pretty low base of the same period last year. Also, heavy discounting plays a role during this period,” SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur told reporters here.
Car sales rose 4.49 per cent to 1,81,395 units against 1,73,607 units in November last year. Interestingly, in terms of production, the segment showed zero per cent growth from November last year.
Vehicle sales across categories registered a rise of 24.05 per cent to 19,39,671 units from 15,63,658 units in November 2016.
Overall sales
With the overall automobile sales, including PVs, commercial vehicles (CVs) and two-wheelers, recording a growth of 9.29 per cent during April-November period this fiscal, SIAM expects the overall industry growth to be around 8-10 per cent during the current fiscal.
“If it happens (8-10 per cent growth), it would be the best growth over the last six financial years,” SIAM Deputy Director General Sugato Sen said.
The overall auto industry had grown by 6.81 per cent in 2016-17, 3.78 per cent in 2015-16, 7.06 per cent in 2014- 15, 3.54 per cent in 2013-14 and 2.49 per cent in 2012-13.
In the PV segment, Maruti Suzuki India posted a growth of 14.32 per cent at 1,44,297 units, while rival Hyundai Motor India was up 9.98 per cent at 44,008.
Mahindra & Mahindra also posted an increase of 21.66 per cent at 15,990 units. Homegrown rival Tata Motors saw a growth of 38.14 per cent at 18,832 units in November this year.
Total 2-wheeler sales
Total two-wheeler sales in November rose 23.49 per cent to 15,35,277 units compared with 12,43,246 units in the year-ago month.Motorcycle sales last month increased by 23.25 per cent to 9,59,122 units compared with 7,78,173 units in November 2016.
Market leader Hero MotoCorp posted domestic sales of 5,10,749 units against 4,14,709 units in the year-ago month, up 23.15 per cent. Rival Bajaj Auto saw its bike sales rise 1.56 per cent to 1,41,948 units against 1,39,765 units in the same month last year.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) saw its sales rise by 56.13 per cent to 1,50,420 units against 96,338 units in November 2016.
Scooter sales
In the scooter segment, total sales last month were at 5,06,267 units against 3,88,692 units in November last year, up 30.25 per cent.
Segment leader HMSI posted sales of 2,81,704 units against 2,03,076 units in the year-ago month, up 38.71 per cent, while Chennai-based TVS Motor Co had recorded sales of 76,084 units compared with 69,759 units in November 2016, a jump of 9.06 per cent.
Hero MotoCorp’s scooter sales were at 77,783 units last month against 53,410 units in November last year, up 45.63 per cent.
Sales of commercial vehicles were up 50.43 per cent to 68,846 units in November, SIAM said.
“Goods carrier segment and trucks have grown mainly on enhanced spending by the government on infrastructure projects. However, bus segment remains impacted as government buying remains on a slow pace,” Mathur said.
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