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Auto sales soar in May despite Euro-ban in the NCR

A blanket ban on sales in the National Capital Region during May notwithstanding, sales of car industry, led by Daewoo and Telco, rose. However, sales of passenger cars of Maruti dropped marginally.

The passenger car industry's sales grew by 22 per cent year on year. Scooter sales, however, failed to rise while motorcycles sold higher in the bi-wheeler category.

This was stated by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

While mopeds recorded a growth in sales, the multi-utility vehicle and three-wheeler categories closed the month lower.

The new fiscal seems to have brought cheer to the commercial vehicle manufacturers as the segment moved out of the recessionary phase to record a 34 per cent sales growth during the month.

In the passenger car segment, Telco, riding on the huge demand for its small car, the Indica, saw a spurt in sales. It closed the month with a total sales of 2,437 cars against a meagre 243 units a year ago.

Ind Auto sold 1,619 units of the Fiat Uno, up by 414 units over last year. Daewoo recorded collective sales of 2,250 units of Matiz and Cielo against 903 units of Cielo in May 1998.

Hindustan Motors and Mercedes Benz were the only other players to have recorded a growth in sales during the month.

Maruti Udyog Limited sold 33,680 units of passenger cars during May 1999, down 0.2 per cent from 33,762 units in the same month last year.

Premier Automobiles saw its sales hitting a major stonewall during the period. Retails dropped 94 per cent from 324 units in May 1998 to 17 units in May 1999. General Motors' Opel Astra's sales dropped 49 per cent at 180 units. Ford India also sold 180 units of the Escort, down 46 per cent over the previous year.

Honda Siel, which has been witnessing a good steady demand for its City since the car's launch, saw sales dropping by 15 per cent in May to touch 726 units from 859 units a year ago.

During May 1999, total passenger car sales stood at 47,578 units, up from 38,698 units in May 1998.

In the MUV category, the SIAM figures revealed that Bajaj Tempo and Mahindra&Mahindra were the only manufacturers to have recorded a growth in sales. Bajaj Tempo's MUV sales grew 23 per cent during the month followed by M&M at 5.5 per cent.

Telco's MUV sales dropped 36 per cent during May 1999 followed by Maruti Udyog, which witnessed a 31 per cent drop, and Hindustan Motors with a 7.9 per cent slide.

The MUV industry closed the month with a total sales of 8,782 units, down 11 per cent from the previous year.

In the commercial vehicle category, medium and heavy CVs led the race with a 60 per cent surge at 6,189 units as against 3,849 units a year earlier.

Ashok Leyland saw a 61 per cent growth in sales during the month followed by Telco, with a 60 per cent growth in retails.

The light CV category ended with a 10.6 per cent surge in sales during the month. Ashok Leyland led the pack in this segment as well with a 191 per cent growth followed by Mahindra&Mahindra and Bajaj Tempo. Swaraj Mazda was the only player in the segment to have closed the month with a negative growth in sales.

UNI

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