New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Automobile sales fell in January due to a sluggish economy plagued by high fuel and interest costs.
Sales of India’s largest passenger car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki declined by 10.3 percent in January, which stood at 102,416 units due to a fall in exports.
The company had sold 114,205 units in January 2013.
There was a sharp drop in the company’s exports. Maruti Suzuki exported just 5,847 units last month, which was 47.7 percent less than 11,179 units sold overseas during the corresponding month of 2013.
The company’s domestic sale decreased by 6.3 percent to 96,569 units during the month under review as compared to 103,026 units sold in January 2013.
Chennai-based automobile manufacturer Hyundai Motor’s sales in the month under review fell by 12.7 percent at 45,415 units from 52,024 units in the like period of 2013.
In a statement, the company said its domestic sales during the month under review was down 2.6 percent at 33,405 units from 34,302 units sold in January 2013.
The company’s exports last month fell by 32.2 percent at 12,010 units down from 17,722 units being shipped-off during the corresponding month of last year.
Other major players in the Indian auto market, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported a drop in sales.
Tata Motors’ total sales, including exports, in the month under review fell by 34.34 percent at 40,481 units from an off-take of 61,660 units in the corresponding month of 2013.
The company’s domestic sales including commercial and passenger vehicles in the month under review too decline. The off-take fell by 36.55 percent at 36,657 units from 57,780 units sales in January 2013.
The company’s exports declined by 1.44 percent and stood at 3,824 in the month under review from 3,880 vehicles shipped-off during the corresponding month of 2013.
M&M’s off-take last month was down 11 percent at 42,685 units from at 49,503 units sold in the corresponding month of last year.
Domestic sales stood at 40,324 units during last month, as against 47,841 units during January 2013, a decline of 11 percent.
The company’s exports during the month under review fell by 10 percent at 2,361 units from 1,662 units being shipped-off in the corresponding period 2013.
Ford India last month logged a 49 percent increase in sales at 10,634 units up from 7,115 units sold in January 2013.
Japanese-Indian joint venture Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s sales during the month under review went down 18.21 percent at 10,901 units compared to 13,329 units in the corresponding month in 2013.
Japanese automobile major Honda’s sales during the month under review grew by 188 percent at 15,714 units from 5,451 units sold in the corresponding month last year
Two- and three-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company sales last month grew by six percent at 186,313 units from an off-take of 175,931 units during January 2013.
Within the two-wheeler segment, the company logged 19 percent sales growth in the scooters to 45,198 units. Motorcycles sales grew marginally increasing from 64,555 units in the month of January 2013 to 65,449 units in January 2014.
The company’s three wheeler sales in the month under review increased by 52.48 percent at 6,737 units from 4,418 units sold in January 2013.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India too logged healthy sales of about 50 percent last month which stood at 344,750 units.
Yamaha Motor India reported a sales growth of 17.4 percent last month at 42,595 units from an offtake of 36,295 units sold in January 2013.