Car exports spurt by 42 per cent in May '09

According to Society of India Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) data, passenger car exports stood at 29,619 units in May this year as against 20,911 units during the corresponding month of 2008.

The export growth was largely driven by Maruti Suzuki India whose sales grew 90.69 per cent to 9,012 units in the month compared with 4,726 units during the year-ago period.

The country's largest-exporter Hyundai Motor India reported a jump of 27.77 per cent in exports during May at 20,125 units compared with 15,751 units in the same month last year.

Tata Motors, however, witnessed a dip of 25.35 per cent in its overseas sales of passenger cars at 324 units as against 434 units in the year-ago period.

SIAM said exports of total passenger vehicles, including utility cars, grew by 39.22 per cent in May at 29,763 as against 21,378 units in the same month last year. Domestic passenger car sales increased by 2.48 per cent to 1,13,490 units in May from 1,10,745 units in the same month last year, it added.