Car sales moderate in January, two-wheelers follow suit

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India reported a 14.73 per cent jump in sales during January, 2011, to 1,09,743 units. Tata Motors said its January sales grew 15 per cent at 75,423 units from the same month last year.

On the other hand, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) reported a 17.7 per cent decline in January sales at 43,316 units, compared to 52,628 units in the same month last year. The moderated numbers by the big three of the Indian auto industy are in contrast to around 30 per cent growth that the sector witnessed in 2010.

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Pawan Goenka said the high growth rates of 30 per cent was unsustainable considering the changing economic environment.

"The impact of RBI's recent hike in key rates will be felt and commodity prices continue to be a concern," Goenka said, adding the sales growth expectation for the next fiscal is around 15-18 per cent.

MSIs' sales in the domestic market stood at 1,00,422 units in January, 2011, a 23.84 per cent increase from 81,087 units in the year-ago period. On the other hand, Tata Motors' total passenger vehicles sales in India during January 2011 stood at 30,212 units, 15 per cent from the same month last year.

HMIL's domestic sales during January this year saw growth of 2.4 per cent at 30,306 units. Marginal player, Ford India reported its best ever monthly sales with an over four-fold increase in its January sales at 10,026 units as compared to the same month last year.

Honda Siel Cars India said it sold 6,358 units during the month registering a jump 6.3 per cent. Two-wheeler makers also posted numbers that mirrored those of the cars segment.

The country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda today reported sales of 4,66,524 units for January, 2011 registering a jump of 19.68 per cent over the same month last year.

India's biggest scooter maker Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) posted an 8.89 per cent increase in overall sales at 1,29,110 units in January 2011. Chennai-based TVS Motor Co, however, reported 29 per cent in January, 2011, to 161,725 units during the month.