Car-mania continues despite inflation

HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Monday reported a34 per cent increase in domestic car sales during June at 21,881 units while the country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki recorded a flat growth of 0.7 per cent selling 56,411 units during the month. SUV maker Mahindra &Mahindra (M& M), which markets diesel- run vehicles, recorded an eight per cent growth during the month. Hyundai did well with its i10 and Santro, while Maruti Suzuki notched up a high growth of 48 per cent in the A3 segment with its Swift Dzire and Sx4 models, selling as many as 5,807 units during the month, compared to 3,923 units in June last year. Inclusive of exports, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd reported a slightly higher growth of 2.22 per cent rise in total vehicle sales during June at 61,247 units, compared to 59,917 units in the same month last year.

In the A2 segment, comprising Alto, Zen Estillo, Wagon R and Swift, the company registered a marginal growth of 0.3 per cent at 37,767 units, against 37,646 units in the same month last year. Its M800 model recorded 13.73 per Maruti Suzuki’s sales grew 48 per cent year- on- year cent decline at 5,361 units in June, compared to 6,214 units during the corresponding month last year. Exports during the month stood at 4,836 units compared to 3,917 units in the same month last year, up 23.5 per cent. Hyundai’s overall sales, including exports, were up 45.3 per cent at 40,182 units during June compared to 27,653 units in the same month a year ago, said a company statement. Its exports for the month rose to 18,301 units, against 11,318 units during the same month of the previous year. HMIL sold 33,859 units of hatchbacks Santro, Getz and i10, 6,272 units of Accent and Verna, 47 units of Sonata Embera and four units of its SUV Tucson in June. “At a time when the industry is already under tremendous pressure because of higher interest rates, rise in fuel costs and rising inflation, it is indeed heartening to see that Hyundai products continue to be an affordable and attractive buy for most car buyers,’’ the company’s vice- president Arvind Saxena said.

The company’s i10 has done well and it has sold over 1,00,000 units in less than six months since its launch, he added. Mahindra &Mahindra said its domestic sales in June went up by 8.17 per cent to 18,179 units, against 16,805 units it sold in the same month last year. Its total sales, including exports, grew 8.78 per cent to 19,371 vehicles, compared to 17,807 units in the corresponding period last year, the company said in a statement.