New launches in the small car segment and robust economic growth have led carmakers recording impressive sales in the last fiscal (2009-10). While leading carmaker Maruti Suzuki sold over 10-lakh units, making it the first company in India to achieve this feat in a single year, its closest competitors Hyundai and Tata Motors sold over 6-lakh and 3.5-lakh units, respectively.
Maruti Suzuki recorded 28.55 per cent rise in its annual sales, mainly due to spate of new launches and product refreshments that helped the company clock a sterling performance. These included Ritz, all-new Grand Vitara, new Estilo with K-series engine and Eeco.
Similarly, Hyundai recorded a 20 per cent growth during the year. “As we close the financial year it is reassuring to see the market retain its buoyancy which was triggered by the government's timely announcement of the stimulus package and the consequent reduction in interest rates for car finance. These factors positively affected the market and kept demand high over the last year,” said Hyundai Motor India Director (Marketing and Sales) Arvind Saxena.
Tata Motors, which launched all-new Indigo Manza and Sumo Grande MK II last fiscal, recorded its highest-ever cumulative, where Nano sales stood at 30,350 units. Sales of its luxury brand Jaguar Land Rover also continued their upward trend since launch in June last year. New launches, particularly by two US automobile majors — Ford and General Motors — have given a new fillip to the small car market.
Significantly, Ford India, which recently launched hatchback Figo, saw over three-fold jump in its March sales at 9,478 units.
Figo has already got over 10,000 bookings in the last four weeks.
Similarly, for General Motors India, new launches — hatchback Beat and sedan Cruze — besides entry-level car Spark are driving its sales.
