2018 August Car Sales: Mixed Trends for Auto Manufacturers in India

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posted on 6 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai reported a fall in domestic passenger vehicles sales while Mahindra and Tata Motors reported growth in 2018 August.

Automobile majors Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai reported fall in domestic passenger vehicles sales in August, with floods in Kerala affecting demand for automobiles, although homegrown firms Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra saw healthy growth. Maruti Suzuki India said its domestic passenger vehicle (PV) sales were down 2.8 percent at 1,47,700 units last month as against 1,52,000 units in the year-ago month.

While the company's sales of mini cars comprising Alto and WagonR were at 35,895 units as compared to 35,428 units in August last year, up 1.3 percent, the compact segment, including models such as Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire, were down 3.6 percent at 71,364 units as against 74,012 units in August last year. Sales of utility vehicles, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, were down 16.2 percent at 17,971 units in August as compared to 21,442 units in the year-ago month, MSI said.

Rival Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) also saw its domestic sales fall 2.8 percent at 45,801 units in August as against 47,103 in August 2017. Tata Motors, however, said its domestic passenger vehicle (PV) sales were up 28 percent to 18,420 units compared to 14,340 units last year. "Due to heavy rains across the country and floods in Kerala, the consumer sentiment was muted," Tata Motors President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Mayank Pareek said.

M&M said its sales in the domestic market was at 45,373 units last month, up 15 percent, as compared to 39,615 units in August 2017. "The auto industry remained subdued in August with low sentiments due to some external factors," M&M President Automotive Sector Rajan Wadhera said. Ford India also reported 3.40 percent increase in domestic sales in August to 8,042 units as against 7,777 units in August last year. Similarly, Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) posted monthly domestic sales of 17,020 units in August 2018.

"There was an impact of Kerala floods and heavy rains in many parts of the country combined with GST related high base effect of August 2017," HCIL Senior Vice President and Director, Marketing and Sales Rajesh Goel said. In the two-wheeler segment, TVS Motor Company reported a 2 percent increase in its domestic sales to 2,75,688 units in August from 2,70,544 units sold in the same month last year