Decline in the car sales of country’s largest auto maker Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) led to a very modest 6.7 per cent growth in car sales in August. While Hyundai Motor India and Tata Motors posted improved performance, Fiat India and Hindustan Motors suffered a decline. The August sales were lower by 11 per cent as compared to 59,800 cars sold in July this year.Since April 2003, total sales rose for the fifth consecutive month this fiscal. And August sales up at 53,177 units from 49,828 units in August last year, data released by the society of Indian automobile manufacturers (SIAM) showed.Cumulative (April-August 2003) sales was 26.3 per cent higher at 2,62,678 cars against 2,07,938 units a year earlier.Maruti’s sales in the month fell by 3.1 per cent to 25,054 units in August as a prolonged strike at one of its vendor’s plants, which is a major supplier of an important engine component, affected car production. Hyundai Motor India, the second-biggest carmaker, clocked a 20 per cent growth at 11,050 units while that of Tata Motors jumped by 26.6 per cent at 9,382 units.Cashing in on the demand for its aggressively-priced mid-size car Chevrolet Optra, General Motors India posted a 112.2 per cent rise in sales at 1,698 units. Its native rival, Ford India, recorded a 45 per cent jump at 1,651 cars. Sales of Honda Siel cars grew by 19.4 per cent to 1,441 units during the review month.The latest entrant in the car market, Toyota Kirloskar, sold 885 cars while luxury carmaker DaimlerChrysler recorded a 68.6 per cent growth at 113 units. However, sales of Fiat and Hindustan Motors declined by 73 and 24.5 per cent to 681 and 1,222 units respectively.Sale of trucks and buses surged by 39.3 per cent in August to 19,967 units from 14,328 units a year ago. Sale of two-wheelers grew by 7.1 per cent in August to 4,17,479 units as motorcycles and step-thrus posted a 9.8 per cent rise at 3,17,453 units.
