Mamp;M8217;s Voyager flops, relaunch planned

MUMBAI, OCT 1: Mahindra and Mahindra's multi-utility vehicle Voyager has failed to enthuse automobile consumers with sales sagging to a n...

MUMBAI, OCT 1: Mahindra and Mahindra8217;s multi-utility vehicle Voyager has failed to enthuse automobile consumers with sales sagging to a new low in the recent months. The company has now planned to relaunch8217; the vehicle by December this year. The price tag of Rs 5.32 lakh is also expected to come down drastically due to increased localisation of components, company officials said.

Though 10-seater Voyager was originally sold as a family vehicle, it was later touted as an ambulance and even a mini-bus. On all counts, the Voyager, priced steeply, failed to cheer buyers who sought better choice at lesser prices.

For the month of August, Mamp;M sold 5,385 vehicles, consisting its multi-utility vehicles and tractors as against 4,559 units sold in August 1998. For the cumulative period of April-August this year, Mamp;M sold 25,909 units of vehicles as compared to 23,869 vehicles in the same period of last fiscal. Voyager sales are less than 5 per cent of total sales, say company sources.

The marketing strategy ofthe company with regards to the vehicle will also be changed as the previous strategy could not bring buyers to the showroom.

Insiders say due to the failure of Voyager, Mitsubishi is not happy with its agreement with the company and may join hands with Hindustan Motors to launch its subsequent models like Pajero in the Indian market. Till date, Mamp;M had a licence agreement with the Japanese firm and Mamp;M officials claim that the agreement will continue in future while relaunching the vehicle.

Calcutta-based HML has already tied up with Mitsubishi to sell its Lancer passenger car in India.

Sales of mid-sized cars down

MUMBAI: The mid-size car segment failed to attract large number of buyers as multinational car majors 8211; Ford, General Motors and Honda Siel 8211; recorded a negative growth during April-August this year.

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Ford India Ltd, makers of highly priced Escort and Sport-E car in India, witnessed a 44 per cent drop in sales to 935 units during April-August of the current fiscal from 1,665vehicles in the corresponding period a year ago. The company now hopes its new model 8211; IKon to pull it out of the sagging sales.

Similarly, General Motors which has launched only one model Opel Astra in India has recorded a 34 per cent fall in sales as the company could sell only 1083 cars in the first five months of the current fiscal against 1652 cars sold in the same period of 1998-99. After an initial good start, Honda Siel cars India also saw a negative trend as the company8217;s sales of Honda City cars dipped by 8.7 per cent to 3814 units during the period from 4,180 units a year ago.