Auto-makers drive to double-digit growth

Major auto makers in the country reported double-digit growth in their domestic sales in February.

Major auto makers in the country such as Maruti Suzuki,Mahindra & Mahindra,Hero Honda and TVS Motor reported double-digit growth in their domestic sales in February even as the rate slowed down from last year.

However,car maker Hyundai Motor India saw its domestic sales growing by only 5.25 per cent at 32,629 units. Its total sales declined by 4.77 per cent in the last month as its exports fell drastically by 17.92 per cent.

On the other hand,rival and the country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India reported an increase of 19.79 per cent in its sales for the domestic market in February at 1,01,543 units.

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Homegrown auto major Mahindra & Mahindra’s domestic sales saw a rise of 20.27 per cent at 31,967 units compared to 26,580 units in the year-ago period. Tata Motors’ passenger vehicles sales stood at 31,909 units,a jump of 18.25 per cent from 26,985 units in the same month last year.

The moderated numbers by these big companies of the Indian auto industry are in contrast to around 30 per cent growth that the sector witnessed in 2010.

Car maker Ford India reported a nearly three-fold jump in its February sales at 9,293 units on the back of its latest small car Figo’s good response. It had sold 3,223 units in the same month last year. Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s sales grew 55.31 per cent at 9,308 units as against 5,993 units in the corresponding month last year.

Czech premium car maker SkodaAuto reported a 39.17 per cent growth in sales of its vehicles at 2,512 units compared to 1,805 units in the corresponding period last year.

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However,Honda Siel Cars India saw its sales for February at 4,843 units,a decline of 22.83 per cent over 6,276 units in the corresponding month last year.

On the two-wheeler front,the leading firms such as Hero Honda,TVS Motor and Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India posted good growth in their sales during the period under review.

The country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda reported its best sales for February at 4,72,055 units,registering a jump of 23.54 per cent over 3,82,096 units in the same month in 2010.

Chennai-based TVS Motor Company’s domestic sales grew by 24.81 per cent to 1,51,526 units from 1,21,403 units in February,2010. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India reported 19.27 per cent growth in sales at 1,45,819 units as against 1,22,261 units in the year-ago period.

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Another two-wheeler maker India Yamaha Motor domestic sales stood at 23,384 units as against 17,131 in the same month last year,up 36.50 per cent. Suzuki Motorcycle reported a 24.86 per cent growth in its sales at 28,738 units compared to 23,016 units in the same month last year.