Meanwhile, country's largest car manufacturer Maruti Udyog Ltd on Monday announced a 16 per cent jump in sales in July 1999 with sale of 35,528 units as against 30,603 units sold in the corresponding period last year, recording in the process the highest ever monthly sales in the company's 15 year history.

Maruti's Zen model led the charge selling 7,907 units. Zen accounted for over 22 per cent of Maruti's total sales in July. Hyundai Motors sold 4,949 units of Santro model, compared to 4,634 units in June, a rise of 6.7 per cent. Daewoo Motors recorded sale of nearly 2,400 units of Matiz cars during July. Matiz accounted for over 85 per cent of total sales for Daewoo which sold 2,801 units in July.

The jump indemand for Zen is significant in view of the fact that the model is Euro-I compliant, while both Hyundai's Santro and Daewoo's Matiz are Euro-II compliant.

Maruti 800 cc continued to be the most popular car from the Maruti stable, accounting for 52 per cent of total sales in July. The company sold 18,445 units in July, a jump of 10 per cent over the same month last year.

With sales of 7,548 units in July, Omni sales went up by 46 per cent compared to same period last year. In the mid-size segment, Esteem recorded sales of 1,596 units in July. Maruti did not give out the sale figures for the gypsy model.

Company officials said that the spurt in sales reflects the impact of the price cuts that the company effected in December 1998. Maruti Udyog chief general manager (marketing & sales), attributed the sales performance in July 1999 to the company's efforts to expand the market by offering customers greater value and choice across a range of products.

Maruti's Zen has seen a 16 per cent jump in demandover the corresponding period last year. "Zen continued to be the most popular car in its segment, outselling its nearest competitor by an estimated 35 per cent," said a company statement. Zen's success in the highly competitive small car segment underscores consumer belief in the superior value proposition of Maruti vehicles, the company said.

The company recorded a 17 per cent jump in sales in the first quarter of current fiscal, having sold 87,143 units compared to 74,385 units in the corresponding period last year. The company has 187 sales outlets across 111 cities and 1,350 service outlets.

Bajaj Auto sales fall

MUMBAI: Sales of vehicle maker Bajaj Auto Ltd fell in July, the company said on Monday. Sales fell by 14 per cent to 101,000 units in July from 117,000 in the same month a year ago, data released on its website www.bajajauto.com showed. Sales during the April-July period were 12 per cent lower at 398,000 units from 454,000 in the year-ago period, the company said. Production fell 1per cent to 119,000 units in July from 120,000 a year earlier, but output for the April-July period was up 3 per cent at 452,000 units from 437,000, it said.