Automakers start 2011 on firm note,sales surge in Jan

Market leader Maruti Suzuki sold over one lakh cars in January this year,posting a growth of 14.7 per cent over the same month in 2010. The car maker sold 1,09,743 units compared with 95,649 units sold in January last year. While domestic sales grew 23.8 per cent,the company’s exports continued to fall year-on-year. The company has sold 10,37,408 vehicles in the April-January period of this fiscal,a 25.5 per cent growth over the 8,26,592 units sold in the same period of 2009-10.

Tata Motors posted sales growth of 15.2 per cent in January 2011,with sales of 75,423 vehicles compared with 65,478 vehicles sold in the same month last year. Domestic sales grew 13.3 per cent to 70,475 units from 62,202 units sold in January 2010. Exports jumped 51 per cent to 4,948 vehicles this past month from 3,276 units exported in January last year. Sales of commercial vehicles grew 12 per cent,while that of passenger vehicles,along with partner Fiat,grew 14 per cent this past month as against January 2010.

The third home grown auto major to release monthly sales data was Mahindra & Mahindra. The company posted its highest monthly sales,growing 21.8 per cent to 36,718 units in January compared with 30,149 vehicles it sold in the same month last year.

Ford India has started its New Year in top gear posting its best-ever monthly sales. The company sold 10,026 units,a whopping 308.7 per cent growth compared with the 2,453 units sold in January last year. The launch of the Figo has seen the company’s sales rise sharply,surpassing its previous record of 9,475 set in March last year,when the compact car was launched. This past month saw 8,600 units of the Figo sold,a new monthly record.

Also riding on the success of its recently launched compact was Nissan. From a mere 40 units of the Teana (30) and the X-trail (10) sold in January 2010,the company sold 1,857 units this past month,with the Micra hatchback leading sales figures. The company sold 1,784 units of the Micra,the highest monthly sales of the model so far. Toyota Kirloskar Motor posted a sales growth of 53.4 per cent with 9,185 units sold compared with 5,989 vehicles sold in January last year. Sales of General Motors grew just under 6 per cent.

TVS Motors was one of two two-wheeler manufacturer to have released sales data on Tuesday. The company posted a 29.7 per cent growth in sales at 1,65,152 units sold the past month compared with 1,27,288 units sold last year.

Meanwhile Suzuki Motorcycle India catapulted itself on the growth path. Riding on the success of the Slingshot series,the company posted a 39.9 per cent increase in sales at 28,598 units compared with 20,448 units sold in January last year.