New Delhi : Automobile manufacturers led by Maruti Suzuki posted robust passenger vehicles (PV) sales growth in August riding on strong consumer sentiment ahead of the festive season. Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Honda saw their PV sales improve in August compared to the same month last year, although Ford and Toyota witnessed a decline. Maruti Suzuki India’s (MSI) domestic sales stood at 1,52,000 units, up 26.7 per cent from 1,19,931 units in August last year. This was mainly driven by sales of compact segment comprising Swift, Estilo, Dzire and Baleno which jumped by 62.4 per cent to 74,012 units last month as against 45,579 units in the year-ago period.
Sales of utility vehicles, including Gypsy, Ertiga, S- Cross and compact SUV Vitara Brezza increased by 27.6 per cent to 21,442 units in August, from 16,806 units in the same month of 2016, it added. However, mini segment cars, including Alto and WagonR, witnessed a marginal decline to 35,428 units during the month under review from 35,490 units in August 2016, MSI said. Rival Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) posted 9 per cent increase in domestic sales at 47,103 units in August. It had sold 43,201 units in August 2016. HMIL Director, sales and marketing, Rakesh Srivastava said August sales were boosted by strong response to the newly launched Verna that received more than 7,000 bookings within 10 days of launch. Homegrown utility vehicles major Mahindra & Mahindra reported 7.01 per cent increase in domestic sales at 39,534 units last month as compared to 36,944 units in August 2016. M&M President Automotive Sector Rajan Wadhera said the upsurge in demand has been due to good monsoons and rural penetration. Compatriot Tata Motors’ passenger vehicles sales in the domestic market grew by 10.29 per cent.
Factory growth rebounds
Factory output grew unexpectedly in August to bring the country’s manufacturing sector back into growth zone on surge in new business orders after the GST-related contraction in July, a monthly survey showed Friday. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rebounded to 51.2 in August from a low of 47.9 in the previous month, indicating a substantial turnaround from July’s contraction amid confusion over the new GST (Goods and Services Tax) regime.
