Auto sales continue on the downward spiral

Automotive sales continue to slide. Discounts and attractive schemes not withstanding, the most affected are passenger cars, and medium and heavy commercial vehicles. While three-wheelers and two-wheelers also held in the negative territory, reflecting more or less the state of the Indian auto industry overall, the industry, in the month of July 2013, produced a total 1,729,002 vehicles including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three wheelers and two wheelers as against 1,745,532 numbers in July 2012, registering a decline of (-) 0.95 percent over the same month last year.

Domestic sales

The overall domestic sales during April-July 2013 declined by (-) 2.09 percent over the same period last year. The sales of Passenger Vehicles declined by (-) 7.49 percent during April-July 2013 over the same period last year. Within the Passenger Vehicles, passenger cars, utility vehicles and vans dropped by (-) 9.73 percent, (-) 1.03 percent and (-) 2.39 percent respectively during April-July 2013 compared to the same period last year.

The overall Commercial Vehicles segment registered a de-growth of (-) 9.91 percent in April-July 2013 as compared to the same period last year. Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) registered negative growth at (-) 16.65 percent and Light Commercial Vehicles also dropped by (-) 6.11percent. Three Wheelers sales declined by (-) 3.45 percent in April-July 2013 over the same period last year. Passenger Carriers and Goods Carriers also declined by (-) 2.84 percent and (-) 6.05 percent respectively in April-July 2013 over April-July 2012. Two Wheelers segment registered de-growth of (-) 0.64 percent during April-July 2013 over April-July 2012. Within the Two Wheelers segment, mopeds and motorcycles declined by (-) 13.07 percent and (-) 3.40 percent respectively, while scooters grew by 13.11 percent in April-July 2013 over April-July 2012.

Exports

During April-July 2013 overall automobile exports declined by (-) 3.37 percent. Commercial vehicles and Two Wheelers declined by (-) 26.53 percent, (-) 9.88 percent respectively, while passenger vehicles and three wheelers registered growth at 2.39 percent and 46.47 percent respectively during April-July 2013 compared to the same period last year.