Sales continue to decline

Auto sales in India continue to decline. Passenger vehicles and vans are the most affected, followed by commercial vehicles and two wheelers. The market sentiment reflecting on auto sales overall, it is the passenger vehicles and vans, which look to be the most affected. Within the segment, it is the small cars that have had the most damage. The Maruti Alto, ironically, is located in this very segment. Maruti’s bigger offering, the Dzire is showing signs of inching closer to Alto in terms of sales, and at a time when competition is increasing in the passenger car segments for the company.

The industry produced 1,684,011 vehicles in April 2013 as against 1,721,455 in April 2012, decline of (-) 2.81 percent over same month last year. The overall domestic sales in the month of April 2013 declined by (-) 0.34 percent over same month last year. The overall sales in Passenger Vehicles declined by (-) 8.21 percent in April 2013 over same month last year. Within the Passenger Vehicles, passenger cars and vans dropped by (-) 10.43 percent and (-) 13.42 percent respectively, while utility vehicles grew marginally by 3.99 percent in April 2013 compared to the same month last year. The overall Commercial Vehicles segment registered marginal growth of 0.75 percent in April 2013 as compared to the same month last year. Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) registered negative growth at (-) 6.66 percent and Light Commercial Vehicles grew at 4.81 percent.
Three Wheelers sales recorded growth of 7.19 percent in April 2013 over same month last year. Passenger Carriers and Goods Carriers grew by 7.24 percent and 7 percent respectively in April 2013 over April 2012.

Two Wheelers registered marginal growth of 0.95 percent in April 2013. Within the Two Wheelers mopeds and motorcycles declined by (-) 7.20 percent and (-) 2.06 percent respectively, while scooters grew by 14.72 percent in April 2013 over April 2012.
In the month of April 2013 overall automobile exports registered de-growth of (-) 9.14 percent. Passenger Vehicles, Commercial Vehicles and Three Wheelers grew by 10.81 percent 11.13 percent and 18.45 percent respectively while Two Wheelers dropped significantly by (-) 17.84 percent in April 2013 over April 2012.