Auto cos end 2009 on a high note

Leading auto makers managed to beat the year-end blues posting impressive sales growth in December, ending year 2009 on a high note.

Auto makers such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, General Motors and Hero Honda today reported high double-digit sales growth in December, the month when sales are generally low as customers stay away from new buys to avoid losing out on re-sale when the year of manufacture comes into play.

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India's domestic sales witnessed a jump of 36.5 per cent at 71,000 units against 52,029 units in the year-ago month.

Rival and the country's second-largest carmaker Hyundai Motor India's domestic sales during December surged 42.62 per cent at 22,252 units, against 15,602 units in the same month in 2008.

Homegrown auto major M&M said its local sales in December 2009 grew by over twofold to 22,754 units from 10,253 units in the same month previous year.

Another carmaker General Motors India's sales also rose by over twofold last month at 8,258 units, against 4,041 units in December 2008, making it the highest-ever monthly sales in the 13 years of its operations in India.

Luxury car maker Skoda Auto reported a 52.05 per cent growth in its sales during December last year at 1,113 units compared with 732 units in the corresponding month previous year.

In the two-wheeler segment, India's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda Motors reported 74.05 per cent jump in its sales in December 2009 at 3,75,838 units, against 2,15,931 units in the same month a year ago.