Maruti, Mahindra log solid sales growth in August

Car sales growth in India moved to top gear last month, with market leader Maruti clocking over 12 per cent and Hyundai, Mahindra, Toyota, Renault and Nissan posting strong numbers on good monsoon and onset of festive season.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said its domestic sales last month rose 12.3 per cent to 1,19,931 units, from 1,06,781 units in August 2015.
Its growth was mainly on the back of sales of utility vehicles, including newly-launched compact SUV Vitara Brezza, Ertiga and the S-Cross, which surged over two-fold to 16,806 units in August this year, from 7,836 in the same month last year.

Sales of mini segment cars, including Alto and WagonR, however, declined 5.8 per cent to 35,490 units compared with 37,665 in the year-ago month.
The company said sales of the compact segment comprising Swift, Estilo, Ritz, Dzire and Baleno went up by 9.9 per cent to 45,579 units in August this year as against 41,461 in the year-ago month.
Rival Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) sold 43,201 units in the domestic market last month as compared with 40,505 in August last year, a growth of 6.7 per cent.

Home-grown utility vehicle major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported 15 per cent increase in sales at 36,944 units last month compared with 32,122 in August 2015.

"The improved spread of monsoon as well as new product launches have helped the auto industry perform positively," M&M Chief Executive (auto division) Pravin Shah said.
"Coupled with this, the uncertainty surrounding diesel vehicles has been lifted by the honourable Supreme Court, giving the customer the choice to buy his preferred vehicle which will help improve sentiment, going forward."
Renault India reported its highest-ever monthly sales of 12,972 units in August, an over eight-fold jump from 1,527 units sold in same month of last year.
Ford India said its domestic sales rose 2.6 per cent to 8,548 units last month as against 8,331 in the same period a year ago.

Nissan Motor India posted a two-fold rise in domestic sales at 5,918 units in August compared with 2,809 a year earlier.
"This is the third straight month that Nissan Motor has sold over 5,000 vehicles in one month. Our robust performance continued in August, thanks to the strong sales of the Datsun redi-GO and its positive reception across India," Nissan India Operations President Guillaume Sicard said.
Homegrown utility vehicle major Mahindra & Mahindra saw
its domestic market growing by 7 per cent at 42,545 units last month as compared with 39,693 in September 2015.
Commenting on the sales performance, M&M Chief Executive (auto division) Pravin Shah said: "A good year and a normal spread of monsoon as well as new vehicle launches have helped the auto industry perform positively."

He further said: "We hope that the upcoming festive season brings in better demand due to improved sentiments."
Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) reported 18.77 per cent decline in domestic sales at 15,034 units in September.
"Honda's sales have been steadily growing during the past few months. Our enquiry levels have seen a significant increase since the beginning of this festive season and we are looking forward to continuing good sales momentum through October," HCIL President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno said.
In the two-wheeler segment, India Yamaha Motor posted 33 per cent increase in domestic sales to 89,423 units in September.

The two-wheeler maker had sold 67,267 units in the same month a year ago.
Niche bike maker Royal Enfield said its domestic sales surged 30 per cent to 56,958 units last month as against 43,741 units in the same month a year ago.