Astra, Escort Gain As Esteem Loses Share
The market share of Esteem, Marutis mid-size car, fell sharply in 1997 to 37.9 per cent from 49 per cent last year, while the entire mid-size segment fell 3.34 per cent to 50,280 cars.
Daewoos Cielo also fell with General Motors Opel Astra overtaking it. Mahindra Fords Ford Escort rose on buoyant demand. Cielos market share fell to 20.4 per cent from 36.8 per cent in 1996, while Opel Astra climbed to 20.5 per cent from 7.7 per cent. Escort touched 16 per cent from 2.0 per cent.
The fall in Esteem and Cielo sales and the simultaneous rise in Astra and Escort sales implies that the two American companies are giving the Indian and Korean majors a run for their money. They have managed to eat into the market share of Esteem and Cielo, despite a sluggish market when demand actually fell.
Maruti Esteem, which commanded almost half the market last year, has seen its share of the pie fall from 49 per cent to 37.9 per cent. Cielo, too, has had a similar experience, with its market share falling from 36.8 per cent to 20.4 per cent.
While Peugeot 309 has gained from 4.4 per cent to 5.2 per cent, its fate hangs in balance with disputes raging between promoters over how to revive the company. In 1996, General Motors sold 4,028 cars, which rose to 10,319 in 1997, just nosing ahead of Daewoo with 10,257 cars. Mahindra Ford sold 8,053 cars from 1,054 cars last year.
However, most of Astras gains were in the initial part of the year. From October, sales started slipping. Estimated figures for December show that Astra sold 300 cars against 322 cars in November, 759 cars in October and 1,101 cars in September.
The battle for the mid-size segment has turned out to be a keenly contested one and there is more in store in 1998 when Mitsubishi rolls out its Lancer and Honda its City.
The other major player Pal-Peugeot has more or less bowed out of the market thanks to the internecine quarrel between its promoters. Maruti has just revamped its Esteem model and is geared up to face a fresh onslaught in 1998 to take on its rivals.Maruti Esteem, which commanded almost half the market last year, has seen its share of the pie fall from 49 per cent to 37.9 per cent