Sales Of Commercial Vehicles Down Between April-October

Commercial vehicle sales continued its downward trend and fell by 9.1 per cent between April and October owing to negative performance by the medium and heavy vehicles (M&H) segment.

Overall, 77,890 vehicles were sold during the period as against 85,690 units sold a year ago, according to figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam).

Sales by the M&H segment, including Tata Engineering (Telco) and Ashok Leyland, dipped 20 per cent to 43,698 units during April-October from 54,790 units sold last year.

India's largest commercial vehicle maker, Telco sold 27,580 units in the review period, a fall of 25 per cent, against 36,708 units in the corresponding period of 1999-2000.

Leyland's sales also dropped 11 per cent to 16,042 vehicles from 18,010 units a year ago.

C K Birla group company, Hindustan Motors' sales went up to 76 units from 72 units sold last year.

Light commercial vehicles (LCV) sales, however, increased by 10.6 per cent during April-October as all the players except Bajaj Tempo reported positive growth in sales.

LCVs sales increased to 34,192 units during April-October from 30,900 units in the corresponding period last year.

Market leader Telco put back its poor performance in the M&H segment and posted a 11 per cent sales growth, selling 21,311 LCVs during April-October against 19,191 units in the same period a year ago.

Eicher Motors, which announced its entry into the M&H segment recently, sold 4,236 vehicles in the reference period, an increase of 25 per cent, compared to 3,399 units in the same period last year.

Mahindra and Mahindra posted a marginal 2 per cent growth in LCV sales at 3,826 units during April-October against 3,762 units in the corresponding period of 1999-2000.

Sales of Swaraj Mazda also increased by 41 per cent to 2,663 units in the reference period against 1,891 units in the previous year.

Ashok Leyland's LCV sales went up by 91 per cent to 244 units from 128 units sold during April-October 1999-2000.

However, sales of Bajaj Tempo declined 24 per cent to 1,912 units in the period under review from 2,529 units sold last year.