Carmakers book a date, time their price hike announcement to lure customers

It is interesting that companies are talking of a price hike at a time when steep discounts are being offered on most of the vehicles and there is no waiting period in most cases

There is an extraordinary eagerness among carmakers to announce a price hike that may be effective five weeks later, from the next calendar year. Mahindra & Mahindra announced a hike of up to Rs 40,000 on the Marazzo multi-purpose vehicle forty- five days in advance.

Luxury car maker BMW made announcement of a price hike forty days in advance. The company wants to effect a hike of up to four per cent from January. It has been customary for carmakers to hike price from January every year to pass on the cumulative cost push. The past announcements of this hike