French auto maker Renault revealed its sales records in the Indian car market for the month of July 2013. According to statistics, the auto maker has increased its sales count by more than two-folds during the period as compared to the corresponding period in 2012. The French automobile sold 3763 vehicles in July 2013 in comparison to 1776 units sold in July 2012. This is being seen as a big achievement by industry experts in context to the kind of slowdown the market is experiencing.
Reportedly, the company officials have been overwhelmed by this response from the market, stating that these are promising signs for the future. Marc Nassif, the Managing Director of Renault India, was quoted as saying, “Renault has had a very eventful two years in India, achieving sales volumes, network reach and brand visibility comparable to players who have been present in the industry for more than a decade.”
Reports released by the company have shown the share all cars in Renault's total sales for July 2013. Out of the 3763 units sold by Renault, 3089 were accounted for the compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV Duster whereas Koleos, Fluence, Pulse and Scala, accounted for 1, 10, 292 and 371 units, respectively.
It is quite evident from statistics that the success of Duster has made a huge impact on Renault's position in the Indian car market. Acknowledging the same, Sumit Sawhney, the Executive Director for Sales and Marketing at Renault India, said, “Duster has played a crucial part not just in Renault's success in India, but also in spearheading the changing landscape of the Indian automotive industry."
Sawhney's statement explains a lot about the rise of the compact SUV segment. The Indian market, in general, has been facing a torrid time for the past few months. In times likes these, vehicles like Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport have carved a niche for themselves, performing beyond expectations for their respective manufacturers.
