The September 2012 proved to be an obnoxious period for most of the automotive players operating in the Indian market, as a meagre growth of 0.6 per cent was recorded as compared to sales during the same month of last year.
As many as seven top Indian car companies suffered from nightmarish number of total vehicle sales during the September 2012, such as General Motors, Tata Motors, Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), Ford India and Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM). Only Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) Limited registered some growth during the September 2012.
The top gainer position went to M&M, as the Indian Utility Vehicle (UV) maker posted a whopping increase of 22.4 per cent in its vehicle sales during September 2012 in the domestic passenger car market. The company sold some 23,808 units during September 2012 as against sales of 19,447 vehicles in the same period last year. Evidently, it is the second instance in the ongoing fiscal 2012-2013, according to which M&M overtook Tata Motors in terms of monthly sales. Maruti Suzuki's sales increased by 12.7 per cent at 88,801 units in September 2012 as compared to 78,816 units sold during the same month in 2011. The country's largest passenger car maker seems on the right course towards another fantastic year in terms of sales.
Coming to the heaviest losers in Indian auto market for the month of September 2012, General Motors, Tata Motors and HMIL suffered the most losses. General Motors, the American multinational auto maker, suffered a sharp 28 per cent drop in its vehicle sales during September 2012 at 7,403 units as against 10,112 vehicles sold in the country's auto market in the same period last year. Tata Motors' too failed to inspire the Indian auto makers and suffered an 18 per cent dip in the sales witnessed during September 2012 at 21,652 vehicles, as compared to 26,319 units sold in the corresponding month of 2011.
The real shock came with the 14.2 per cent plunge in sales of HMIL, the country's largest exporter of passenger cars. The Korean auto giant could manage sales of just 30,851 vehicles in September 2012, under the review of 35,955 units sold in the same period of last year. The company has affirmed that it will not be bogged down with the September figures and will come stronger than ever during the upcoming festive months of the Indian passenger car market.
Considering the overall sales recorded during the September month, it is evident that with the exception of Maruti Suzuki and M&M, most of other automobile players will be pretty desperate for recuperating for the lost sales during the upcoming festivities. Thus, Indian car enthusiasts will see a variety of heavy discounts along with freebies during the October-December 2012 months, besides few car launches are in the offing as well.
