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While both the Nano and the Indica have had their own challenges, a break-up of Tata Motors’ domestic sales numbers shows that the mid-size cars too have not really carried the day for the company in recent times. In 2011-12, the company sold only about half the number of Indigos/Manzas it sold the previous year. The trend is no better in the first five months of this year.
The company’s market share in this segment has come down drastically, from about 23 per cent in 2010-11 to about 4.7 per cent now. While it can be argued that the overall slowdown in the domestic auto industry could have impacted sales, the fact that the competition has taken the wind out of its sails cannot be ignored.
Refurbishment of existing models such as the Hyundai Verna and launches in the diesel segment such as the Skoda Rapid and Nissan Sunny have hit demand for the company’s vehicles in this segment.
Besides, at a time when utility vehicles are becoming the darlings of customers, their sales outpacing cars by several notches, sales of the Safari and the Sumo Grande have faltered too. In 2011-12, these two vehicles saw 17 per cent lower volumes than in 2010-11.
On the other hand, while Scorpio, Xylo, XUV 500 and Bolero, put together, witnessed a volume growth of 20 per cent, Innova’s volumes grew by 10 per cent. This trend has continued into this fiscal as well.
In addition, volumes of the Aria /Xenon have also shrunk in the first five months of this year when compared with the same period last year.
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