Domestic passenger cars sales rose 1.39 per cent to 1.60 lakh units in February, compared with 1.58 lakh units in the corresponding month last year, showing a positive trend after a few months of negativity. An excise duty cut and the Auto Expo created a positive sentiment.
Total two-wheelers sales also went up 9.69 per cent to 12.20 lakh units against 11.12 lakh units in February 2013, according to the monthly report released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
While scooter sales were up 28 per cent to 3.11 lakh units in February against 2.43 lakh units (2013), motorcycles sales rose 5.39 per cent to 8.43 lakh units from 8 lakh a year ago. However, it is too early to predict a positive trend, as the market is still dicey, the auto industry body said.
“It will take some more time to see if the negative trends have reversed. We are getting feedback from companies that footfalls have increased,” Vishnu Mathur, Director-General of SIAM, told reporters here.
Meanwhile, commercial vehicles are still in the negative zone. Total commercial vehicle sales declined 30 per cent to 47,982 units in the month compared with 68,388 units in February 2013, the latest data said.
Total light commercial vehicles’ sales were also down 32.54 per cent to 31,610 units during the month, against 46,858 units in the year-ago period.
Three-wheelers sales were also down 14 per cent on a year-on-year basis.