Automobile sales during the current festival season are flat, according to Kenichiro Yomura, Chief Executive Officer, Nissan Motor India.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of a programme to raise awareness about road safety technologies in cars as part of the Nissan Safety Driving Forum here on Saturday, Yomura said the industry is pinning hopes on Diwali to boost sales.

He said Nissan sold about 13,000 units in the first half of the current fiscal. “We will cross the 37,000 units sold last year,” he added.

This is expected to be driven by new launches including the latest model, Terrano, and the the Datsun Go, expected to be launched early next year.

Asked whether the recent rupee fall resulted in any pricing pressure, the CEO said it did cause some concern as some parts of its flagship brand, Nissan Micro, are still imported.

The localisation level in Micra is about 80 per cent, he added.

>naga.gunturi@thehindu.co.in