The country’s largest car-maker, Maruti Suzuki India, produced lesser cars in September at 92,140 units compared to the same month last year as conditions in the Indian auto market remained challenging.
The company, which produced 92,653 units in September 2012, however, had sold more cars this year in the same month.
The reduction in production in September was mainly on account of the company cutting the output of utility vehicles, comprising the Gypsy and Ertiga, which stood at 1,807 units as compared to 7,347 units a year earlier, down four-fold.
MSI produced 8,962 units of Eeco and Omni vans last month as against 14,209 units in the same month in 2012, down 36.92 per cent, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a filing with the BSE.
The company, however, said production in the mini compact segment comprising Alto, A Star and Wagon R rose by 12.47 per cent to 48,128 units as against 42,789 units in the same month last year.
The compact segment, comprising Ritz, Swift and Estilo, saw a 16.55 increase in output to 18,474 units from 15,850 vehicles manufactured a year earlier.
In the sedan segment, comprising Dzire and SX4, MSI produced 14,769 units compared with 12,458 units.
The company’s total sales in September registered a 11.7 per cent increase to 1,04,964 units as against 93,988 units in the same month last year.
Domestic sales grew 1.8 per cent during the month to 90,399 units from 88,801 units in September last year.
The Indian car market snapped a nine-month streak of decline in August with domestic passenger car sales posting a growth of 15.37 per cent to 1,33,486 units, compared to 1,15,705 units in the same month last year.