The country’s largest passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has seen its passenger car sales inch up by 3.4 per cent during 2013-14 financial year though its total sales, including exports, declined 1.4 per cent during 2013-14 FY compared to the previous fiscal.
The company has recorded a 6.4 per cent drop in passenger car sales during March 2014 and its total sales fell 5.5 per cent (domestic+ exports) in March this year compared to the same month last year.
Maruti witnessed a drop of 11 per cent in sales in the mini segment to 40,085 units last month against 45,047 units in March 2013 with four models in this segment-M800, Alto, A-Star and WagonR.
However, its compact segment sales, where it has Swift, Estilo, Ritz and Celerio models, jumped 9.3 per cent to 28,285 units (25,868 units).
Super compact car Dzire sales were down 14.1 per cent to 17, 237 vehicles from 20,078 vehicles in March 2013 and midsize SX4 sales were down 54.5 per cent to 411 units during last month (903 units).
Total passenger car sales were down 6.4 per cent to 86,018 units in March this year from 91,896 units in the same month last year.
Domestic, export sales
Maruti reported domestic sales of 1,02,269 units during March, a decline of 5.2 per cent compared with 1,07,890 units in the same month last year.
Exports also declined by eight per cent to 11,081 units in March against 12,047 units in the corresponding month last year, a company statement said.
Total sales (domestic and export) were down 5.5 per cent to 1,13,350 units in March this year (1,19,937 units).
Full-year sales
For the full year (2013-14 FY), the company sold 8,90,455 passenger cars, up by 3.4 per cent from 8,61,337 cars sold during the previous fiscal (2012-13 ).
Total domestic sales at 10,53,689 units after taking into account sales of utility vehicles and vans that declined, marked a 0.3 per cent increase over the previous fiscal’s 10,51,046 units.
Export sales were down 15.8 per cent to 1,01,352 units (1,20,388 units) and the total sales, including exports, declined marginally 1.4 per cent to 11,55,041 units in 2013-14 FY from 11,71,434 units in the previous fiscal.
The year was notable for Maruti because of phasing out of its iconic M800 model. The company also launched WagonR Stingray and Celerio, the latter with the auto gear shift.
Shares of Maruti were trading at ₹ 1945.40, down by ₹ 26, on the BSE.