Tata Motors Ltd’s global vehicle sales, including that of subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover, rose 13 per cent in August from a year earlier. The company sold 97,225 units during the month.
Cumulative sales for the financial year (April to August 2012) rose 11 per cent to 4.75 lakh vehicles, Tata Motors said in a statement.
Global sales of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) rose 13 per cent to 24,060 vehicles in August, while its cumulative sales for the fiscal were higher by 31 per cent to 1.34 lakh units.
Global sales of Jaguar during the month were 2,960 vehicles and cumulative sales were 18,798 vehicles, while Land Rover sales were 21,100 vehicles and cumulative sales 1.16 lakh vehicles, it said.
Global sales of commercial vehicles – Tata, Tata Daewoo and Tata Hispano Carrocera range — rose 4 per cent to 50,084 units in August, while cumulative sales for the fiscal were flat at 2.29 lakh.
Global sales of passenger vehicles rose 23 per cent to 47,141 units in August and cumulative sales for the fiscal rose 20 per cent to 2.47 lakh.
Global sales of Tata passenger vehicles were at 23,081 units for the month, higher by 35 per cent, over August 2011.
Tata Motors today said the recent steep diesel price hike is a matter of concern for transporters but termed the move as a significant part of the reform measures essential for the economy.
Transporters are very concerned; it is a large increase on a single day. But their ability to pass on the hike to their clients would depend on the market. If it remains the way it has been in the first half, it would be difficult,” Tata Motors executive director for commercial vehicles Ravi Pisharody told reporters after launching six new heavy trucks here.
Noting that there is a lot of competition in the transport business, he said it is the load factor that makes the industry viable.
He said that Tata Motors expects a 15-20 percent surge in its commercial vehicles sales in the second half over the first half and pointed out that traditionally the second half is stronger, particularly the last quarter
rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in