Automobile companies seem to have ended 2012 on a dull note. Most players in the sector have reported a drop in sales in December 2012, year on year. Some of the reason cited for this are unfavourable economic conditions and high interest rates. A few players avoided sharing the monthly figures and gave numbers for the full calendar year (January-December 2012).
Among these were luxury car manufacturer Mercedes Benz India and two-wheeler maker India Yamaha Motor. The No 1 car-maker Maruti Suzuki will come out with the numbers on Thursday. The country’s largest exporter and second largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) sold 47,833 units in December, down 2.5 per cent (49,050 units in December 2011).
Depressed market
Similarly, Tata Motors’ total sales (including exports) of commercial and passenger vehicles in December were 65,582 units, down 20 per cent annually (82,279 units in December 2011).
General Motors India’s sales also fell to 7,067 vehicles, against 9,039 units sold in December 2011. “Despite offering various schemes on purchase of every car, the market continues to remain depressed on account of various negative factors including high interest rates and poor economic conditions,” P. Balendran, Vice-President, General Motors.
Commercial vehicles manufacturer Eicher recorded 20 per cent lower sales at 4,032 units in December compared to 5,051 units in December 2011.
Some companies did see some growth. Among these were Mahindra & Mahindra, Honda Cars and Ford Motor India.
Growth
Mahindra & Mahindra’s sales grew by six per cent at 45,297 units in December (42,761 units last December). This was because of new product line and being in a different category, SUVs.
Honda Cars India sold 4,242 units during the month against 1,072 units last December — mainly triggered by its new small car, Brio. Similarly, Ford Motor India also saw 42.2 per cent rise in total sales at 10,899 units (7,663 units in December 2011).
“As we head into 2013, we will continue to focus on providing products and services, with green, safe and smart attributes, that our customers want and value,” Joginder Singh, President and Managing Director, Ford India said.
Renault India clocked 5,924 units in December, compared with a few hundred units over the same month the previous year. Mercedes Benz, which shared only full-year figures, sold 7,138 units in 2012, down four per cent against 7,430 units in 2011.