Car sales restrained and two wheelers follow suit in January

This year, Auto sales in January moderated after high numbers last year with leading car-makers, including Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors reporting sales growth rate in mid-teens, while that of Hyundai declined.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s biggest car maker reported a 14.73 per cent hike in sales during January, 2011, to 1, 09,743 units. Tata Motors said its January sales grew 15 per cent at 75,423 units from the same month previous year.

In contrast, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) reported a 17.7 per cent turn down in January sales at 43,316 units, compared to 52,628 units in the same month last year.

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Pawan Goenka said the high growth rate of 30 per cent was unsustainable considering the changing economic environment.

“The impact of RBI’s recent hike in key rates will be felt and commodity prices continue to be a concern,” Mr. Goenka said, adding the sales growth expectation for the next fiscal is around 15-18 per cent.

Hero Honda, the two-wheeler maker recently reported sales of 4, 66,524 units for January, 2011 registering a shoot of 19.68 per cent over the same month previous year.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) posted an 8.89 per cent raise in overall sales at 1, 29,110 units in January 2011. Chennai-based TVS Motor Co, though, reported 29 per cent in January, 2011, to 161,725 units during the month.