Indian carmakers enjoy considerable jump in year-end sales
Strong demand for fuel-efficient diesel models helped Indian auto makers shun slowdown in the market in the final month of 20011.
Mumbai-based Tata Motors sold 28,916 cars in December 2011, 47 per cent up from 19,699 units sold in the corresponding period of previous year.
Sales of Tata Nano jumped 29 per cent to 7,466 units, while Indica sales climbed 57 per cent to settle at 9,307 units. Total sales including trucks and buses climbed 22 per cent to 82,278 units in December 2011 over December
2010.
Utility-vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra enjoyed an increase of 26 per cent in sales. It sold 42,761 units in December 2011, up from 34,062 units in December last year.
Japanese carmaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor saw its sales climbing more than double, from 6,362 units in December 2010 to 15, 948 units in December 2011. Speaking on the topic, Deputy managing director Sandeep Singh said, "The past year has seen good sales despite challenging market conditions and unforeseen and unfortunate occurrence of Tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand."
German car manufacturer Volkswagen sold 78,408 cars during full 2011, recording an increase of 140 per cent compared with 32,627 units sold in the previous year.
Year-end discounts on the old and new models also provided a much-needed boost to car sales.
