- CV sales at 17,373 nos., reverses decline since October 2008
- PV sales at 18,331 nos., highest since May 2008
- Indica sales at 11,433 nos., highest this fiscal
Tata Motors’ domestic sales for the month of January 2009 were 35,704 nos., the highest in the last 3 months. Domestic commercial vehicle sales at 17,373 nos. were the highest since October 2008, while domestic passenger vehicle sales at 18,331 nos. were the highest since May 2008. The company’s total sales (including exports) were 36,931 vehicles, also highest in the last 3 months.
Faint signals of the impact of the financial stimulus announced by the Government, particularly for commercial vehicles, is being noticed. However, the automobile market continues to be under the grips of a credit squeeze and high interest rates. As a result, January 2009 domestic sales nos. were 30% lower than that of January 2008. Cumulative sales (including exports) for the company were 400,260 nos., about 13% lower than the corresponding period in the last fiscal.
Commercial Vehicles
The company’s sales of commercial vehicles in January 2009 in the domestic market were 17,373 nos., higher than that in November 2008 and December 2008. However, it was 43% lower than 30,530 vehicles sold in January last year. M&HCV sales at 5,811 nos., was highest in the last 3 months, but 63% lower than January 2008. LCV sales at 11,562 nos., was also highest in the last 3 months, but 22% lower than January 2008.
Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 212,552 nos., a decline of 14% over 246,050 nos. last year. Cumulative M&HCV sales stood at 92,531 nos., a decline of 28% over last year, while LCV sales for the fiscal were 120,021 nos., a growth of 2% over last year.
Passenger Vehicles
The company’s sales of passenger vehicles in January 2009 in the domestic market at 18,331 nos. were the highest this fiscal since May 2008, 86% up over December 2008 but 9% lower than 20,119 vehicles sold in January last year. The January 2009 sales maintain the upward trajectory in sales since August 2008 when the Indica Vista was launched, except for the seasonal dip in November and December. The Indica range sales at 11,433 nos. were the highest this fiscal, but 7.5% lower than January 2008. The Indigo range sales of 3,973 nos. were 37% higher than January 2008. The Sumo and Safari accounted for sales of 2,925 nos., 40% lower than January 2008 owing to disruption of supplies from a key vendor.
The company started distributing the Fiat Linea at the joint Tata-Fiat dealerships to an overwhelming response from the market. The company distributes the Linea along with the Fiat Palio and the Fiat 500.
Cumulative sales of passenger vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 157,415 nos., a decline of 8% over 171,255 nos. in the same period last year. Cumulative sales of the Indica range at 86,260 nos., reported a reducing decline of 23%. Cumulative sales of the Indigo family were 40,405 nos., a growth of 76%. Cumulative sales of Sumo and Safari at 30,750 nos. declined by 14%.
Exports
The company’s sales from exports at 1,227 vehicles in January 2009 declined by 70% compared to 4,147 vehicles in January 2008. The cumulative sales from exports for the fiscal at 30,293 nos. declined by 32% over 44,410 nos. in the same period last year.
