Indian auto industry breaks records: 363,733 cars and SUVs sold in September
In percentage terms, sales rose by a modest 2% during the month, hemmed in by a high year-earlier base which saw robust post-pandemic pent-up demand. Companies mostly report wholesale dispatches from plants to dealerships and not retail sales to customers.
While demand for sport-utility vehicles remained robust amid a spate of new launches, there continued to be some pressure on sales on entry-level cars. Senior industry executives, however, are optimistic that the demand momentum will sustain and lift sales across segments this festive season.
Shashank Srivastava, senior executive officer (marketing and sales) at market leader Maruti Suzuki said monthly sales of passenger vehicles reported the best-ever performance for the ninth straight month in September.
Half yearly sales too crossed the two-million mark for the first time as consumer demand remained buoyant.
“Three factors supported dispatches. The festive season has started off well with Onam in Kerala and Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra. Bookings and enquiries remain healthy.
With semiconductor shortage easing, automakers have also been able to ramp up production and build stocks for deliveries during Dussehra and Diwali,” Srivastava said.
The Suzuki Motor Corp. unit sold 150,812 units last month, a 1.6% rise from 148,380 vehicles sold a year earlier.
