Domestic car sales continued to go downhill for the second consecutive month in almost three years with August sales declining by 4.36 per cent, although motorcycles cruised with 15.9 per cent growth.
According to the figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, domestic passenger car sales in August stood at 94,584 units as against 98,893 units in the same month last year.
The dip in sales is mainly on account of Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Motors registering negative growths, despite Hyundai Motor India Ltd-- the other member of the big three of Indian automart--clocking impressive numbers.
MSI had decline of 10.07 per cent in August at 46,811 units as against 52,055 units in the same month last year.
Tata Motors had also a dip of 10.10 per cent at 12,216 units as compared to 13,588 units in the same month August last year.
HMIL on the other hand, riding on the back of its new hatchback i10, managed an impressive growth of 34.08 per cent at 21,607 units as against 16,115 units in the same month last year, SIAM said.
Industry experts pointed out the decline in domestic sales was on the expected lines after July performance as the car market has not yet come to terms with the financing crunch and high interest rates.
With festive season round the corner and new launches expected, sales are likely to improve in the coming months, they said.
Motorcycles sales, however, were on a different tangent with sales picking up by 15.9 per cent at 4,85,294 units as against 4,18,702 units in the corresponding month a year ago.
Market leader Hero Honda almost single handedly pulled up bike sales with a 28.53 per cent jump at 2,84,752 units in August as against 2,21,541 units in the same month last year.
Rival Bajaj Auto had a sales of 1,16,887 units in August as compared to 1,21,369 units in the corresponding month last year, down 3.69 per cent.
Chennai-based TVS Motor Co also had a marginal decline at 36,092 units as against 36,138 in the same month last year.
Scooter sales during the month grew by 5.82 per cent at 96,461 units as against 91,158 units in the same month last year, SIAM said.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India had a growth of 3.88 per cent at 53,108 units as against 51,122 units in the same month last year.
TVS Motor's scooter sales were down by 2.72 per cent at 23,002 units as against 23,644 units last year. Hero Honda's scooter sales were up by 6.57 per cent at 12,052 units as against 11,309 units last year.
Three-wheeler sales during August were down by 3.19 per cent at 31,920 units as compared with 32,973 units in the corresponding month last year.
SIAM said commercial vehicle sales during the month dipped by 6.34 per cent to 34,294 units, compared with 36,615 units in the year-ago period.
Light commercial vehicle sales during the month were up 3.77 per cent at 17,615 units as compared with 16,975 in the same month last year.
Medium and Heavy Commercial vehicle sales in August were down by 15.08 per cent at 16,679 units as against 19,640 units last year.
Total vehicle sales in the domestic market were up by 9.61 per cent at 8,09,889 units as against 738,861 units in August last year, SIAM said.