Car market leader Maruti Udyog Ltd has reported a 9.5 per cent rise in sales in August this year at 46,509 units against 42,480 units in the same month last year, despite a slight slowdown in exports.
The decline in the numbers of the 'M800' model, however, continued with sales dropping 18.7 per cent to 7,084 units from 8,713 units in August 2004.
Domestic sales grew by a strong 10.8 per cent to 41,717 units in August this year from 37,660 units in the same month last year.
Exports for Maruti in August were down 0.6 per cent to 4,792 units from 4,820 units in the same month last year.
Maruti's sales in the first five months of the fiscal were almost flat, growing only 1.7 per cent to 213,131 units against 209,523 units in the same period last year.
This was primarily due to a massive 21.7 per cent decline in export numbers to 15,888 units from 20,304 units in first five months of last year.
Also contributing to the flat sales was the fall in numbers of 'M800' which dropped 34.6 per cent to 32,791 units compared to 50,141 units in the corresponding period last fiscal.
In the month of August, the company saw an impressive 26.8 per cent growth in the A2 segment -- where it sells models like Zen, Wagon R, Alto and Swift. It sold a total of 26,558 units against 20,950 units in the same month last year.
Combined sales of the 'Omni' and 'Versa' models was almost flat to 5,402 units in August this fiscal against 5,389 units in the same month last year.
Sales growth in the mid-size category, where the company sells 'Esteem' and 'Baleno' models, was also marginal to 2,475 units from 2,472 units in August '04.
However, sales of the 'Gypsy' and 'Vitara' models were up 45.6 per cent to 198 units against 136 units last year.
