November PV Retail Sales Drop to 3.30 lakh units

Retail sales of passenger vehicles (PV) dropped to about 3.30 lakh units in November as compared to 3.80-lakh units in the same month last year.

Wholesale numbers surged to 3.50-lakh units in November as compared to 3,35,954 units in the corresponding month, a year ago, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Sales and Marketing, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) told businessline.

Several factors including upbeat rural demand, wedding season, increased SUV sales and continued festive momentum helped in driving the sales.

Banerjee added, “Rural penetration now stands at 48.7 per cent in November. It has increased about 2.2 per cent from the same month last year. Rural penetration from April to November this year stands at 48.8 per cent. For December, network stock is very much in control and we are keeping one-month’s stock…with some customers there even to buy in December and not waiting for purchase in January-February, I think we are prepared for the month of December.”

On the wholesale front, Maruti Suzuki reported sales of 1,41,312 units in November as compared to 1,34,158 units in the same period a year ago. Tata Motors grew by only 2% in the same month at 47,063 units as compared to 46,068 units in November last year.

Surprisingly, Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), which is India’s second largest PV manufacturer posted a drop of 2.4% y-o-y to 48,246 units in November against 49,451 units in the corresponding month a year ago. Additionally, the share of SUVs in the company’s portfolio increased to 68.8% of its domestic sales.

Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer, HMIL said, “We also bolstered HMIL’s presence in the hinterland of India, by achieving highest ever monthly rural contribution of 22.1 per cent in November. Our innovative Hy-CNG technology continues to strengthen HMIL’s CNG sales, with a 14.4 per cent contribution in November.”

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) clocked wholesales of 25,586 units in November as compared to 17,818 units in the same month last year, a surge of 44%.

In the two-wheeler section, Hero MotoCorp posted a decline of 7.66% at 4,39,777 units in November on a y-o-y basis. Both TVS Motor Company and Suzuki Motorcycle clocked a growth of single digit on a y-o-y basis. Meanwhile, Royal Enfield reported a drop of 4% on a YoY basis.