Passenger car sales up 21.80 percent in October: SIAM

New Delhi, Nov 10: Low interest and fuel costs supported by a pent up demand and new launches during the festive season gave a boost to the domestic passenger car sales last month.

The domestic passenger car sales grew by 21.80 percent, industry data showed on Tuesday.

According to data furnished by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), passenger car sales during October stood at 194,158 units against 159,408 units in the like month of the previous year.

The data revealed that the total passenger vehicle sales, which include cars, utility vehicles and vans, went up by 21.46 percent to 268,629 units from 221,163 units sold in October, 2014.

Furthermore, sales of utility vehicles rose by 20.82 percent to 58,120 units. The off-take of vans, increased by 19.79 percent to 16,351 units.

The industry data for last month showed a 12.73 percent growth in the overall commercial vehicles segment sales, which is a key indicator of economic activity.

The commercial vehicles segment off-take for October stood at 58,596 units from 51,978 units sold during the corresponding month of 2014.

On the other hand, sales of three-wheelers inched-up by 0.10 percent in the month under review at 52,361 units from 52,307 units sold in October of 2014.

Sales of the overall two-wheelers segment which includes off-take for scooters, motorcycles and mopeds augmented by 13.31 percent to 1,656,235 units from 1,461,712 units sold in the like month of 2014.

On-product specific basis, scooter segments’ sales in October rocketed by 36.80 percent at 525,138 units. Motorcycle segment reported a modest rise of 5.66 percent at 1,065,856 units.

However, moped segments’ sales slipped by 5.54 percent at 65,241 units during the period under review.

Similarly, overall exports across categories for the month under review was lower by 5.56 percent at 289,309 units sold abroad from 306,357 units shipped out during October, 2014.

Notwithstanding sales abroad, total automobile sales in October were higher by 13.91 percent at 2,035,821 units from 1,787,160 units sold in the corresponding month of 2014. (IANS)