Maruti Suzuki posts 3.2 per cent growth in December 2012

Unfavourable market conditions have reflected on the country’s passenger car market leader’s sales charts. The company registered a growth of a mere 3.2 per cent in December 2012 over the corresponding period in 2011. 

Maruti Suzuki sold 95,145 units in December 2012 of which 13,072 units were exported, compared to 92,161 units sold in December 2011 of which 14,686 units were exported. 

This market slowdown had resulted in a dip in sales of 7.1 per cent in December 2011 over December 2010 when the company sold 99,225 units of which 9,956 were exported. 

All the segments include mini cars (M800, Alto, A-star, WagonR), compact cars (Swift, Estilo, Ritz), mid-size (SX4), executive (Kizashi), vans (Omni, Eeco) registered a drop in sales. Those that registered growth were the compact sedan (Swift Dzire) and the Utility Vehicle (Gypsy, Ertiga, Vitara) segments with growth of 42.3 per cent and 2188.7 per cent respectively. The UV segment’s staggering growth was boosted by the Ertiga MPV launched in April 2012. 

Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch the XA Alpha compact SUV at Rs 7 lakh by late 2013 in India. There is also talk of a sedan slotted between the Swift Dzire and SX4. 

Also read: Maruti Suzuki kicks off road safety campaign in Maharashtra