The automobile market seems to be taking a turn to the positive in the ongoing festive season, having remained in the negatives for a long time owing to a slowdown and then the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Manufacturers like Bajaj Auto and Suzuki have reported a substantial improvement. Bajaj Auto’s domestic sales rose by 11 percent from 2,42,516 units in October last year to 2,68,631 units in October this year.
Exports for Bajaj Auto improved by 29 percent, bringing its total sales to highest-ever 4,70,290 units which are up by 18 percent compared to the same month last year. (Pulsar brand recorded sales of over 1,70,000 units.)
Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd (SMIPL) recorded 76,865 unit sales in October 2020. Breaking last year’s festive record, SMIPL registered a 3% jump in October 2020 overall monthly sales as compared to the same month in the previous year. The company sold 67,225 units in the domestic market and exported 9,640 units in October 2020 amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Exports saw an increase of almost 15% as compared to October 2019.
After breaching the 5 lakh unit sales level in September, Honda’s total two-wheeler sales closed at a higher level of 527,180 units with a 2% growth over 517,845 units sold in October 2019. Honda’s domestic two-wheeler sales were up 1% to 494,459 units in October 2020, compared to the 487,819 units sold in the same month last year. Honda registered a 9% growth in exports to 32,721 units in October 2020 (compared to 30,026 units in October 2019).
TVS Motor Company sales grew by 22% registering 3,94,724 units in October 2020 as against 3,23,368 units in the month of October 2019. Total two-wheeler sales grew by 24% recording 382,121 units in October 2020 as against 308,161 units in October 2019. Domestic two-wheeler sales posted a growth of 19% registering 301,380 units in October 2020 as against 252,684 units in October 2019.
Motorcycle sales grew by 38% recording 173,263 units in October 2020 as against 125,660 units in October 2019. Scooter sales of the Company grew by 5% registering 127,138 units in October 2020 as against 121,437 units in October 2019.
Royal Enfield reported a 7 percent decline in total sales in October 2020 having sold 66,891 units compared to 71,964 units in October 2019. Of this, 62,858 units were sold in the domestic market, which compared to 67,538 units from October last year is a 7 percent decline.
