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Old 3rd June 2013, 22:58   #16
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

The US Dollar versus Rupee equation as GTO has rightly put it, will have a great impact on our passenger car market. The ones who import components will be the most hit. Exporters stand to gain. Indigenous car makers like M & M and Tata will be only watching the (sales) match series.
The Maruti DZire reaching # 1 is a surprise. Shows that India is really shining! Thats because most car buyers are preferring a car with a Rs 6.5 L plus price tag. It also has to do something with the vanished waiting lists and the Rs 5 K free accessories being offered by most dealers. Also the first four positions are occupied by MSIL. It has a very consumer specific product portfolio (the duds like A Star ( at 438 units sells less than Ambassadors ???? ), SX 4, Estilo, Vitara and Kizashi notwithstanding). After all, in most families, all members don't earn.
Hyundai has also got its usual slots, with its winners in the Top 20. HMIL also has some duds like the Sonata (20 units), Santa Fe (50 units) and now the Accent ( 10 units ).
The secrets of the # 1 and # 2 car makers are their product portfolio and the consumer centric marketing and after sales service.
Mahindra has its Bolero at # 5 doing well as ever and the Scorpio at # 11 has emerged with 5165 units sold for the first time. The much hyped XUV 500 has sold only 2144 units. Once most sought after with waiting lists and unofficial premiums till mid 2012, 2013 has proved otherwise. We won't be surprised if the present XUV's resale for less than Scorpios in the second hand car market. The Quanto and Xylo at 1279 and 1719 units sold show that everything that M & M touches does not turn into GOLD ! The story was different till two/three years ago.
The sales chart amply proves the fact that for each car maker to stay afloat, each company's product portfolio needs to have one or more winners, rather bread winners. The Chevrolet Enjoy, Honda Amaze (also its City) and Renault Duster are among the bread winners for their companies.Ironically, the Brio sales at 2010 are exactly one third of the Amaze sales.
Unfortunately, Tata Motors, Skoda, Ford (the Figo is OK, but the EcoSport is expected to revive its fortunes),Nissan and Fiat do not have any such bread winners as of now.And HM Mitsubishi is at the base. It depends on the 55 year old Amby to keep it afloat. That shows how a senior citizen slogs out and earns the bread for the family of younger members.
And Ambassador has launched its 1500 DSL engine's, BS IV version on 25/05/2013 to pre-date the W.B. Govt deadline of 27/05/2013 for the BS III compliant diesel. Hence, taxi sales in Kolkata are again expected to keep the ol' Amby sales going.
The new sub 4000 mm Verito is expected by 5/06/2013 and let us see how it fares in our market?

Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 3rd June 2013 at 23:12.
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Old 3rd June 2013, 23:22   #17
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

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Originally Posted by KiloAlpha View Post
I am seriously shocked at Tata's numbers. Does the dealer stock consolidation continue, and hence contribute to their really low numbers?
More like company stock consolidation as dealers continue to operate with near identical stocks due to their retail scheme structure.

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If there is one mass manufacturer who can guarantee exclusivity, look no further than Tata. Whether you buy the cheapest (Nano) or their most expensive (Aria) vehicle, you are guaranteed exclusivity .
It's not the kind of exclusivity you would like.
Personally, Aria is a great vehicle which has lost just because of extremely poor parts quality and pathetic marketing efforts.

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- Maruti diverting all its energy in pushing Dzire to show people who the king still is? The other way of looking at it - Maruti for the first time getting threatened from competition, mainly Amaze
Amaze is a great vehicle but it will take time to ramp up the production of this vehicle and also the loyalty factor will continue to spur Dzire sales.

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- Ertiga sees its lowest sale in recent months? Enjoy effect - Enjoy selling nearly 50% of Ertiga.
Only a minor aberration. Most of these Chevy Enjoy numbers are dealer billings (display vehicles, demo vehicles, initial stocks). Additionally, Ertiga is bound to feel the heat as SUV/MUV segment is hotting up with slew of launches.

Quote:
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- Duster is surely eating into XUV number.
XUV has suffered its own downfall due to less than acceptable service support for the price segment.

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- Tata Aria selling in single digits. Let's wait for refreshed models to be launched this month. Is refreshed models different from facelift ones?
Once a dud, it is very difficult to revive and Aria is a massive, massive dud! It now just has a tag of being a dud which is every difficult to erase.

Last edited by akhilesh51 : 3rd June 2013 at 23:26.
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Old 3rd June 2013, 23:38   #18
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

1] Maruti knows its customers like the back of its hand and it shows in its numbers. It occupies the top 4 spots for the month of May.

2] Hyundai is still milking the Santro which continues to clock around 4k figures. The up coming i15 with its diesel variant is the lifeline Hyundai is desperately looking for. i10 is selling consistently around the 8k mark. People say it is due to the lack of diesel variant, but what about the Wagon R, which consistently manages to clock around 13-14k per month. Eon too is doing around 8k per month which is good in its own right but when compared to the alto[16k] it is long way off. A three cylinder engine is holding back this nice little product from fulfilling its potential imo. Elantra i20 and Verna as usual have performed in an exemplary manner yet again.

3] Tata needs to do some serious soul searching as it looks like it is on the verge of being literally blown away by the competition. Poor branding , product differentiation, poor after sales, absurd pricing of products like Aria and products which are at their end of their life [ Indica, Indigo] have taken a massive toll on Tata's sales figures.

4] Beat with both petrol and diesel options put together has sold only 1500 units in May. People may say how the diesel is drivable and fuel efficient yet why this isn't reflecting in sales figures? The reason being India is a country where most people cannot afford two cars, one each for city and highway use. By spending a little more people have options like Figo and Ritz which are much more practical for highway use as well as city use, offer more space and 4 cylinder engines. spark is dead so no point reviving it. Sail and Sedan are doing around 2k units each which is fairly respectable. I believe Enjoy courtesy of its pricing will do decently in Indian Market.

5] Toyota's idea of launching dated looking cars like Etios and Liva has backfired massively as the competition offers much more rounded, equipped and better looking options at a lesser price point.

6] Ford needs to learn from the mistake it committed with the pricing of New Fiesta which is a fantastic product ruined by poor pricing. They need to be agressive with the pricing of Ecosport to take the competition to Renault's competent Duster.

7] I am happy to see Quanto not having been well recieved by the Indian Market. How on earth Mahindra though they could get way with such a ill proportioned hideous design is beyond me. Scorpio despite age manages to beat Duster in May which is nothing short of outstanding. XUV may have sold only 2k units in may but that is a good number for a car priced around 15 lakh. Bolero is ruling the roost in its segment.
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Old 4th June 2013, 06:28   #19
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

"It must be a foul mood over at Toyota's HQ. ... The Liva & Etios remain laggards for the Japanese giant. .... "

Even more worrisome for Toyota is that their worldwide fellow competitor Honda have surpassed them in the Indian market a psychologically challenging situation in a long term growth market !! There may be a period of up-down - but catching up medium to long term with their current and future ? model portfolio vis-a-vis Honda's future line-up is going to prove increasingly difficult.

Last edited by hubolt : 4th June 2013 at 06:40. Reason: completing the thought
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Old 4th June 2013, 07:13   #20
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

Going through the report, it matches the mood in the market and economy in general. One of the brightest spot on the report is Honda, Amaze is really amazing. Last month i dropped by the Honda showroom next to my office and the usually empty showroom had decent number of visitors, in my earlier visits someone i know in the showroom would immediately assign an SA, whereas this time she came and apologized and asked if i would be fine to wait for a few min.

Resurgence of Honda does give me a smile, for more reasons than one. It sort of reiterates the benefits of providing value for money choices to customers. Not too long ago Honda was the struggling guy in the group. For other manufacturers its a lesson (read esp Toyota).

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Old 4th June 2013, 08:12   #21
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

This is quite interesting. At the time of diminishing sales, the D1 sedans across all brands (except for the Cruze) are doing really well, compared to the previous month. Good to see the Laura doing 300+ units. This probably will fast track the arrival of the new Octavia.

In the D2 sedan space, it’s literally a VAG show!
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Old 4th June 2013, 08:38   #22
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

Excellent post and analysis, must say...

I just had a query, pardon for lack of my knowledge...

Why is Bolero soo high in sales numbers ? Is it only the rural dominance of the vehicle or something else ?

Appreciate BHPians feedback on same to increase my knowledge.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 4th June 2013, 08:49   #23
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

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Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
This is quite interesting. At the time of diminishing sales, the D1 sedans across all brands (except for the Cruze) are doing really well, compared to the previous month. Good to see the Laura doing 300+ units. This probably will fast track the arrival of the new Octavia.
I sincerely hope as GTO mentioned, Skoda just does not keep hopping to the next product (new Octavia) and provide the cavalier attitude to the current ones (Rapid). Its so glaring a gap which is not just prevalent in automobile industry alone. Without closing on product engineering loop of a previous/current generation product, the next generation marches arrives in and swallows the current/previous generation product. Hopefully the stand that intend to take (improve focus on customer service) should yield some results.

Last edited by ampere : 4th June 2013 at 08:51.
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:03   #24
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

The profitability on the DZire when compared to the Swift should be big. First of all, the list price of the DZire is high and secondly, the cost of production and manufacturing time of the DZire should be low compared to the Swift.

But MSIL was shipping more volumes on the Swift platform a few months back. So, it will be a worry. It looks like a bad market affects the volume movers more than the ones in higher segments. The drop in sales of Alto is quite alarming.

One car which surprises me with very consistent performance is the Verna. There is just no stopping it.

And I am very glad to see the story evolving at both Honda and Toyota. The change in philosophy with Brio/ Amaze and Etios/ Liva is staggering and couldn't be more different. Honda clearly worked hard to bring their latest and most advanced at a competitive price and Toyota took the easy way out. They thought the T badge and a lot of chrome will make the mark and the Indian market has not been so accommodating. Well done!

Also, hoping Nissan will get their 'Duster' soon. We need someone to keep Renault on their toes.

@ GTO, any idea on the monthly production capacity for the EcoSport? June should be exciting.
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:07   #25
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

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Movers & Shakers

I hope the new Laura (expected soon) doesn't distract them from this top priority task.
Thanks for another great report. As always, we read it with keen interest. Truly appreciate all the hard work.

One question. You mention new Laura in the thread. Did you mean Laura or Octavia?
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:09   #26
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

Thanks GTO for the awesome post and details!

XUV mania is clearly dying down with what was once a VFM car now being looked upon as expensive and having niggles. I am really curious as to how many sales Duster has taken away from XUV. I know they are not the same size or space or price – but maybe its just SUV buyers looking for a refined and reliable car in 10-15L range and many people feel the car like Duster is right up there! Another fall is Ertiga – I guess Enjoy could be stealing some customers from it.

Why don't Maruti just kill their long term duds - A-Star, Estilo and SX4? They all are selling under 1000 for a long time now. SX4 is particularly sad - despite having a diesel option, it sold a meagre 500 units this month. And I am not even talking about Kisazhi and GV.

New Fiesta sells in two digits. Ford deserves full credits for making this their biggest flop ever. Hope they learn and price Ecosport like it should be. It is a car with great potential.

Honda should be exuberant. With production ramped up, I don't think its far that they hit 10K numbers for Amaze.
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:23   #27
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

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I sincerely hope as GTO mentioned, Skoda just does not keep hopping to the next product (new Octavia) and provide the cavalier attitude to the current ones (Rapid). Its so glaring a gap which is not just prevalent in automobile industry alone. Without closing on product engineering loop of a previous/current generation product, the next generation marches arrives in and swallows the current/previous generation product. Hopefully the stand that intend to take (improve focus on customer service) should yield some results.
I agree. But in my opinion, they need something special to revitalize the brand. What they have in hand right now as the main model (Rapid) is just a rebadged VW, and any improvement on that probably will depend on the update plans of the Vento.

I feel they should focus on getting it right with their brand of cars, and bring back the brand identity. The Fabia did not take off at all, the Yeti despite of being a brilliant product, did not really fall into the perceived VFM slot, and all they have in hand is the Superb (which is doing well in its segment, but not really a volume generator). And now, it’s almost like starting from the scratch. Outside the Rapid, their current best seller (Laura) is a 9 year old product. The new Octavia (along with the facelifted Superb) should be a step in the right direction to bring some of their own engineering into the fore.
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:36   #28
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

GTO and others,

Thanks a lot for the most awaited thread of the month. I use the figures and the charts as benchmark during discussions.

Tatas are going from bad to worse with their figures, unless something interesting happens they will find themselves relegated to few ranks below. Honda purely banking on the Amaze, it wait n watch till the euphoria dies down and the owners come out with the list of issues. Sail Uva a wonderful hatchback has been purely let down by bad Chevrolet pricing.

Inspite of the diesel deregulation the ratio of diesel cars vs petrol cars sold is substantially higher.
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:39   #29
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

Really good going Honda!!!!!

I really hope Honda launches a Brio Diesel soon. The battle between a Hyundai Small diesel car, Wagon-R diesel and Brio will be interesting to watch.

Brio diesel is an ideal car for someone who drives to office in a city like Mumbai / Bangalore. Plus the Fuel economy will be AMAZ-ing!!!
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:48   #30
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Re: May 2013 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis

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First of all, the list price of the DZire is high and secondly, the cost of production and manufacturing time of the DZire should be low compared to the Swift.
Why would this be? i.e. why would cost of prod and manufacturing time of DZire be less than Swift?
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