[GTO]

NOTES:

1: Only cars that sell 500+ units (and thus, the relevant ones) have been included in the gainers & losers chart.

2: A big shout-out to Parrys for preparing these beautiful charts & graphs!

[GTO]

Movers & Shakers

It's a slow market out there. At 1.93 lakh cumulative shipments, May 2013 moved the least cars in the calendar year thus far. There are a few bright spots, but they are far & few between. Also not helping the cause is the weak rupee that negatively impacts auto makers with a high import content. If you're in the market though, the timing couldn't have been better. It's the season of deals & discounts! May was also an interesting month where the domestic brands & Korean have the same market share (17%), as do the Americans & European (7%).

In what is a rare development, we have a car besides the Maruti 800 / Alto on top of the charts. Ladies & Gentlemen, the Dzire closes May 2013 as the best-selling automobile in India. It's a testament to what an improvement the new Dzire is (compared to the older gen) and its unbeatable value proposition. Equally, Maruti seems to be prioritising Dzire production over the Swift, thereby reducing its long waiting periods. The Wagon-R's practicality clearly attracts customers by the droves. Maruti occupies the entire podium and the 4th position too.

That aside, even Maruti cannot escape the negative sentiment in the market. Its net sales of 78,000 are the lowest we've seen in a while (excluding the labour trouble months). The Japanese company's market-share dipped to "merely" 40% in May (usually 44 - 45%). The Ertiga sees its 2nd successive month of decline, as do the petrol-only Alto, Omni & Eeco. The new Alto alone led to a sales loss of 10,000 odd units (compared to earlier levels). More than any other, it's the entry-level car segment that reflects the market's true sentiments. The facelifted Ritz tanks to an all-time low of merely 2,551 cars. The Gypsy 4x4 recently lost favour with the Army and has been discontinued; private customer sales supposedly aren't enough to keep the beautiful offroader in production. Maruti has as many under-performers as it does stars. Just look at the awful performance of models like the A-Star, Estilo, SX4 and others. Imports of the overpriced Kizashi have stalled for 3 months now, no one will argue with that decision. Honestly, Maruti shouldn't bother with premium cars unless it wants to launch them with a well-planned strategy. Merely ordering some cars from Japan and deciding the price via committee doesn't cut it. You need commitment.

Unlike Maruti, Hyundai actually made a minuscule year-on-year gain. Considering the mood in the market, that alone might be a cause for celebration. I must say that the Eon & i10 are solid + stable performers, despite lacking a diesel engine option. The Santro also maintains its 4,000+ score, while the Verna & Elantra are the sedans to beat in their respective segments. Surprisingly, it's the all-time favourite i20 that has come back with a red report card. May has been the 5th straight month of decline for this premium hatch. By the way, the Sonata's marketing team just received an industry award for "woefully consistent results" .

It's a bitter sweet moment for Mahindra. Yes, Mahindra has recorded double digit MOM & YOY gains. The Bolero just refuses to stop redlining and the Scorpio crosses the magic 5,000 level after a long time. However, sales of the XUV500 have dropped to 2,144 copies. This is the lowest ever for the premium SUV (last month wasn't too different either). At 1,279 units, the Quanto is a long way off Mahindra's expectations. The Rexton's run won't get anyone excited either. The XUV, Quanto & Rexton are Mahindra's latest launches; managers must be scratching their heads trying to figure out what the old products are doing right (and vice versa). The reason behind the Verito's spike is shipments of the Vibe (its upcoming hatchback variant).

If you want to know what one well-rounded + value-for-money product can do to your market standing, just swing by Honda's office. The Amaze takes Honda to position no. 4 in India, and also gives the company it's best-ever sales in history. The Dzire-identical pricing shocked a lot of people. However, going by the Dzire's sales, it does appear that the Amaze is taking customers away from other sedans & premium hatchbacks (and not the Dzire). The petrol-only City does rather well for itself in May 2013 with 3202 cars, as does the CR-V (relative to its segment). The Brio underperforms, but don't forget Honda's 10,000 / month capacity. When there are production constraints, it's usually the cheapest product whose head rolls first. Note : Since the Jazz has been discontinued, we've removed it from the charts. Honda did deliver 2 old-stock pieces of the flop hatchback in May.

Tata continues to move backward. Once a strong no.3 in the market (sometimes, no.2!), it hurts to see the Big T in position 5. Super-aggressive Toyota is only a 1,000 cars behind and it won't be long before Tata moves down to 6th. Trouble is, there is no solution in sight. Hot new products, quality improvements & a marketing overhaul are a long time away. Here's an article that I highly recommend reading on Forbes India.

It must be a foul mood over at Toyota's HQ. Year on year, the company has lost 5,500 sales. And May 2013 brought about 1/2 the numbers that March did. The Liva & Etios remain laggards for the Japanese giant. What must be truly worrisome is the Innova's fall to a mere 4,200. This was at one time a consistent 6,000 - 7,000 performer...the perennial cash cow for Toyota. Only the Fortuner & Corolla have done well last month.

A mixed bag of results for Chevrolet. The company has made significant YOY & MOM gains. However, it's simply a case of several products bringing in a little bit each. Viewed individually, none of them have done particularly well. Certainly not the Beat @ 1500 cars, despite a superb diesel engine and good overall quality, nor the Sail hatchback. The Spark is now a write-off, an epic fall for a li'l car that once did 3,000 / month. The freshly launched Enjoy & Sail sedan are the only 2 cars to drive the volumes home. The Tavera hits a low point, but that was expected due to cannibalisation from the Enjoy (their size & difference in positioning don't count in a showroom).

The Duster sells a highly respectable 5100 cars, running neck to neck with the Mahindra Scorpio at the front. It also remains the most searched car on Team-BHP, a full year after launch (link (Ford EcoSport : Official Review)). The Fluence proves that March 2013 was a flash in the pan, and the Koleos is an expected dud. The Scala isn't doing too badly for a 9 lakh sedan from a relatively unknown brand in a crowded space, but the Pulse is miserable.

It's the same old story at Volkswagen. The Jetta & Polo do alright, albeit the Vento goes on under-performing. The real surprise is the Passat which is now within an arm's length of the Skoda Superb. Watch this space.

Ford see's a third of its sales wiped out year-on-year, and the Figo's losing steam, yet everyone was smiling in Goa. Reason = They know the EcoSport has the potential to emerge a blockbuster. Further, I have a feeling that they're going to price it well, and I'm taking the Honda Amaze as an indication. As weird as that might sound, Ford & Honda are both sailing the same boat. They've had one product keeping the cash register ringing forever (Ford Figo, Honda City), a highly anticipated product failure due to overpricing (Ford Fiesta, Honda Jazz), the rest of the portfolio doing sub-par numbers and the short-term future depending on one car (EcoSport, Amaze). Honda didn't take any risks with the Amaze's VFM pricing, and I do expect Ford to price the EcoSport for market-share gains.

Speaking of blockbusters, Nissan wants a piece of that Duster cake, but Renault's delaying the share as much as possible! Not like Nissan is doing a good job of what it currently has on hand. The competent Evalia is a disappointing flop. Only saving grace is that the Micra & Sunny have outsold their Renault siblings. That's not saying too much, is it?

Skoda's getting rid of whatever Fabia stocks it has on hand. End of the road for one of India's first premium hatchbacks. The Laura has a great run in the D1 segment, as does the Superb in the D2. The Yeti isn't going anywhere too soon; what Skoda needs to do is figure out a way to tap the Rapid's potential. I hope the new Laura (expected soon) doesn't distract them from this top priority task. The company had once claimed that it targets 4% market share by 2014. Fat chance, seeing that they barely have a point today.

HM hasn't shared Ambassador numbers for the 2nd month in a row. Me thinks they have a surprise in store . The Ambassador was already outselling some of its more modern sedan competition, and the BSIV version (launch around the corner) will only increase its numbers. The Punto witnesses a 73% hike in MOM sales, but a monthly tally of 500 cars isn't anything to write to Italy about. You wouldn't want to share such news with Sergio Marchionne.

[GTO]

[GTO]

[GTO]

[GTO]

[rajeev k]

For the first time M800/Alto has been dethroned from the numero uno position. But consolation or adulation is that it is the big brother who is the undisputed champion.had done it. Look at the Wagon R, it is again back to the glorious days. Maruti can repeat their once famous adage, The competition is nowhere to be seen.

[KiloAlpha]

I am seriously shocked at Tata's numbers. Does the dealer stock consolidation continue, and hence contribute to their really low numbers?

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 .

[volkman10]

Thanks for the most awaited thread of the month.
Clearly a month for Honda to cheer. Amaze,City and Brio bringing numbers to Honda.

Commendable performance by Maruti, holding the top 4 slots.
Ford could strike back with EcoSport if priced sensibly.

Tata doesn't seem to be bothered about the passenger car market, losing share MOM.
VW seems flat in growth, Polo doing good probably some movement in the TSI.
Fiat does'nt attract any buyers considering their strong products in the form of Linea and Punto.
Too early to predict the success of GM's Sail sedan, but seem not to excite buyers though.

Renault a brand relatively unknown to India is now a popular brand here only due to the continued success of Duster.


Cheers!

[jacksons]

A great thread again on time this time. looks like people are shifting to petrol once again, clearly can see sales of i10 and i20 is picking up for the same reason and also Wagon R is doing well for the same reason.

[Faramir]

4 of the top 10 are from 5-8 Lakh price bracket, the next battleground after A & B segment. Signs of growing income and aspirations.
Interestingly each of the top 4 ( Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra, Honda) has 1 each( Dzire, i20, Bolero, Honda)from this price range in top 10.

[nemesis86]

It's amazing how you collate this. I wait for this thread before even paying my credit card bills. Is this being updated as I can't locate the petrol vs diesel comparison and would love to see the market behavior after small increase in diesel and reduction in petrol prices. How is amaze doing via-a-vis petrol and diesel

[RavenAvi]

Excellent in detail and again bang on time. Rating thread a very well-deserved 5 stars!

Just look at the Amaze go! In the past 2 months, it is outselling it's hatchback sibling, Brio, by over 3 times (no doubt due to the diesel option). Just goes to show that the customer is well-versed about the Honda badge and it's reliability, and was just waiting for a VFM option from their stable.

Speaking of Honda, I am really impressed by those numbers they have crunched out, specially for the Amaze. With dealerships limited to Tier-I & II cities only and production constraints, it's heartening to see the Amaze command 6000+ numbers in May's sales. The guys at the Honda factories must be working overtime. I can only imagine what would happen once they upgrade to 2,40,000 cars per year and bring in the City & Brio diesels as well. Expand your dealership numbers, Honda. You can give Maruti and Hyundai a real run for their money now.

Just look at how strong the competition has suddenly become in the C2 segment! With no clear winners in there, it's anybody's game now. With the Scorpio, Duster and Verna locked together in a tussle for supremacy, who will emerge as the final winner? The next few months might be a more fairer indication of that. I can't wait to see how Nissan's version of the Duster fares in sales now. Will it dethrone Renault's version?

Another small surprise is the diesel/petrol ratio. With petrol prices closer to diesel than it ever was, I expected this to be much closer than it actually is. The Amaze doing 5200 diesels against 800 petrols is a strong testament to diesel power, which still commands the market. Only the Chevy Sail twins, and to an extent the i20 and the Polo, have kept the respectability going for their petrol sales. Hopefully things will improve and we will see a closer ratio in the days to come. I for one can't wait to see petrol dominance in the market again!

What a jump the DZire has chalked out! Was it the competition from the Amaze that Maruti Suzuki India decided to go all out on promoting the DZire? Whatever strategy they made, it most certainly worked! I never thought I would see the Alto go down to #2 in any month. Adding a pic for May 2013 offers on Maruti cars at our local dealership - as usual there were absolutely NO offers on either the DZire or the Swift.





XUV sales going down continuously and Duster strengthening it's hold on monthly sales - what's up there?! The Duster has now become a solid contender in it's segment. M&M must sit up and take notice here. The Scorpio and Bolero are it's saving graces. Maybe the XUV W4 will bring in some boosts to it's future sales, like the Vibe has added to the Verito's numbers.

Now, with the introduction of the EcoSport this month, it will be interesting to see if the Amaze/DZire maintain these numbers. Agreed that they cater to different segments, but at almost the same prices, it could be an interesting choice for the urban customer. Not to mention that Ford is almost at par with Honda as far as dealership penetration is concerned.

Interesting times ahead.

[herculesksp]

TATA gets what it deserves. You don't treat car buying customers like children of Truckers (no offense). But their cars are simply too un-refined and full of niggles. No matter that no other car comes close to a Tata as far as VFM goes, but the headaches it brings along was sure to jump and bite it in its rear one day.

Great data and charts. I was looking forward to this post eagerly.

[Simhi]

Thanks GTO for the eagerly awaited post. Here are few comments from my side
- 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
- Ertiga sees its lowest sale in recent months? Enjoy effect - Enjoy selling nearly 50% of Ertiga.
- Duster is surely eating into XUV number.
- Tata Aria selling in single digits. Let's wait for refreshed models to be launched this month. Is refreshed models different from facelift ones?
- SAIL UVA Petrol selling more than Diesel model? Is it an aberration?

Eagerly waiting for Team-bhp official review of Vibe notchback with launch date so near.