What have been the best selling cars in India over the years?

Aussie · 8th March 2011, 16:32

Hi everyone,

I have been looking online trying to find information about the best selling cars in India along the years.

I have posted a few articles to trace back the history of car sales in India since 1950, but as you will see the data is very patchy. Have a look at the articles below, and please comment on here if you have access to any more data, I would really love to have a more complete history of the Indian market!

India 1950-1984: Hindustan Ambassador 'king of the Indian roads

India 1985-2004: Maruti 800 dominates

India 2005: Maruti Alto takes the lead, Santro & Indica on podium

India 2006-2007: Maruti Alto first car to pass 200,000 yearly volume

India 2008-2009: Alto leads, Wagon R up, i10 arrives

Thanks for your help guys!

n.devdath · 8th March 2011, 16:47

It is quite simple actually. Pre Maruti years, i.e. before 1983, it would have been the Premier Padmini and then somewhere till 2003, the Maruti 800 after which the Alto took over in 2006. It still rules the roost IMO.

If you need figures even before the Padmini and Amby heydays, it would be hard to get reliable figures unless you know someone in the CII or the Govt who can fetch old records for you.

libranof1987 · 8th March 2011, 16:49

From the time I know of cars, they'd be :

Premier Padmini
Ambassador
Maruti 800
Maruti Van a.k.a. Omni
Zen
Maruti 1000 a.k.a. Esteem
Indica
Santro
Sumo
Tempo Trax
Alto
i10
Honda City etc. etc

Quite a long segment-wise list actually.

Earlier there were fewer cars and most sold like hot pancakes. It is only now that there is tremendous range for every segment that the battle-lines have been drawn.

Aussie · 9th March 2011, 14:32

Thanks guys, does anyone have official data before 2009?

It is very hard to find! I only have official data for the Financial Years 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, nothing else... :-(

Can anyone help?

vasanthn21 · 9th March 2011, 14:45

How can one leave out Maruti Suzuki SWIFT from the list?

Aussie · 9th March 2011, 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

How can one leave out Maruti Suzuki SWIFT from the list?

Hey,
The Maruti Suzuki Swift was never the best selling car in India as far as I know? But I may be wrong, and this is why I created this thread! Do you have any data that shows it was? Would love to see it if you do!
cheers

libranof1987 · 9th March 2011, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie

Do you have any data that shows it was?
cheers

The one person you can trouble about this is GTO - you could ask him to dig up monthly figures of all cars from much before T-BHP came into being.

But I wonder how exact a definition "best-selling cars" can be now with the amount of cars available in each sector. A few may be relatively "better-selling".

aniketi · 9th March 2011, 17:13

List is long ...
Amby
Fiat
M800
Omni
M1000-Esteem
Santro
Wagon R
Indica

There are other cars also like Safari, Sumo, Bolero etc but not in huge numbers. Indians do believe in buying TRIED & TESTED (TASTED) Things mainly.

Aussie · 10th March 2011, 03:28

Alright guys,

Could anyone confirm which car was the best seller in India from 1950 to 1983? Was it the Hindustan Ambassador (wikipedia seems to think so) or the Premier Padmini??

Thanks guys

dr_anurag · 10th March 2011, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie

Alright guys,

Could anyone confirm which car was the best seller in India from 1950 to 1983? Was it the Hindustan Ambassador (wikipedia seems to think so) or the Premier Padmini??

Thanks guys

In this era the best seller was definitely the Premier which had waiting lists that stretched for years. One had to pay a hefty premium to get one. There was a joke doing the rounds those days - book a Padmini when your child is born and he/she'll get it by the time they're 18.

Aussie · 10th March 2011, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr_anurag

In this era the best seller was definitely the Premier which had waiting lists that stretched for years. One had to pay a hefty premium to get one. There was a joke doing the rounds those days - book a Padmini when your child is born and he/she'll get it by the time they're 18.

Hey dr anurag, thanks for this this is very interesting! Do you have any data showing the Premier was best seller during those years?

dr_anurag · 10th March 2011, 21:03

Hi Aussie. I have no figures as such. My dad bought a Premier in 1974 which was booked several years back. Being a top Govt. official he got it 'out of turn'.

The car cost Rs. 30,524/-. I still have the original receipt.
I also quote from Wikipedia '( Premier Padmini was an automobile manufactured in India from 1967 to 2000. Premier Automobiles Limited, erstwhile flagship company of India's Walchand Hirachand Group, assembled Fiat's Fiat 1100 cars from the 1950s until 1997. The car ruled Indian roads for three decades (1955-1985).)'

8th March 2011, 16:32	#1
Aussie BHPian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 36 Thanked: Once	What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? Hi everyone, I have been looking online trying to find information about the best selling cars in India along the years. I have posted a few articles to trace back the history of car sales in India since 1950, but as you will see the data is very patchy. Have a look at the articles below, and please comment on here if you have access to any more data, I would really love to have a more complete history of the Indian market! India 1950-1984: Hindustan Ambassador 'king of the Indian roads India 1985-2004: Maruti 800 dominates India 2005: Maruti Alto takes the lead, Santro & Indica on podium India 2006-2007: Maruti Alto first car to pass 200,000 yearly volume India 2008-2009: Alto leads, Wagon R up, i10 arrives Thanks for your help guys! Last edited by GTO : 9th March 2011 at 13:59. Reason: Do NOT link to your blog in each and every post of yours. Next time, infraction
	() Thanks

8th March 2011, 16:47	#2
n.devdath BANNED Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,287 Thanked: 2,811 Times	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? It is quite simple actually. Pre Maruti years, i.e. before 1983, it would have been the Premier Padmini and then somewhere till 2003, the Maruti 800 after which the Alto took over in 2006. It still rules the roost IMO. If you need figures even before the Padmini and Amby heydays, it would be hard to get reliable figures unless you know someone in the CII or the Govt who can fetch old records for you.
	() Thanks

8th March 2011, 16:49	#3
libranof1987 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: All over! Posts: 7,613 Thanked: 18,336 Times	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? From the time I know of cars, they'd be : Premier Padmini Ambassador Maruti 800 Maruti Van a.k.a. Omni Zen Maruti 1000 a.k.a. Esteem Indica Santro Sumo Tempo Trax Alto i10 Honda City etc. etc Quite a long segment-wise list actually. Earlier there were fewer cars and most sold like hot pancakes. It is only now that there is tremendous range for every segment that the battle-lines have been drawn.
	() Thanks

9th March 2011, 14:32	#4
Aussie BHPian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 36 Thanked: Once	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? Thanks guys, does anyone have official data before 2009? It is very hard to find! I only have official data for the Financial Years 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, nothing else... :-( Can anyone help?
	() Thanks

9th March 2011, 14:45	#5
vasanthn21 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 811 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? How can one leave out Maruti Suzuki SWIFT from the list?
	() Thanks

9th March 2011, 17:13	#8
aniketi Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 2,001 Thanked: 2,778 Times	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? List is long ... Amby Fiat M800 Omni M1000-Esteem Santro Wagon R Indica There are other cars also like Safari, Sumo, Bolero etc but not in huge numbers. Indians do believe in buying TRIED & TESTED (TASTED) Things mainly.
	() Thanks

10th March 2011, 03:28	#9
Aussie BHPian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 36 Thanked: Once	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? Alright guys, Could anyone confirm which car was the best seller in India from 1950 to 1983? Was it the Hindustan Ambassador (wikipedia seems to think so) or the Premier Padmini?? Thanks guys
	() Thanks

10th March 2011, 21:03	#12
dr_anurag BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bhopal Posts: 115 Thanked: 66 Times	Re: What have been the best selling cars in India over the years? Hi Aussie. I have no figures as such. My dad bought a Premier in 1974 which was booked several years back. Being a top Govt. official he got it 'out of turn'. The car cost Rs. 30,524/-. I still have the original receipt. I also quote from Wikipedia '( Premier Padmini was an automobile manufactured in India from 1967 to 2000. Premier Automobiles Limited, erstwhile flagship company of India's Walchand Hirachand Group, assembled Fiat's Fiat 1100 cars from the 1950s until 1997. The car ruled Indian roads for three decades (1955-1985).)' Last edited by dr_anurag : 10th March 2011 at 21:22. Reason: Added price.
	() Thanks