Maruti sales top 6.35 lakh in 2006-07

Car market leader Maruti Udyog sold 6,35,629 vehicles in the domestic market in 2006-07, the highest ever annual sales in the company’s history. This marked a growth of 21 percent over domestic sales in 2005-06. In all, the company sold 6,74,924 vehicles during the year, including exports of 39,295 vehicles. Exports rose 13 percent over 2006-07.

The company sold 64,556 vehicles in the domestic market in March 2007, the highest ever in any month and a growth of six percent year on year. The total reached 71,772 vehicles including exports of 7,216 units.

During the month, sales of A2 segment vehicles grew by 26 percent compared to March 2006. Maruti Omni registered its highest ever monthly sales, at 8,566 units. The combined sales figures for February plus March this year show a growth of 26.5 percent over the same period last year.

The record sales provided a fitting end to a successful year during which the company launched three new models to a rousing response, began production at its new plant, forayed into the diesel car market and remained on top in customer satisfaction ratings.

Accelerated growth

Sales showed robust growth throughout the fiscal year, but more significantly in the second half. While growth in the first half of the year was 17.8 percent, it surged to 23.8 percent in the last six months. These growth rates were achieved despite the (old) Zen and Baleno not being available for many months during the year.

Sales were powered by, among others, the Alto which grew by a whopping 41.1 percent over the previous year. It became the first Indian car ever to achieve 2,00,000 units of domestic sales in a single fiscal year (11 months), and closed the year at 2,23,846 units, higher than the total domestic sales of any other car company in India.

The company continued to expand its network, with sales outlets growing to 396 in 225 cities (from 350 outlets in 212 cities at the start of the year). Service workshops went up to 2,445 (from 2,096 at the start of the year), across 1,172 towns and cities.