October 1, 2012: Maruti’s sales numbers are out. The carmaker sold 88,801 units in September as against 78,816 units in the year-earlier period, up 12 percent. These sales come after a month in which Maruti’s sales plunged 40 percent as a result of the month-long lockout at the Manesar unit. Among the key performers were the Dzire which sold over 11,000 units and the Ertiga which along with the Grand Vitara and Gypsy, sold 7,224 units.
The company is now preparing for the launch of the new Alto 800. The 800cc replacement has been developed on the existing platform. The car’s mileage of 22.74km a litre, based on ARAI tests, makes it at least 15 percent more efficient than its earlier avatar. The car is likely to be priced at around Rs 15,000 to 20,000 more than the outgoing car.
The Alto is India’s and Maruti’s top-selling car and sells between 17,000 and 20,000 units a month. This figure is lower than the earlier average of 25,000 units sold in 2011-12. Without a diesel variant, Maruti has had a tough task selling the car. Maruti will also offer a CNG variant, hoping to capitalise on the availability of this eco-friendly fuel in Mumbai and Delhi.