Automakers Have A Good Start To 2018

Indian automakers will hope to maintain the momentum gathered in the first month of 2018. Factory dispatches hit an all-time high in January as rural demand, new infrastructure projects and a low base aided sales.

Demand from the infrastructure, consumer and e-commerce companies drove up truck sales, said Amit Mishra, analyst at Macquarie. Restrictions on overloading have also aided sales, he added.

Maruti Suzuki

The country's largest carmaker saw its compact segment grow by 15 percent last month, with the Baleno and new Dzire continuing to drive sales. A higher price tag for the hybrid Ciaz meant sales dropping by 14 percent.

Bajaj Auto

Three-wheeler sales hit an all-time high for the Pune-based company. Motorcycle sales also managed to maintain a healthy pace in India and abroad, with the overall sales growing by 36 percent.

M&M

Tractor sales continue to overshadow all other segments for the bike to agri-equipment manufacturer. The utility and commercial vehicles segment also posted healthy growth numbers, with truck and bus sales growing by 70 percent, largely aided by a very low base.

Tata Motors

Commercial vehicle sales grew by 38 percent on a year-on-year basis, with construction, logistics and manufacturing companies buying more trucks. Sales would have been even higher, if not for supply constraints, said the company.

Higher demand for the Tiago and Tigor helped pushed up car sales, which grew by more than 50 percent on a year-on-year basis. The Nexon and Hexa also gained some traction last month.

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