Passenger car sales up 14.3% in May

New Delhi, Jun 10 (UNI) The domestic sales of passenger cars in the country has posted a 14.3 per cent growth at 1,10,743 units in May from 96,923 units in the same period a year ago, data released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed today.

The sale of utility vehicles has gone up to 22,966 units last month from 18,334 units during the corresponding period a year earlier, posting a 25.26 per cent increase.

Multi-purpose vehicles sales has seen a growth of 26.80 per cent at 8,237 units in May this year from 6,496 units during May 2007.

SIAM Director General Dilip Chenoy said here he expected sales in June to be higher than a year earlier though an eight-day maintenance shutdown by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd could weigh.

High lending rates, which are ruling at a five-and-a-half year high, have put the brakes on demand, while rising input costs have increased costs for automakers, he added.

''It's a challenging time for companies,'' Mr Shenoy said.

Sales of commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses during the month rose to 35,294 units in May, up 6.11 per cent from 33,262 for the year-ago period.

Under the commercial vehicles segment, the sale of medium and heavy commercial vehicles grew 5.46 per cent at 18,666 units in May from 17,698 units over the same period a year ago.

The light commercial vehicles has seen a growth of 6.83 per cent at 16,628 units last month from 15,564 units during the corresponding period last year.

According to the figures released by SIAM, the two-wheelers segment has registered an increase of 6.99 per cent at 6,47,358 units in May from 6,05,014 units during the corresponding period a year ago.

Motorcycle sales in the country in May was stood at 5,13,209 units, up by 7.39 per cent, against 4,77,901 units a year earlier.

The domestic sale of scooter/scooterette has seen an increase of 6.63 per cent at 97,905 units in May from 92,048 units over the same period last year.

The mopeds sales rose to 35,286 units in May from 33,892 units over the same period last year, an increase of 4.11 per cent.

The industry body SIAM said the domestic sales of three wheelers in May stood at 28,274 units from 29,012 units during the same period last year, registering a decline of 2.54 per cent.

UNI SBA AM PM1405