Maruti Suzuki has revealed their 2019 January sales report. As compared to Jan 2018, when the car maker sold 151,351 units, last month they sold a total of 151,721 units, thereby recording a 0.2% growth. This includes domestic sales, as well as exports. These numbers are not actual sales made to customers, but the number of vehicles dispatched by Maruti Suzuki to their dealers.
Speaking about domestic sales, Maruti reported sales of 142,150 in Jan 2019. This is a 1.1% growth, as compared to Jan 2018 sales numbers of 140,600. Exports for the month of Jan 2018 were at 10,751. But for Jan 2019, exports registered a 11% decline to 9,571 units. Recently, Maruti had revealed that they aim to export 10% of their local production.
MSIL’s passenger cars segment (minus the utility vehicles) has contracted 4.1 percent for the month at 101,865 units, down from 106,246 units sold in January 2017. Alto and WagonR sales are up 0.3 percent at 33,408 units compared to 33,316 units sold in Jan ’17. In the compact cars cluster ( Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire), MSIL reports 3.5 percent sales decline at 65,523 units, down from 67,868 units sold in Jan ’17.
There is now talk of a new Ciaz launch, and predictably Ciaz sales have plummeted to 2,934 units, down 42 percent from 5,062 units sold in January 2017. MSIL exports too have taken a beating at 11 percent sales decline at 9,571 units, down from 10,751 units exported in Jan 17.
The most significant growth was reported for its Super Carry LCV at 92.1 percent at 2,710 units, up from 1,411 units sold in Jan ’17. Sales of its Vans are positive at 15,145 units, up 23.6 percent from 12,250 units sold in Jan 17. The UV segment, which comprises S-Cross, Vitara, Brezza, Ertiga, Gypsy did post single digit sales growth at 8.4 percent at 22,430 units old, up from 20,693 units sold in Jan 2018. Marginal domestic sales growth is reported at 1.1 percent at 142,150 units, up from 140,600 units sold in Jan 2017.
Maruti Suzuki India was hopeful of registering a growth in sales post the launch of new WagonR. But that has not happened. Maruti also launched 2019 Baleno facelift last month. Both these new car launches have failed to show any positive effect on the sales chart for the manufacturer.
Maruti plans to launch new cars this month as well, in order to boost sales. One of them is probably the new Ciaz with more powerful 1.5 liter diesel engine. This engine has been made by Maruti Suzuki, and it will eventually replace the currently used 1.3 liter diesel engine on all Maruti cars. Maruti manufactures this 1.3 liter diesel engine under license from Fiat, and pays yearly royalty.