Scooters, once the fastest growing sub-segment, also declined for the second consecutive month in September.
During the meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the auto industry broadly presented factors such as issues regarding availability and affordability of financing, increasing cost of acquisition of vehicles and change in axle load capacity for commercial vehicles that have hurt demand.
The industry is engaged in a dialogue with the Government of India on policy measures which could minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian economy and especially the domestic automobile industry.
However, notable absentees from the expo will be Honda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover along with two-wheeler majors Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Co.
The company sells various utility vehicles ranging from newly launched compact SUV XUV300 to premium SUV Alturas G4.
The growth in the PV segment was primarily led by car market leader, Maruti Suzuki India, which saw its dispatches to dealers grow 4.4 per cent YoY to 144,277 units after 10 months of drop. It was driven by new launches, such as the S-Presso, a mini sport UV.
Two-wheeler sales were down 15.24 per cent in July to 12,81,354 units as compared with 15,11,717 units in the same month last year.
Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycles, Scooters India, TVS, Honda India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Ford, Nissan, Ashok Leyland are all giving the Auto Expo a miss this time.
Marazzo, The Innova Crysta competitor
Market leader Maruti Suzuki sold 51,274 units, down 49.61 per cent from the same month last year. Hyundai Motor sold 21,320 units, a decline of 49.25 per cent and Mahindra & Mahindra sold 8,075 units, down 54.54 per cent.
Vehicle prices have gone up as manufacturers gear up for the transition to stricter emission norm BS-VI from BS-IV beginning April 1.
New participants included Chinese players such as Great Wall Motors and Haima Automobile along with Olectra.
Industry representatives have said from the second half of the year, they hope to see revival because the rural economy is looking up and the projects the government has announced.
Consumer sentiments have been dampened due to several factors like tight liquidity, high insurance, and high costs
Automobile dealers' body FADA said the Budget lacked immediate demand boosters for the automobile industry.
Market leader Maruti Suzuki India's passenger vehicles sales declined by 2.34 per cent last month at 133,702 units. Hero MotoCorp reported total two-wheeler sales of 480,196 units last month, down 20.05 per cent.
The challenges of transition to stricter emission norm BS-VI from BS-IV and compliance to new safety norms thereby making vehicles costlier are lurking around the sector.
In the two wheeler segment, TVS Motor Company reported a 24 per cent increase in total sales at 304,795 units in April.
Roundup for Ranji Trophy matches played on Friday
Mahindra group and Ford Motor Co will jointly develop new SUVs and a small electric vehicle as part of several initiatives to take forward their collaboration pact signed last year.
While Hyundai Motor India reported a marginal growth, Toyota Kirloskar Motor witnessed a dip in sales last month.
Desperate Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be under tremendous pressure to get their act together against an equally struggling Mumbai Indians when the two teams face-off in an Indian Premier League match in Mumbai on Thursday.
Chinese players form a major part, around 20 per cent of the auto expo this year, despite a slowdown in the Indian automobile sector in the last one year. Over two dozen top officials from various companies were planning to participate in the event, besides a group of journalists.
The overall volume at India's top four M&HCV makers - Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Volvo Eicher, and Mahindra & Mahindra - fell 59.5 per cent to 31,067 units during the month.
The comfort quotient of the Plush New XUV5OO has really skyrocketed, while its driving dynamics remain top-notch, says P Tharyan.
Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda Cars and Tata Motors posted single digit growth during the period under review while M&M reported decline in sales.
In the two-wheeler segment, Bajaj Auto reported 31 per cent jump in total sales at 357,883 units in February against 273,513 units in the same month last year.
Cumulative sales of India's top passenger vehicle makers -- Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Motors, Honda Cars, and Toyota Kirloskar -- increased to 206,418 units in February over 200,322 units in the same month last year, an increase of 3 per cent.
The auto industry has had a mixed month. The build up to Dhanteras and Diwali was good but the demand tapered off subsequently.
Maruti's exports in May were down 2.4% at 9,089 units
Hardik Pandya has quit Gujarat Titans to rejoin his former team Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises.
Reflecting the mood, passenger vehicle sales in November either remained muted or skidded for most manufacturers as high fuel prices and the higher cost of borrowing dampened buying sentiment.
Close to half a dozen more three-row premium mid-size models are expected to hit the road over the next two years.
Dealers have stocked up vehicles in the run-up to a price hike, which is expected to be announced by leading players some time this month.
Maruti, Honda and Tata Motors posted highest sales growth during the month
Prices of two-wheelers, passenger and commercial vehicles are set to rise 15-25%
Various factors, including robust demand in rural markets and good response to new models, helped in driving the sales.
Whether it is protecting its turf in its core utility vehicle segment through new model launches, or stepping up investment in electric vehicles, the Anand Mahindra-led firm is leaving nothing to chance
Increasing the duties on auto parts and putting an additional cess on petrol and diesel could drive up costs of vehicles, specially where volumes are low and localisation is not viable.
Data available from top six players - Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, M&M, Tata Motors, Honda and Toyota - shows an average growth of about 42 per cent for the industry in June
