Skoda India is focusing on cleaner fuel options, including CNG and EVs, while compact SUV Kylaq drives volumes, expands first-time buyers and strengthens the brand in India's competitive market
Top carmakers led by Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Kia India on Saturday reported record sales in the domestic market riding on festive demand boosted by GST rate cut. Other manufacturers such as Skoda Auto India and Toyota Kirloskar Motor also posted impressive growth in sales in October.
Czech carmaker Skoda plans to bring more of its global nameplates into the Indian market as it looks to cater to a diverse set of customers, according to a senior company executive. The company, which now sells products in India ranging from over Rs 7 lakh to upwards of Rs 40 lakh, however, has no immediate plans to introduce electric cars in the country.
Stock market sentiment is likely to remain optimistic going ahead, though some consolidation cannot be ruled out after the recent sharp rally in the benchmarks, analysts said. According to experts, the Nifty and Sensex could indeed move towards new record highs before the end of the year, if global cues stay supportive, crude oil prices remain benign and there is continued domestic earnings momentum.
'Growth will definitely continue to come most from the sub-four-metre SUV segment, primarily because that is where the heart of economy and affordability is. Naturally, that will keep pushing the share of that segment (in overall PV sales) higher.'
Skoda India sees growth in automatics and network expansion as key drivers to reach 3 per cent market share, with EV plans and a new SUV also in the works.
The company is eyeing sales of 8,000 units per month for the Kylaq, which starts at Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and boasts 96 per cent localisation.
Skoda Auto India, the Czech carmaker that has recently found success with its compact SUV Kylaq, says it remains committed to developing a fully localised electric vehicle (EV). The EV will be manufactured at its Chakan facility for both Indian market and exports.
The top six auto brands are: Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota, Kia and Mahindra & Mahindra.
Major carmakers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors on Friday reported growth in their passenger vehicle sales in June as semiconductor shortage woes showed gradual signs of easing out. Other manufacturers, Kia India, MG Motor India and Skoda Auto India also reported robust sales growth last month. Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) reported 5.7 per cent increase in total wholesales at 1,55,857 units in June as compared to 1,47,368 units to dealers in June 2021.
'Now that all the early adopters have the electric car, governments are backing down in some countries because they do not have the money to subsidise so much.'
The vehicle comes with many additional features.
Skoda Auto India, one of the premium automobile manufacturers in the country, on Friday announced the launch of 'Skoda Superb turbo diesel' - the first six cylinder turbo diesel car in India.
Skoda Auto India said on Monday that it was confident of selling 8000 cars this fiscal, despite lower sales in August.\n\n\n\n
SkodaAuto India Ltd on Thursday said it would make India an export hub for the company in South Asian region.
Czech automaker Skoda on Monday forayed into the midsize SUV segment in India with the launch of its new offering Kushaq, priced between Rs 10.5 lakh and Rs 17.6 lakh (ex showroom Delhi).
In an aggressive bid to more than double its sales, Volkswagen group company Skoda Auto India on Wednesday said it would launch Fabia and Octavia II sedans next year and make the Indian operations a hub for South Asia.
The Skoda RS has been priced at Rs 13.23 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Skoda Auto India Ltd is to roll out a series of new models of passenger cars under its Octavia brand in the next one year targeting a total sale of 8500 units in 2003 as against 4500 units in 2002, the marketing head of the company said on Wednesday.
Volkswagen group company Skoda Auto India on Thursday launched luxury sedan Superb and said it aimed to break even in 2005 by selling 10,000 cars and launch new models on four product lines till 2008.
The highlight of the Rapid facelift comes in the form of a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine.
The new Superb gets an updated front end with LED daytime running lights, Skoda's new family grille and a newly designed bumper.
Passenger vehicle market leaders Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai on Saturday reported a decline in wholesales in December 2021, although homegrown majors Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra reported growth, amid semiconductor shortage continuing to impact production. Other manufacturers Nissan and Skoda also reported an increase in December 2021 sales although Honda Cars India witnessed a decline last month. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) reported a 4 per cent fall in wholesales to 153,149 units in December 2021 as against 160,226 units a year ago.
Automakers Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Kia reported robust growth in their vehicle dispatches in the domestic market for August buoyed by festive demand and easing of semiconductor shortage woes. Other manufacturers like Hyundai, Toyota and Skoda also reported growth in wholesales in August as compared with the same month last year. The country's largest automaker Maruti Suzuki India said its domestic passenger vehicle dispatches increased by 30 per cent to 134,166 units in August as compared with 103,187 units in the year-ago month.
Auto majors, including Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai and Tata Motors, on Sunday reported high double-digit growth in their domestic passenger vehicle sales in July riding on stabilisation of macro-economic factors and better consumer sentiments. Similarly, Honda, Nissan, MG Motor and Skoda also reported healthy growth in their sales last month leveraging on improved market mood amid prevailing lower coronavirus infection rate, despite supply constraints of semi-conductors. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) domestic sales increased by 39 per cent to 1,41,238 units last month as against 1,01,307 units in July 2020, the company said in a statement.
Skoda Auto India on the sidelines of the Lakme Fashion Week hosted a Wine and Cheese Party attended by the a host of page 3 celebrities at the Lakme Fashion Week, Grand Hyatt on Monday, March 8.
Three years after it discontinued selling Octavia in the Indian market, Skoda Auto India on Thursday relaunched the premium sedan priced between Rs 13.95 lakh and Rs 19.45 lakh.
SKODA introduced a 'Holiday Offer' whereby a customer can buy the car and pay EMI a year after the purchase.
Skoda Auto says growth this year could be slow compared to last year. "We would ideally like the growth to be same compared to last year, but this year it could be little less," said Kamal Basu, marketing head, Skoda Auto India.
Fancy your chops are a designer? Skoda Auto India has a challenge for you. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com brings us the lowdown.
SkodaAuto, which was the first VW group firm to enter the domestic market about a decade ago, also intends to become more affordable in the long-term, enabling it to enter more segments.
Its track record has been patchy, but the carmaker wants to launch at least one model every year.
The company has been saying it would introduce the new car and it would be priced below Fabia, the range for which starts at around Rs 500,000. Other models of the company in India are Laura, Octavia and Superb.
Czech automaker Skoda is planning to introduce as many as eight models in the next five years to make India amongst the top-five of its global markets.
The country's leading automakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor reported a decline in dispatches to dealers in March as shortage of electronic components impacted production. On the other hand, Tata Motors, Skoda and Kia India posted their highest ever monthly wholesales last month. Toyota Kirloskar Motor said its dispatches in March were the highest in the last five years while Mahindra & Mahindra also reported a robust increase in its passenger vehicle dispatches in March.
Passenger vehicle majors like Hyundai, Tata Motors, M&M, Toyota Kirloskar and Honda on Wednesday reported growth in domestic sales in August riding on festive sentiments, although market leader Maruti Suzuki posted a decline amid a semiconductor shortage affecting the industry. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) reported domestic sales at 110,080 units, as compared to 116,704 units in the same month last year, down 6 per cent. "Sales volume of the company in August 2021 was affected due to electronic components shortage.
The yet-to-be-named car, which will be priced in the Hyundai i-10 price bracket, had crossed the feasibility study stage and was in the final stages of design. "Cars below Rs 5 lakh constitute nearly 80 per cent of the total Indian market. India is predominantly a small car market and we have a clear strategy to grow in the Indian market," Thomas Kuehl, member, board of directors (sales and marketing), Skoda India.
Leading carmakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors reported robust dispatches to dealers in May on the back of strong demand for passenger vehicles across regions, even as the global semiconductor shortage continued to impact production. Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Honda Cars and Skoda also witnessed strong demand for their models last month. The month of May also witnessed Tata Motors race ahead of Hyundai in terms of domestic wholesales.
Former head of Skoda Auto's India unit, Imran Hassen, is being forced out of the Volkswagen group following "differences" with the management, a senior company official said.
Skoda Auto India, subsidiary of Czech major Skoda Auto, plans to launch a new model and a diesel version of an existing one shortly.