Maruti records its highest ever sales in 2005-06; creates new buyer segments
03 Apr 2006
During the year it also crossed the 5-million vehicle mark.
In March 2006, the company sold 61,141 vehicles in the domestic market; it's highest in a month so far and exported another 2055 units.
The sales were led by the Alto (17,908 units), followed by the WagonR (10,843 units). The company sold 6,651 units of the Swift.
The Alto continued to be India's highest selling model during the year. Its sale grew by 25.7 per cent, thus strengthening Maruti's position in the competitive A2 segment. Sales in this segment grew 23.5 per cent.
The Swift, launched in end-May 2005, had sales of 53,171 cars since its launch and has swept all the 'car of the year' awards in the country and was declared the 'car of the year' in four countries (including India).
In the A3 segment, the Baleno recorded 29.6-per cent growth. The combined sales of the Baleno and the Esteem in the A3 segment grew 7.8 per cent.
The sales by brand for Maruti in March 2006 were:
Segment | Models | For Mar | April - March | ||||
2006 | 2005 | % Change | 2005-06 | 2004-05 | % Change | ||
A1 | M800 | 10937 | 10252 | 6.7 | 89223 | 116262 | -23.3 |
C | Omni, Versa | 8390 | 5955 | 40.9 | 66366 | 65019 | 2.1 |
A2 | Alto, WagonR, Zen, Swift | 37279 | 30039 | 24.1 | 335136 | 271280 | 23.5 |
A3 | Baleno, Esteem | 3735 | 3529 | 5.8 | 31939 | 29637 | 7.8 |
Total Passenger cars | 60341 | 49775 | 21.2 | 522664 | 482198 | 8.4 | |
MUV | Gypsy,Vitara | 800 | 918 | -12.9 | 4374 | 5204 | -15.9 |
Domestic | 61141 | 50693 | 20.6 | 527038 | 487402 | 8.1 | |
Export | 2055 | 3920 | -47.6 | 34784 | 48899 | -28.9 | |
Total Sales | 63196 | 54613 | 15.7 | 561822 | 536301 | 4.8 |
Maruti has been following an interesting marketing strategy in India — apart from its normal sales strategy, it has devised special schemes targeting specific professional and income groups that has enabled it to expand the profile of its customer base
Maruti identified new segments, and reached out to with special schemes and attractive finance options, to enable them to own a Maruti.
For instance it sold around 10,000 cars to teachers through a scheme devised solely to enable teachers' to own its cars. Similarly it has devised a scheme targeting employees of the Indian Railways and has targeted employees of public sector enterprises. Maruti has also devised an offer, Wheels of India, exclusively for state and central government employees.
For instance it sold around 10,000 cars to teachers through a scheme devised solely to enable teachers' to own its cars. Similarly it has devised a scheme targeting employees of the Indian Railways and has targeted employees of public sector enterprises. Maruti has also devised an offer, Wheels of India, exclusively for state and central government employees.