Bajaj fails to replicate Hero Honda; reports lower sales in March 2008

After Monday's report that Hero Honda had registered a 15 per cent increase in its March sales year-to-year, comes the news that its closest competitor, Bajaj Auto, has seen a decline in its sales for the same month.(See: Hero Honda reports 15 per cent increase in March sale)

The company today declared that its vehicle sales in March 2008 were 176,101 units, a 10 per cent decline to the 196,592 units sold in March 2007. Unlike Hero Honda, which is the only company selling more two-wheelers in India, Bajaj Auto is also involved in the manufacture of three-wheelers.

Breaking up the figures, sales of motorcycles fell 8 per cent to 154,297 units from 168,505 units, while sales of three-wheelers fell 16 percent to 20,765 units from 24,608 units in March last year. For the entire financial year that ended in March, the company reported a 10 per cent fall in vehicle sales to 2.45 million units from 2.72 million in the previous year.

Bajaj Auto also announced its intentions to exit the 100cc segment due to increasing competition and decreasing margins, and also made plans to launch four new motorcycles in the growing 125cc segment. The company has also announced its plans to enter the small car segment in association with Renault, and had unveiled a prototype at the recent Auto Expo at New Delhi.