| The automobile sector is globally undergoing through | | | | tracks auto sales, feels the SUVs sold here are very |
| rough patches and even the top seeded players in | | | | different from the ones being shunned abroad. He |
| this sectors have to either suffer from big losses or | | | | says, the SUVs in India are not Gas Guzzlers. Here |
| face sharp decline in the sales figure. Tata Motors the | | | | SUVs are manufactured to make it inexpensive, very |
| biggest commercial vehicle producer in India has to | | | | small and low capacity vehicles, mainly crossovers. |
| keep its unit close for more than 20 days in the last | | | | Manufacturers even keep the fuel efficiency factor in |
| 2 months. Maruti Udyog the biggest player in | | | | mind while making the sales pitch. |
| passenger car segment has to follow the same | | | | The recent trend in the sales of SUV are actually |
| strategy. | | | | promoting dealers to get dealership of SUVs of |
| The picture across the border of India is even more | | | | leading players like Tata, Mahindra & Mahidra, |
| dismal. Industry-wide, automakers sold 896,124 new | | | | Honda, etc. The increasing number of dealership is |
| cars, minivans and trucks in December, a drop of 36 | | | | also giving boost to SUV sales as this dealers are |
| percent compared with December 2007, according to | | | | good channel of promotion of Sports Utility Vehicles |
| preliminary data released yesterday by the industry | | | | in India. The tough driving conditions and large space |
| research firm Autodata. | | | | are making these SUVs popular as big Family Utility |
| But in this bearish market situation there is something | | | | Vehicle in India. |
| interesting to learn from the marketers of India. | | | | Seeing the positive growth in demand of SUVs in |
| While sale of Trucks, Cars, SUV and commercial | | | | India, even at this time when the global market is |
| vehicles are at historic low figures, SUVs in India are | | | | showing huge drop down in sales figure, Indian OEMs |
| still ruling the roads. | | | | are launching new SUV models in India. Some of the |
| Last month when Ford USA witnessed record 60% | | | | most awaited upcoming models in Indian market are |
| less what is usually does Toyota SUV sales declined | | | | Mahindra Xylo, Toyata Fortuner, New Nissan X-Trail |
| by 38% . But OEMs in India have different ballgame | | | | and Tata Indicruz. |
| to play to boost their sales. Instead of pushing their | | | | It would be interesting to watch the competition |
| smaller car segment Indian players put their weight | | | | between these new models. The market is actually |
| on pushing sales of premium SUV cars with price | | | | tough. Though in the past month sales figure for |
| range of above 13 Lakhs. The SUV manufacturers | | | | SUVs in India has actually skyrocketed in comparison |
| came up newer model each better than the previous | | | | to the past. But it is still a great challenge for |
| one, marketed themselves at among right audience | | | | manufacturers to retain the sales graph. One of the |
| and managed to bring home envious sales figure. | | | | biggest auto market in world, India may see more |
| What made the SUV sales in India possible? Dilip | | | | SUVs rolling the roads than ever, in the coming few |
| Chenoy, director general of Society of Indian | | | | months. |
| Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), an agency that | | | | |