Tata Motors` Dec. sales drop 2%; Export rises 16%

Leading automaker, Tata Motors reported a total sale of 47,678 vehicles (including exports) for the month of December 2007, a decline of 2% compared to 48,757 vehicles sold in December last year. Cumulative sales for the company were flat at 4,06,929 units.

Commercial Vehicles
The company`s sales of commercial vehicles in December 2007 in the domestic market were 28,661 units, a growth of 2% compared to 28,179 vehicles sold in December last year. M&HCV sales stood at 15,689 units, a decline of 9% over December 2006, while LCV sales were 12,972 units, a growth of 19% over December 2006.

Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 215,530 units, a growth of 2% over last year. Cumulative M&HCV sales stood at 112,871 units, a decline of 7.7% over last year, while LCV sales for the fiscal were 102,659 units, an increase of 15% over last year.

Passenger Vehicles
Offtake to dealers in the month was curtailed to limit year-end stocks. The passenger vehicle business achieved total sales of 14,316 vehicles in the domestic market in December 2007, a decline of 13% over December 2006. The Indica reported sales of 9,497 units, a decline of 10% over December 2006. The Indigo family registered sales of 1,379 units, a decline of 33.6% over December 2006. The Sumo and Safari accounted for sales of 3,440 units, a decline of 10.6% over December 2006. The Safari recorded a 10% growth with sales of 1,161 units.

The promotional scheme launched by the company on the occasion of the one millionth car production milestone received a very encouraging response with retails being nearly 26,000 vehicles, the highest this fiscal.

Cumulative sales of passenger vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 151,136 units, a decline of 3.7% over the same period last year. Cumulative sales of the Indica at 100,111 units, reported a decline of 2%. Cumulative sales of the Indigo family were 20,058 units, a decline of 13.9%. Cumulative sales of Sumo and Safari were 30,967 units, a decline of 1%. The Safari recorded a 24% growth with sales of 11,856 units.

Exports
The company`s sales from exports at 4,701 vehicles in December 2007 grew by 16% compared to 4,063 vehicles in December 2006. The cumulative sales from exports in the current period at 40,263 units have recorded a growth of 5% over the previous year.

Shares of the company gained Rs 31.1, or 4.08%, to settle at Rs 794.15. The total volume of shares traded was 763,746 at the BSE. (Wednesday)