Car and SUV sales boost in September
MUMBAI: Sales of cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) rose 15 per cent to 6.5 lakh units in September, but wholesale figures fell sharply last month. Retail demand for automobiles i.e. cars, SUVs and vans remained strong in September but there was a significant decline in shipments from manufacturers to dealers. Overall vehicle registrations have declined by 7.5 per cent year-on-year. Compared to September 2016, the decline has been 19.50 per cent. Sales of two-wheelers and tractors declined by 11.50 per cent and 2 per cent year-on-year, respectively. Dealers who were not dispatched by the manufacturers had their inventories reduced to 15-20 days, which is usually 40 to 5 days in this period of the year, said sources in the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA). With the start of the festive season in the country, the shortage of semiconductors has hampered sales of off-road vehicles as stocks of vehicles at dealers have declined to 15 to 20 days in the current fin...