Bajaj Auto July sales up 34 per cent on strong motorcycle sales

Bajaj Auto continues to outperform market leader Hero Honda in volume growth by a wide margin. Excellent response to newly launched models from the Bajaj stable is helping the company to narrow the gap with Hero Honda, while the latter is struggling with an ageing product lineup.

The company has reported a 34.07 per cent jump in total vehicle sales to 199,821 units for the month of July 2006 from 149,406 units for the same month the previous year. On a month-on-month basis, sales volumes have declined 6.57 per cent from 213,872 units reported for June 2006.

Motorcycles continued to drive sales with a 48.52 per cent year-on-year increase in sales to 171,115 units from 115,216 units. Sequentially, motorcycle volumes have declined 6.77 per cent from 183,549 units for the previous month.

Bajaj Auto sold a total of just 2,043 scooters - both geared and un-geared - during the month as compared to 12,269 units for July 2005 and 4,636 units for June 2006. The company is gearing up to regain its lost glory in the scooter segment and has lined up a few new launches later this year.

Total two-wheeler sales, including scooters, have increased 36.54 per cent to 173,158 units from 126,821 units for the same month of previous year. As compared to June 2006 volumes of 188,185 units, total two-wheeler sales have declined by 7.99 per cent.

Three-wheeler sales for the month have gone up 18.06 per cent year-on-year to 26,663 units as compared to 22,585 units for July 2005. Three-wheeler sales have increased 3.8 per cent sequentially from 25,687 units.