Diwali brings bumper sales for carmakers; Maruti and Hyundai lead the charge

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): This Diwali is proving to be a great one for the automobile industry. On the occasion of Dhanteras, the car market across the country is witnessing tremendous growth. Car companies have recorded record sales growth. The country's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India, has achieved its highest sales figure ever, while Hyundai Motor India has also registered a growth of nearly 20 percent compared to last year.

Car companies make a killing this Diwali: Maruti sells 50,000 cars, Hyundai also picks up pace: According to Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) of Maruti Suzuki, the company had delivered around 38,500 vehicles till Saturday evening and this number is expected to reach 41,000 by the end of the day. Meanwhile, around 10,000 more vehicles will be handed over to customers today. This time the auspicious time of Dhanteras will start from Saturday afternoon and continue till Sunday afternoon, hence the company is confident that the total sales will be more than 50,000 units.

Banerjee said that this day is going to be the biggest delivery day in the company's history. He said that the production team is working even on holidays so that every customer gets the vehicle on time. Last year on Dhanteras, the company had delivered 41,500 vehicles, but this time this figure will far exceed that. This festive season, which started with Navratri, is proving to be very profitable for Maruti Suzuki. The company is getting an average of 14,000 new bookings every day. Since the price cut on September 18, more than 4.5 lakh bookings have been registered, out of which about 94,000 are for small cars.

Hyundai Motor India's Chief Operating Officer, Tarun Garg, also said the company will deliver around 14,000 units this Dhanteras, a 20 percent increase over last year. He added that sales will continue to be strong due to the festival being spread over two days.

In fact, the new GST reforms implemented in September have led to a price reduction on many cars. Maruti Suzuki has reduced prices by up to ₹1.29 lakh, making popular cars like the Brezza, Alto, WagonR, and Swift cheaper. The company's most affordable car is now the S-Presso, with a starting price of ₹3.49 lakh. Hyundai has also reduced prices by up to ₹2.4 lakh. The company's premium SUV, the Tucson, has received the biggest price cut, while the Creta's starting price has now dropped to ₹10.73 lakh. Due to festive demand, new tax concessions, and growing consumer confidence, the auto sector has reached its best period ever this Diwali.