2013 has not been kind to car manufacturers operating in the Indian automobile industry as they have been battling adversities constantly. Falling sales, slow demand, dwindling economy and lack of growth are terms that aptly describe happenings in the Indian car market. The reluctance of customers to buy a new vehicle has been increasing regularly due to rise in the cost of maintenance. However, auto makers have been pretty resilient, devising new methods and strategies, in order to attract consumers. The festive season is considered to be the best time in India to buy or sell a vehicle as the market is driven by auspiciousness and customer influx rises. However, this festive season, so far, has not been able to work wonders for most car makers. Determined to change this and capitalise on Diwali, which is still to come, auto makers are giving good offers to lure customers.
Maruti Suzuki, the leading passenger car manufacturer in India, has performed much better compared to other companies. Recently, Maruti Suzuki launched Stingray in India to strengthen its hatchback portfolio in India. Looking to capitalise on the festive season, the automobile giant is offering a number of discounts and offers on Diwali. Among models included by the firm on which schemes are being offered are WagonR, Alto 800 and Estilo. Notably, Maruti Suzuki is providing customers with free accessories, cash vouchers and in some cases, a combination of the two.
South Korean auto maker and Maruti Suzuki’s biggest rival Hyundai has seen a good run in the past few months due to its newly launched Grand i10 model, which has taken the market by storm. According to sources, the second largest passenger car manufacturer is offering a discount on one of its best selling models, i10, in order to lure more buyers. Customers, this Diwali, have the chance to pick up a Hyundai i10 at a discount of around Rs. 40000, which is quite a lot. Other than this, the South Korean firm is offering a scheme on Eon and Santro Xing models with cash discounts of Rs. 20000 and Rs. 45000, respectively.
Honda is one of the few auto makers in the country that is enjoying a healthy festive season as demand for its vehicles is quite high. Launch of Amaze, the first diesel car of Honda, has been a highly successful and the firm is looking to capitalise on the same. As per reports, customers can avail discounts of up to Rs. 60000 on the purchase of a Honda car. Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice-President for Sales and Marketing at Honda Siel Cars, spoke about the same. “We are offering special schemes for our customers during the festival season. A Re 1 insurance programme has been offered for Brio, City, Civic and Accord," he was quoted as saying.
Indian auto maker Tata Motors has had a poor run in 2013 as it has been unable to register anticipated sales figures. According to reports, the Indian firm is looking to change this by offering lucrative schemes in the festive season. Reports claim that customers who want to buy a Tata Motors car can offer discounts of up to Rs. 50000, depending on the model.
