Hyundai Motor India on Monday said its vehicles sales grew by 27.4 per cent in October 2003 to 13,297 units as demand for its compact car Santro and mid-size model Accent continued to increase.

Domestic sales surged by 22.5 per cent to 11,334 units, while exports jumped 65.4 per cent to 1,963 units during the month, a company press release said in New Delhi.

Total sales of Santro went up by 28.8 per cent to 10,618 units, while that of Accent grew 24.6 per cent to 2,548 units.

Sales of the luxury sedan Sonata, however, fell by 33 units to 117 units, while that of the sports-utility-vehicle Terracan stood at 14 units with an order backlog of about 100 units.

The monthly average domestic sales of Santro has increased to about 9,000 units from 8,896 units after the launch of the Santro Xing in May 2003, Hyundai said, adding that this was over 32 per cent more than its calendar year 2002 monthly average sales.

The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co, produces Santro, Accent and Sonata at its factory outside Chennai, while the Terracan is imported as a completely-built-unit from Korea.

GM Oct sales soar 111.4%

General Motors India also said it sold 1,258 vehicles in October 2003, a 111.4 per cent rise over 595 units sold in the same month last year.

It included 505 units of the recently-launched premium sedan Chevrolet Optra and 723 units of the Opel Corsa range of cars, a company spokesperson told PTI.

The luxury sedan Opel Vectra and sports-utility-vehicle Chevrolet Forester accounted for the remaining 30 units, the spokesperson said.

The October sales, were, however 36.8 per cent less as compared to 1,991 units sold in September.

Sales during January-October surged by 59.5 per cent to 12,245 units from 7,676 units a year earlier.

A subsidiary of US-based automaker General Motors Corp, GMI produces Optra and Corsa at its factory at Halol (Gujarat) while the Vectra and Forester are sold after being imported as fully-built units.

The spokesperson said production constraints were still affecting delivery of models like the Optra and Corsa Sail.

At present, GMI can produce 25,000 units annually which it plans to double by the end of next year.