Passenger car sales stood at 70,465 units as against 58,156 units sold in the same month last year, particularly led by higher mop up by Hyundai Motor India, according to figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers on Tuesday.

Car sales in the first eight months of this fiscal (April-November, 2004) were up 22.19% to 5,30,094 units, against 4,33,828 units sold in the same period last year.

Led by Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto, volume segment motorcycles witnessed an even higher growth, notching up sales of 4,79,212 units in November, a 27.08 per cent growth over 3,77,094 units sold in the same month last year.

Motorcycle sales in the eight months of the fiscal were up 15.39 per cent to 3,207,515 units against 2,779,806 units sold in April-November '03.

On the other hand, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India led the relatively low growth in the scooter/scooterette segment, pushing up sales by 8 per cent in November at 83,668 units against 77,469 units sold in the same month last year. The segment witnessed an almost equal 7.67 per cent growth in the April-November '04 period on sales of 6,40,894 units against 5,95,251 units sold in the first eight months of last fiscal.

Overall, two-wheeler sales in November, including Mopeds, saw a healthy 22.90 per cent rise at 5,90,017 units against 4,80,053 units sold in the same month last year.

The growth was comparatively less in the first eight months of the fiscal, with sales up 13.49% to 4,060,907 units against 3,578,299 units sold in April-November '03.

In the commercial vehicle segment, Tata Motors led the charge, contributing to the 21.15 per cent rise in overall sales which touched 26,544 units against 21,910 units sold in November last year.

Domestic commercial vehicle sales of Tata Motors rose 24.9 per cent in November at 15,774 units against 12,626 units in the same month a year ago. On the other hand Ashok Leyland witnessed a modest five per cent year-on-year growth at 4,349 units.

Within this segment, medium and heavy commercial vehicles saw an 18.76% spurt in sales at 16,516 units against 13,907 units sold in November last year, while light commercial vehicles sales in the same period jumped 25.30 per cent to 10,028 units (8,003).

Overall, commercial vehicle sales in the first eight months of this fiscal saw a handsome 26.39 per cent growth to 1,93,818 units against 1,53,348 units sold in April-November '03, SIAM said.

Three-wheeler sales in November, however, skidded 4.47 per cent to 23,383 units against 24,479 units sold in the same month last year, pushed down by lower sales of passenger carriers. Passenger carrier sales in the month dipped 19.47 per cent to 12,141 units against 15,078 units sold in November last year.

Goods carriers, however, helped recover some lost ground in the segment as they witnessed a 19.58 per cent growth to 11,242 units against 9,401 units sold in November last year.

Overall, three-wheeler sales in the April-November 2004 period stood at 1,94,301 units, a growth of 11.15 per cent over 1,74,807 units sold in the first eight months of last fiscal.