India Full Year 1993: Maruti (48.8%) and Maruti 800 (29.8%) break share records

January 11, 1994
Matt Gasnier

The Maruti 800 reaches a record 29.8% market share in 1993.

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After two years of decline, new vehicle sales in India rebound back up 26.3% to a new record 291.390 units in 1993. Brand leader Maruti (+33%) manages to outpace the market to reach a new share record at 48.8%, 2.5 percentage points above its previous best established in 1992. Mahindra (+16%) can’t quite match the market growth but remains in 2nd place above 15% share, while Tata (+33%) leaps onto the annual podium for the first time at 11.4%, dislodging Hindustan (+26%) just as Premier (+0.3%) continues to see its share freefall from 9.1% in 1992 to 7.2% this year, now threatened by Force Motors (+42%) at 6.5%.

The Maruti 1000 is now in the Top 10.

The Maruti 800 (+37%) gallops ahead to improve its share to a record 29.8%, eclipsing its previous best of 29.6% set in 1987. The Mahindra Jeep (+19%), Maruti Omnivan (+21%), Tata 407/608/609 (+32%), Hindustan Ambassador (+18%), Premier Padmini (+0.2%) and Force Matador (+42%) mean the Top 7 is unchanged on 1992. For their first full year in market, the Maruti 1000 triples its sales year-on-year to break into the Top 10 at #8 but the Maruti Zen is up just 14% to drop one spot to #12. Meanwhile the Hindustan Contessa, based on the 1976 Vauxhall VX Series, is up 67% to #14 which would remain its record ranking in India.

Hindustan Contessa