India December 2014: Tata Bolt and Datsun GO+ land

Tata Bolt

* See the Top 15 best-selling brands and Top 60 models by clicking on the title *

The sky is getting clearer and clearer for the Indian new car market: up a very dynamic 17% year-on-year in December to its 5th consecutive month above 200,000 shipments at 206,081 excluding premium brands. The annual total is back above 2.5 million units after a dip in 2013. Brand-wise, Maruti continues to evolve at stratospheric heights and is edging ever closer to owning half of the Indian market at 47.6% share this month. Hyundai (15.8%) almost double its follower’s share – Mahindra at 8.2% – while Honda is up a gigantic 163% year-on-year to #4 and 7%. Notice also Tata back up 30% thanks to the arrival of the Zest, Volkswagen up 34% but Ford down 36% and Chevrolet down 45%.

Can the GO+ reverse Datsun’s fortunes in India?

The Maruti Alto dominates the models ranking once again with over 22,000 sales above the Swift, DZire and Wagon R while the Mahindra Bolero shoots back up 5 spots on November to #5 with 9,748 sales, its highest monthly volume since last March. Launched a few months ago, the Maruti Ciaz (- 5 spots to #17) and Tata Zest (-4 to #23) are alarmingly starting to fade already while the Datsun Go is dying of a more miserable death each month: now out of the Top 50 and down to a mere 455 sales, less than one-third the score of the Tata Nano, arguably the biggest flop in India over the past decade.

Considered a flop, the Tata Nano has been more successful than the Datsun Go so far.

Just as the GO falls into oblivion, its MPV variant the GO+ makes its first appearance in the Indian ranking in the hope to reverse Datsun’s fortunes. It’s a discreet showing for now at #56 and 249 sales. The Tata Bolt the hatchback version of the Zest, although not on sale until early 2015 here, also lands in the ranking at #42 with 852 units, keeping in mind Indian car sales figures are factory shipments to dealers and not end-consumer sales.

Previous month: India November 2014: Hyundai i20 Elite above 10,000 sales

One year ago: India December 2013: Maruti Alto and Swift hit highest shares in one year

Full December 2014 Top 15 brands and Top 60 models Ranking Tables below.