Car Sales in India Climb 8%

April new-car wholesales in India climbed 8% to 298,500 units in April, reports the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Growth, which was double the pace analysts expected, was marked by strong consumer demand for SUVs and vans. SIAM says SUV wholesales last month jumped 12% to 79,100 units. Factory shipments of conventional cars advanced 5% to 200,200 units.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki saw volume in April climb 14%. SUV specialist Mahindra & Mahindra posted a 22% gain. Tata Motors saw wholesales soar 34%.

The domestic market for commercial trucks and buses zoomed 76% to 73,000 vehicles last month. The Nikkei says growth was driven by a surge in government spending on infrastructure projects.

SIAM predicts the Indian market will expand by a high single-digit percentage in the fiscal year that began April 1.