Domestic car sales surged by 10.15 per cent in January 2003 with automakers like Maruti, Hyundai and Tata Engineering leading the growth.

However, General Motors, Fiat and Hindustan Motors drove into negative territory during the month.

Total sales, rose for the eighth successive month, to 54,825 cars from 49,769 cars sold in the same month last year, data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed on Thursday.

Cumulative (April 2002-January 2003) sales grew by 8.61 per cent to 4,36,475 cars from 4,01,845 units a year earlier.

Commercial vehicles also continued with their strong performance this fiscal clocking a 35.32 per cent rise in January 2003 at 18,650 units over 13,782 units in the year-ago month.

Cumulative commercial vehicl sales stood higher by 32.67 per cent at 1,49,506 units against 1,12,684 units in the corresponding period last fiscal.

Domestic two-wheeler sales increased by 6.6 per cent to 4,05,967 units in January 2003.

For the first ten months this fiscal, sales in this category went up by 19.43 per cent to 41,19,034 units on the back of strong demand for motorcycles.

Sale of motorcycles went up by 11 per cent to 3,08,667 units in January 2003 while cumulative sales stood higher by 33.81 per cent to 31,15,972 units.

Scooters also continued to ride on a turnaround in demand with sales increasing by 4.5 per cent to 70,076 units during the review month. However, cumulative scooter sales fell by 7.55 per cent to 7,20,927 units.

Sale of mopeds fell by 24 per cent to 27,224 units with cumulative sales being 17.14 per cent lower at 2,82,135 units.

The growing utility vehicle segment recorded a 28 per cent jump in sales during January 2003 at 11,491 units while its cumulative sales increased by 5.75 per cent to 89,555 units.

However, sale of multi-purpose vehicles dropped by seven per cent to 5,390 units during the review month.

Three-wheeler sales rose by 17.48 per cent to 20,668 units with both passenger and goods carriers posting higher sales.

Cumulative three-wheeler sales increased by 14.36 per cent to 1,87,810 units.