Tepid sales, labour violence mark a rough year for auto sector
Beginning with a bang amid all the glitz and glamour of the biennial Auto Expo, the year will be ending with a whimper for the automobile industry as sales dwindle, and the worst-ever industrial violence at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant leaves a big scar.
New model launches such has Mini from BMW, Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, Duster from Renault, Quanto from Mahindra & Mahindra and Sail U-VA from General Motors kept the consumers interested in a tough market. Yet, recalls by Ford, Toyota and Honda of their products added to the woes of the industry.
After witnessing the steepest monthly decline in nearly 11 years in October 2011, industry began 2012 with the Auto Expo in the National Capital, hoping for a brighter future.
Bollywood stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, John Abraham and Ranbir Kapoor endorsed various brands, lent their star power to the show and attracted big crowds.
Ironically, that turned into a problem. Many business leaders, including Anand Mahindra, criticised poor crowd management, saying the week-long event was a "serious business" and not just a "tamasha".
The organisers also restricted entry to one lakh daily, including 30,000 people from the exhibitors, a move that cost the expo its tag of being the world's second-largest auto show in terms of footfalls. About 7,00,000 visitors visited the show, compared to over 2 million visitors in 2010 – which according to the organisers was the world's second-largest after the Shanghai auto show.
As many as 1,500 exhibitors and 50 global brands from 24 countries
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