According to latest figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), total passenger car exports during July 1999 surged 41.9 per cent to 2,086 units as against 1,470 units a year earlier.

Made-in-India multi-utility vehicles (MUV) also receivd a good response in the markets abroad with sales surging 20 per cent from 154 units to 185 units.

Bi-wheelers and commercial vehicles were, however, the non-performers for the period registering a 44 per cent and 19 per cent drop in exports during the month.

Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL)'s passenger car exports grew 56 per cent during the period to touch 1,997 units as against 1,280 units a year earlier. Mercedes-Benz also exported 50 units of E-classluxury cars from India as against a mere 17 units in July last year. Ind Auto followed having shipped 15 units during the period as against a mere two units last year.

Telco was the only player to have recorded a drop in export shipments. Its sales dropped from 171 units in July 1998 to a mere 24 units in July 1999.

However, in the MUV segment, Telco was the only performer having recorded a 133 per cent surge in exports to 152 units while Maruti and Mahindra & Mahindra witnessed a drop in their share of the export market. Their sales dropped 79 per cent and 5 per cent respectively during the period.

In the bi-wheeler category, all the three segments recorded a major drop in exports. While the scooter segment saw sales abroad slipping 45 per cent motorcycles shipments dropped 14 per cent and moped sales and whopping 70 per cent.

The strife-torn LML Ltd saw sales in the foreign markets decline by 61 per cent to touch 436 units as against 1,124 units a year ago. Bajaj Auto followed with a 45 per centdrop from 968 units to 526 units while Kinetic Motor Company saw retails abroad drop from 936 units to 716 units, down 61 per cent. TVS Suzuki also saw its scooter sales drop to a mere 14 units as against 84 units a year ago.

In the motorcycle segment, Bajaj also set the streets on fire as its bikes zipped past competition with a 115 per cent surge in exports to 940 units from 437 units last year. Hero Honda also recorded a growth in exports at 1,079 units, up 10 per cent from 980 units a year earlier.

Royal Enfield saw its power performers gain ground abroad and record a total sales of 94 units during the month as against mere 12 units a year ago.