Honda Cars India to expand retail network by 35 percent in 2014-15

Honda Cars India, which sold 134,339 cars in 2013-14, notching 83 percent growth over the previous fiscal year, hopes to expand its sales and service network by 35 percent in 2014-15.

The company’s sales and marketing director, Jnaneswar Sen said the company which currently has its presence in 170 locations in 107 cities hopes to take this number to 230 facilities in 150 cities by March 2015.

The aim, Sen told Autocar Professional, is to be better prepared for sales not only of the Amaze and new City sedans that are bringing in good numbers but also the Mobilio MPV (pitched against the Ertiga) and the Jazz that are expected to be launched later this year.

On the dealership front, the company hopes to open three new dealerships in the north-east at Itanagar, Dimapur and Imphal in a few months.

Last November, the company kicked off a second shift at its Noida unit for the Amaze and as a result, has been able to reduce the waiting period for the sedan from about three months to approximately three weeks. In terms of the fuel break-up, the diesel variant accounts for about 55 percent.

At the car’s launch last year, senior company officials said they expected the Amaze to do well in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and indeed sales for the metros and Tier 2 and 3 cities have been about a third each.

Looking back at 2013-14, Honda Cars India has reason to be happy that the Amaze, which was a totally new brand, has got off to a good start with average sales of 7,000 a month. 

Photograph: The Honda Amaze production line.