The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) has released the automotive retail sales data for November, which saw a total of 3,208,719 vehicles sold across categories, marking a 11.2 percent growth over November 2023.

This saw two-wheelers clocking its best-ever performance for the month at 2,615,953 units, up 15.8 percent YoY, three-wheeler at 108,337 units, up 4.2 percent YoY, passenger vehicles sales at 321,943 units, down 13.7 percent YoY, tractors sales at 80,519 units, up 29.8 percent YoY and commercial vehicles sales at 81,967 units, down 6 percent YoY.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, stated, “While November was initially expected to build on its prior momentum, particularly due to the marriage season, dealer feedback suggests that this segment underperformed overall expectations. Although rural markets offered some support, primarily in the two-wheeler category, marriage-related sales remained subdued. The late occurrence of Deepawali at the end of October also caused a spillover of festive registrations into November, affecting the month’s sales trajectory.”

He shared that while November sales in certain segments were at record high, the marriage season’s contribution fell short of expectations, offering only limited relief from rural India.

The passenger vehicles sales in particular faced notable headwinds, on the back of weak market sentiment, limited product variety and insufficient new launches, compounded by the shift of festive demand into October.

“Although rural interest was present, it failed to significantly improve sentiment.

Inventory levels have reduced by about 10 days, but to remain high at around 65-68 days. FADA continues to urge OEMs to further rationalise inventory so that the industry can enter the new year on a healthier footing, reducing the need for additional discounts,” stated Vigneshwar.

On the CV sales he explained that the segment also struggled due to restricted product choices, older model issues, limited financier support, and the absence of major festivals in November following a strong October.

“External elements such as elections, a slowdown in coal and cement industries, and weak market sentiment also weighed heavily on this category,” he said.

Going forward he expects that with the prospects of a bumper Kharif harvest is likely to temper food inflation and the broader macroeconomic environment appears will improve, potentially aiding consumer sentiment in the months ahead.

“However, the immediate December outlook derived from dealer feedback is mixed. Category-wise Expectations:

Two-wheelers: Dealers suggest that while some buyers remain hesitant—either awaiting new-year models or influenced by subdued post-festive sentiment—others could be drawn by potential year-end discounts and stable rural demand. Although momentum may not be robust, incremental schemes and easing inflation could lend mild support, placing two-wheeler on a cautiously positive footing.

Passenger vehicles: In the passenger vehicles segment, heavy discounting and improved product availability are expected to help offset weak consumer sentiment and a general year-end lull. While some customers are deferring purchases for new-year models, overall interest could pick up due to aggressive offers and end of year promotions. This sets a tone of cautious optimism, with a moderate chance of improved sales compared to November.

Commercial vehicles: The commercial vehicles category faces a more challenging environment. Factors such as subdued infrastructure activity and customers holding back for newer model-year vehicles continue to dampen demand.

“Nonetheless, selective OEM schemes and year-end offers may provide a limited lift. On balance, while the CV segment’s expectations are not uniformly positive, there is some hope that targeted incentives and stable financing conditions could prevent a sharper decline. In sum, while the near-term outlook for December is not overwhelmingly strong across segments, it leans towards stability with pockets of potential growth, underlining a sentiment that remains overall remains cautiously optimistic.

Representational image: David McBee/Pexels

Tata Motors has reported a 22 per cent fall in consolidated net profit at INR 56 billion for the third quarter ended December 2024. This is on the back of a decline in revenue from the company’s passenger and commercial vehicle business verticals. 
With the clock ticking in the direction of separation of passenger vehicle business and commercial vehicle business, Tata Motors has clocked a consolidated net profit of INR 71.45 billion in the respective quarter last fiscal. 
With JLR delivering a robust performance in Q3 FY25 with record quarterly revenue, highest EBIT margin in a decade and a ninth successive profitable quarter, Tata Motors witness a revenue decline in commercial vehicle business on the account of lower volumes and mix. EBITA margins however saw improvement to 12.4 percent (up 130 bps) reflecting material cost saving and the impact of PLI incentive. Passenger vehicle revenues were down 4.3 percent. EBITA margins however was up to 120 bps at 7.8 percent on the back of cost controls and PLI incentive. 
The company received sanction of Automotive Production Linked Incentives (PLI) in December 2024. An income of INR 3.5 billion has been recognised. 
 

The Indian arm of Klöckner DESMA Elastomertechnik GmbH (Germany), which is a leading manufacturer of injection moulding machines for the elastomer industry, has announced the appointment of Nitish Agarwal as its Joint Manager Director, effective 2 December 2024.
With over two decades of expertise in the rubber extrusion industry and energy industries, Agarwal in his new position will steer Kloeckner Desma Machinery Pvt Ltd (DESMA India) towards achieving its long-term goals while fostering a culture of excellence and sustainability.  
This is the second time that Agarwal has joined the Ahmedabad-based company. In 1996, he began his career as a ‘company trainee’ in the company’s Delhi office. He worked with for five years to become well verse with the company’s values. 
To succeed Mankodi who retires in May 2025 after steering DESMA India to greater heights for the last 30 years, Agarwal brings with him a wealth of experience and proven track record in strategic leadership, operational excellence and business development. 
Mankodi announced the succession plan regarding him and Agarwal recently on behalf of Dr Michael Zaun, Managing Director, Kloeckner DESMA Elastomer Technique (and Chairman, Kloeckner Desma Machinery Pvt Ltd); Mahendra Patel, Director, DESMA India, and Bhavin Shah, Director, DESMA India.

On the occasion of International Day of Education, a short film titled ‘Prabhaar’—a poignant narrative promoting girl child education – was released. Fleetguard Filters (FFPL) supported the film as part of its CSR initiative. Directed by Rahul Panshikar and inspired by a true story of Heena Mistry, the film ‘Prabhaar’ sheds light on the deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes that hinder the educational aspirations of young girls in certain communities.
The film revolves around the journey of Neena, a determined young girl who defies societal norms and overcomes significant hardships in her quest for education and self-reliance, reflect the Pune-based company’s to address critical societal issues and foster inclusive development. It also highlights FFPL’s mission to create meaningful and sustainable impacts in the lives of local communities across India.
captures the resilience and indomitable spirit of Neena as she navigates the challenges posed by her environment, ‘Prabhaar’ is an emotionally charged storytelling.  
Speaking about the development and how FFPL came to support the film, the President of the company, Sanjay Kulkarni, said, “Today, the issue of girls' education is a serious issue at various levels in the country. Many problems such as the lack of toilets in schools stopping girls ' education after menstruation and the patriarchal male mentality, hinder the education of girls. We under FFPL’s CSR have constructed toilets for girls in over 30/35 schools so far.” He also expressed that when mothers stand firmly by their girls, girls get the strength to face problems and can progress well in academics.  He also highlighted the need to shift the community mindset regarding girls' education.

Meta and the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) have released a joint whitepaper and playbook detailing how digital adoption is reshaping consumer behaviour and preferences in India’s automotive sector. The report underscores how digitalisation is driving sector growth and offers strategies for transforming OEMs and dealerships nationwide.

In 2023, Meta and FADA launched the ‘Move with Meta’ programme, designed to upskill over 3,000 auto dealers across India. The initiative equips dealers with tools to enhance their social media presence, digitise customer engagement, and optimise lead generation through Meta platforms.

The programme has surpassed expectations, achieving a 3 times increase in dealer digitisation and training over 6,000 dealers through hyperlocal efforts, doubling its initial target. Combined with pre-programme efforts, a total of 10,000 dealers have now been upskilled.

Results have been significant, with a 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency reported by participants. The initiative has also contributed to improved sales performance for leading automotive OEMs across India, marking a major milestone in the sector’s digital evolution.

FADA President C S Vigneshwar said, “At FADA, our vision is to empower dealers nationwide with the right digital tools and insights to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Through our partnership with Meta, we’ve not only exceeded our commitment of upskilling 3,000 dealers—surpassing 6,000—but we’ve also seen a 3 times increase in digitisation and a marked 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency. This whitepaper underscores the potential of AI, Reels, and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to strengthen customer relationships and drive growth. We look forward to scaling this collaboration further, bridging the digital gap in automotive retail, ensuring that dealers across India are future-ready, and remain agile in these dynamic times.”

Director Auto, CPG and D2C for Meta in India Saugato Bhowmik said, “Our platforms and products are well positioned to enable rapid and efficient digital customer acquisition and engagement for auto dealers in a hyperlocal manner. Over the last two years we’ve upskilled nearly 10,000 dealers along with FADA to digitize their outreach and experiences through our unique hyperlocal solutions and key products ranging from Reels and AI to messaging. We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with FADA and take on the ambitious target of upskilling 5000 more dealers in the next 2 years. This program has not only benefitted thousands of auto dealers but also proven to drive strong sales results for leading OEMs.”

Auto OEMs have reported strong sales and lead generation impact because of the program.

Group Head of Marketing at Hyundai Motor India Limited, Virat Khullar, said “We’re excited to see outstanding business results through our partnership with Meta and OnlineSales on the Hyperlocal program. Together, we’ve developed a custom model that efficiently onboarded over 600 dealers in record time. In H2 '24, Meta’s hyperlocal program drove a remarkable 37% growth in sales compared to H1, while delivering 29% reduction in Cost per Retail.  As we move forward, we’re eager to scale this partnership further, leveraging cutting-edge AI and messaging solutions to unlock even greater opportunities.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Auto at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Manjari Upadhye, said “Our partnership with Meta has helped amplify the impact of our passenger vehicle launches. Mahindra has leveraged the best and latest in technology to drive launch impact through Meta’s family of Apps. Some of the key activations include leveraging WhatsApp for Thar ROXX launch, using Partnership ads for driving consideration for XUV 700 (Intent went up +3.3 pts) and the Auto Industry’s first chat-based car configurator on Messenger and Instagram Direct for XUV 3XO, which saw 29% increase in conversation volumes. Our collaboration with Meta has driven significant impact, leading to bookings and sales, and setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

Key Insights from the Auto Playbook 2025

Meta’s influence in driving discovery & evaluation, powered by AI: 72 percent of new automotive buyers who were surveyed in this research discovered the brand on the Meta family of apps. Further, 69 percent stated that the Meta family of apps played a role in their purchase decision.

WhatsApp Leads Buyer-Dealer Communication: Among new automobile buyers, 48 percent used WhatsApp to directly connect with dealerships for vehicle availability inquiries, making it the most preferred communication channel. Moreover, 47 percent expressed interest in receiving service reminders via messaging platforms.

Advantage+ Placements Revolutionizing Advertising: To improve cost per lead and lead volume by Meta for their Hyperlocal dealer campaigns, Hyundai India, used AI-powered Advantage+ Placements to place their dealer ads across all Meta surfaces. They saw 18 percent an increase in Lead Volume and 34 percent decrease in Cost Per Lead.

Reels and Creator Content Drive Purchase Decisions: 72 percent of automotive buyers find creator content on Instagram Reels helpful for vehicle evaluation, with 41 percent regularly engaging with vehicle-related Reels. By partnering with creators, dealers can build authenticity and amplify their reach.