The country's automobile exports in 2005 grew by 31 per cent to 777,000 units against 591,000 units exported last year.

Passenger vehicles sales in 2005 grew by 7 per cent to 1.11 million units from 1.04 million units in 2004, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Two-wheeler sales in 2005, witnessed a 13.15 per cent growth with total volume to 6.8 million units, of which motorcycle sales reported the strongest growth of 17.22 per cent with total volume at 5.6 million units. Scooter sales in the last 12 months slipped by 4 per cent to 897,000 units.

While sales of commercial vehicles grew 9 per cent growth as a whole in 2005, with total volume at 333,000 units, the growth of light commercial vehicles outstripped that of heavy- and medium-commercial vehicles.

In 2005, total light commercial vehicle sales crossed 136,000 units, against 115,000 units sold in 2004, recording a growth of 17.85 per cent. Total sales of medium and heavy commercial vehicles during this period was 197,000 units, growing by only 3.7 per cent over the sales reported in 2004.

In the passenger vehicles segment, growth in demand for utility vehicles was stronger than that for passenger cars in 2005, with total volume sold at 187,000 units, a growth of 8.9 per cent. Demand for passenger cars in 2005 was 859,000 units, growing by 7 per cent over the sales in calendar 2004.

With an exception of passenger vehicles all segments of the automobile industry reported stronger export growth than what was recorded in 2004-end.