The country's biggest car maker, Maruti Suzuki India suffered a sale decline of 27 per cent in November. It sold 47,103 units as compared to 64,885 units in the same month last year. The automobile sector is facing the heat of the global slowdown and the data posted by Maruti Suzuki vindicates the fact. Low demand due to global financial crisis has forced the companies to cut their sale targets and employ cost cutting measures, including retrenchment of staff.

Compact car segment including Alto, Zen Estilo, Wagon R, Swift and A-Star registered 26.6% decline in the reporting period and total of 34,976 units were sold as compared to 47,641 units in the corresponding period last year. However, SX4 and Dzire did good business with 40.3% increase in sales. Maruti Suzuki sold 5,975 units of SX4 and Dzire in November as compared to 4,260 units last year. Maruti's export grew by 11.7% while domestic sale declined by 26.9% at 47,704 units.