Nearly 300 reporters wait at a hotel lobby for the official launching event of Hyundai Motor's local strategic model CRETA at a hotel in Delhi, India, on July 21. Since its launch, CRETA has sold 6,783 units in July and 7,473 units in August/ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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By Ha Man-joo, India correspondent, AsiaToday - Hyundai Motor recorded highest-ever sales in the Indian market. According to Hyundai Motor India and local media outlets on Wednesday, Hyundai sold 48,111 units in August as compared with 33,750 units in August 2014, up 20.01% percent. This is the first time for the company to surpass monthly sales of 40,000 units since it entered the Indian market in 1998.

The CRETA, a compact SUV released in July, Elite i20 and i20 Active contributed to the company's increased sales. The CRETA had volumes of 7,473 units. The Elite i20, which is chosen as the 'Car of the Year 2015 in India', is well-received in the market as it made a clean sweep against new Honda Jazz in a test drive comparison conducted by local media outlets such as Economic Times and India Today last month.

Rakesh Srivastava, Sr. VP- Sales and Marketing in Hyundai Motor India, said, "Hyundai recorded highest-ever single month led by strong youthful product portfolio in which the Global SUV CRETA, Elite i20 and i20 Active had volumes of more than 17,800 units. Hyundai's 20% growth in the off-season month of August has given confidence in future sales." He added, "Hyundai looks forward to sustain double digit growth above industry growth rate this year.

Total sales for the company including exports in the month were 54,608 units. Hyundai Motor India recorded exports of 14,103 units, down 1.79%. Hyundai Motor said it was due to its strategic choice to cope with explosive Indian market. Hyundai Motor India is the largest passenger car exporter in India, exporting cars to 85 countries.

India's passenger vehicle sales grew by about 7%, helped largely by an increase in volumes of Hyundai.

Hyundai's rival Maruti Suzuki saw a growth of 8.6%, by selling a total of 106,781 units in August.