Maruti Udyog Ltd [Get Quote], India's biggest carmaker, said on Monday its sales increased 18.2 per cent in December 2004 even as sales of Maruti 800 dropped 42.2 per cent.

A total of 43,828 units were sold last month as compared to 37,091 units recorded for December 2003, a company statement said.

Sales of Maruti 800 declined to 7,885 units in December 2004 as compared to 13,641 units in the same month last year.

Compact cars, Alto, WagonR, and Zen, recorded a growth of 49.2 per cent at 20,759 units.

Sales of Omni van and multi purpose vehicle Versa grew by 21 per cent at 5,237 units while that of premium mid-size cars, Baleno and Esteem, went up by 124 per cent at 2,987 units.

MUL, which is 54.2 per cent owned by Suzuki Motor Corp of Japan, said sales of Gypsy and sports utility vehicle Vitara drove northward by 122.7 per cent at 285 units.

In the domestic market, MUL sold 11.4 per cent more vehicles at 37,153 units while exports grew by 78 per cent at 6,675 units.