India’s largest-selling car Maruti Alto has emerged as the best-selling small car in the world for the second straight year in 2011, outpacing competition from the likes of Volkswagen and Fiat in Brazil and Germany.
The Alto sold over 310,000 units in India during the year and was the
only small car in the world to have sold over 300,000 units. It was followed by VW Gol in Brazil at 293,454 units, Fiat Uno (Brazil) at 273,537 units and VW GOlf in Germany at 258,059 units (see table).
Alto is the only car from India in the top 5, a list dominated by cars from Brazil, another major small car market. 
“Despite the slowdown in the domestic industry, Alto numbers have grown over the last year,” said Mayank Pareek, managing executive officer, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. “There are cheaper cars available and newer players have entered this segment but Alto remains the car that India needs. Very safely, we will see double-digit growth for the car in 2012.”
It was the Fiat Uno in Brazil, however, that grew the fastest during the year, displacing the Volkswagen Golf in Germany from the number three spot.
This is the car’s highest sales in Brazil since 1995 when it had sold 250,464 units. It is also expected to nudge ahead of longtime marketleader VW Gol in the Latin American country in 2012.