Bajaj plans new offerings

AUTO EXPO 2004

The country's second biggest two-wheeler maker, Bajaj Auto, said it was working on a new two-wheeler project which would be unveiled in June this year, and said it had a target to sell over 200,000 vehicles in 2004-05.

The new products, which would be unveiled this year, would help it increase its marketshare in the local as well as overseas markets, Bajaj Auto Joint Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said at a press conference at the Auto Expo, where the company also launched a new corporate identity and new logo called 'Flying B'.

Bajaj said that the company would record its highest-ever motorcycle sales in this financial year at over 1 million units. Four new two-wheeler launches are expected soon, he added.

The company also expects to register an over 50 per cent growth in exports to about 160,000 units in 2003-04.

Bajaj also announced that the first bikes badged 'Bajaj' would be launched in the Philippines in February through an arrangement with Kawasaki which would be selling three motorcycles BYK, Caliber 115 and Wind 125 in that market.

"In essence, this will be the first step towards our selling two-wheelers in the Southeast Asian countries," Bajaj said.

He added that the three motorcycles would be assembled from knocked down kits and sold by 600 dealers in the Philippines.

In the last financial year, Bajaj exported 94,000 vehicles. In the first nine months of the current financial year, the company sold close to 110,000 units.

In value terms, exports would increase to Rs 500 crore during 2003-04 and to over Rs 650 crore in 2004-05, he added.

Bajaj said exports to Iran would commence this month. Another possible destinations for its bikes will be Nigeria.

There is also a proposal to make three-wheelers in Indonesia through a joint venture. That project was likely to take off in the next 3-6 months, Sanjeev Bajaj, vice-president (finance), Bajaj Auto, added.

The company's Vice-President (Business Development And Marketing) RL Ravichandran said two new motorcycles would be launched in 2004.

A 100cc model, which will provide 100 kmpl under standard test conditions, the other powered by a modern DTSi engine in July.

The company, he said, will also launch two scooters - one, a four-stroke 125cc upgraded Chetak model, the other a 110cc automatic model 'Wave'.