 "Royal Enfield to launch 3 products in 350-450cc segment within a year")
In the wake of the recent launch of Harley Davidson's X440 and Triumph's Speed 400 in the middle-weight motorcycle segment, Royal Enfield is working to introduce three new motorcycles in the country within a year, Autocar India (ACI) has reported.
Aggressively priced, experts have argued that the offerings from Harley Davidson and Triumph may affect the market leader Royal Enfield's standing in the premium bike segment. Thus, to fortify its position in the market, the company will launch three products will include an all-new Bullet which is likely to be launched in early September, along with an all-new Himalayan (K1G) with a liquid-cooled engine in 6-8 weeks, the ACI report said.
The company is also working on a 440cc Scram which will further strengthen Royal Enfield's product line-up. The Scram is expected to be launched within a year. All three bikes will be powered by a 350-450cc engine. The bike manufacturer is also preparing a launch a bobber version of the Classic, the report said.
Well aware of the aggressive launches from Triumph and Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield has been digging its trenches for the last four to five years. The company is working hard to protect its turf from the recent product launches from Hero and Bajaj partnerships.
To support the expansion of its product portfolio, Royal Enfield has committed its highest-ever annual capital expenditure for the financial year 2023-24 of Rs 1,000 crore, ACI reported. The investment will not only come in handy in developing new products but also take care of any supply-related issues. The company has purchased new land in Cheyyar which is located on the outskirts of its existing plant in Vallam Vadagal, Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, the listed parent of Royal Enfield, Eicher Motors' shares also took a beating as the news of the launches from Harley and Triumph came out.