Pune: The second largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto today said it expects to sell around 45,000 units of its new 100-cc bike, the Discover 100T, every month.
"If we get our strategy right, we can do 40,000-45,000 units a month for the Discover 100T," Bajaj Auto managing director Rajeev Bajaj told reporters after the launch.
The Discover 100 T positioned at the upper-end of the mass market, is pitched against the Dream Yuga from Honda and Passion Pro from Hero MotorCorpr, and priced at Rs 50,500 (ex-showroom Delhi). The Dream Yuga is priced at Rs 48,000 and Passion Pro at Rs 40,300.
The company, which enjoys 20 per cent of the 5.5-lakh units a month mass market segment with its existing Discover 100 model, is planning to increase its market share in the segment to 30 per cent with the new model in the next couple of years.
Powered by Bajaj's patented DTS-I 4 valve and 100 cc engine, the Discover is equipped with features such as 30 per cent more power, two spark plugs and five speed gear box.
The vehicle is currently produced at company's Auarangabad facility and within a fortnight the Pantanagar plant will also start production, Bajaj said adding this particular product has seen an investment of Rs 5-6 crore only.
Though only 100 cc, Bajaj Auto motorcycle division president K Srinivas claimed the new model delivers the power of a 125-cc bike giving a fuel efficiency of 87 kmpl.
"The steady growth of the more expensive 100 cc bikes at the cost of the cheaper models is a clear evidence of the shifting market trends. The Discover 100T delivers power of 125 cc motorcycle and mileage of a 100 cc," Srinivas said.
Bajaj Auto has three manufacturing facilities at Chakan near Pune, Auranagabad and Pantnagar and with a combined production capacity of 4 lakh units per month.
Bajaj said the company will roll out new bike from the same platform within this calendar year though given the prevailing adverse market environment expects sales to be flat at the last year's level of 3.8 million units.
He, however, sounded optimistic about the just concluded Q3 saying, "the quarter could put up one of the best performances in Bajaj Auto's history".
On whether the company is looking at exporting the new model, Bajaj said he does not see it happening before the second quarter due to "an expected demand in the domestic market".
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