M&M to launch nine 2-wheeler models in 2 yrs

Firm is looking to tap the entire spectrum of the scooter and motorcycle market

Mahindra Two Wheelers, the scooter and motorcycle-making division of Mumbai-based Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), said on Friday it would launch nine new products over the next two years.

The company, which launched a step-down variant of the Centuro, a 110cc motorcycle priced at Rs 45,700, is looking to tap the entire spectrum of the scooter and motorcycle market. The Centuro, launched six months ago having clocked sales of 100,000 units, marks the firm’s second attempt at cracking the fiercely-competitive economy segment of bikes. While company officials remained tight-lipped about the line-up for the coming months, sources say a top-end variant of the Centuro and Mojo, with better performance and more capacity, will be launched at the upcoming Auto Expo.

On the side-lines of the launching the Centuro N1, which is Rs 2,000 cheaper than the regular Centuro minus the digital instrument console, Anoop Mathur, president (two-wheelers) at M&M, said: “The Centuro has been very well received in the market. We have raised production at our Pitampur plant in Madhya Pradesh to 1,500 units a day and it could be further expanded to 2,000 units a day.”

Mahindra has decided to focus on the Centuro even as its other two-wheeler models such as Pantero, Rodeo and Duro have failed to take the market away from competition. Pantero’s production facility has been given to Centuro and the former is produced only if there is demand for it.

The economy bike segment (100-110cc) has seen renewed aggression by several strong two-wheeler players in the market. While Bajaj launched two variants of the Discover 100 motorcycle, Hero MotoCorp, too, has refreshed its Splendor.

At present, Honda has three offerings in this space and has increased capacity to service further demand.

This segment clocks 550,000 units every month and M&M has a share of under five per cent. Hero Moto has a lion’s share of this segment with the Splendor and Passion range.