Suzuki Motorcycle launches new scooter,bike; to roll out more

Prices to be revealed at the forthcoming Auto Expo

Japanese two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle, which today unveiled two new products -- a scooter and a motorcycle -- said it will launch two more products in the country this calender year to enhance its market share in the world's second largest two-wheeler market.

The company currently commands 16% pie in the domestic scooter space while just 1% in the motorcycle segment.

The company has also roped in Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra to endorse its new scooter model Let'S', while superstar Salman Khan, who has been endorsing the Japanese company's bikes for the past two years, unveiled the new motorcycle Gixxer.

"We are rolling out four new products this calender year, including the two unveiled today. The new scooter model will be rolled out next month and the motorcycle will hit the road by July," Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIL) Executive Vice- President Atul Gupta said here.

SMIL is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan.

Gupta, however, did not reveal the price of the two new offerings, adding: "Prices will be announced at the forthcoming auto Expo in Greater Noida and they will be very very competitive."

The 110-cc scooter comes in the personal segment, while the 155-cc bike is a premium luxury segment bike, he said.

Forecasting a flat growth for the two-wheeler industry in the current fiscal, Gupta said the entry of the new players is intensifying competition, adding the scooter volumes are the only silver lining for the industry.

Stating that a right mix of products and distribution were the key challenges for the SMIL, Gupta said in the next 12-18 months the company will focus on consolidating its presence by addressing these issues.

"We have to go a long way before we actually come close to the major players. We are still not present in the 75% of the market and our share is only from that 25% market that we cover. So this way, we are fairly on in those markets," Gupta said.

"Also, we still don't have many products as well as their variants. So we are trying to get as many product and their variants to get close to the competitors," he said.

The company's sales in India grew over 10% month- on-month in 2013 on account of enhanced production capacity and deeper market penetration.

Gupta also said to enhance its reach in more markets, SMIL will scale up its dealerships to 400 from 300 at present, besides increasing the number of touch points to 1,000 from 600 in this calendar year.