TVS Motor looks to gain speed in performance bike market despite Covid-19

Having acquired iconic British brand Norton in April, the Chennai-based company is looking to gain speed in the performance bike market

In 1982, TVS Motor began its journey on the road to becoming a premium two-wheeler company by launching a racing team. But it gained momentum only in 2005 with the 150 cc performance bike TVS Apache. Since then, it has steadily accelerated this premium drive with the recently-acquired British legacy brand Norton and a high-end 200 cc brand called Zeppelin on the launch pad. The pandemic-induced downturn will not change this strategy, the company says.

“Premiumisation,” to use marketing jargon, has been a buzzword at TVS over the past decade against the backdrop of rising disposable incomes. Premium bikes, which