Bajaj launches Eliminator bike in Delhi

NEW DELHI, JULY 19. Bajaj Auto today launched the country's costliest motorcycle Eliminator here and said it would roll out three more motorcycles this month as part of its plan to sell six lakh motorycles this fiscal.

The 175 cc Cruiser motorcycle, priced at Rs. 87,012 (ex-showroom Delhi), would be powered with a four-stroke natural air cooled engine, the Bajaj Auto Vice President (Business Development and Marketing), Mr. R. L. Ravichandran, told reporters at the launch here.

He said the three new bikes - 100 cc Boxer CT, 110 cc Caliber Chroma and 110 cc Aspire would sport on-road price tags of Rs. 35,400, Rs. 45,000 and Rs. 43,000 plus respectively.

"We have outperformed the industry in motorcycle segment. This year, our sales should increase by 40 per cent at about six lakh motorcycles against four lakh units last fiscal," Mr. Ravichandran said, adding motorcycles sales had risen by 65 per cent during 2000-01. The Eliminator is manufactured in technical alliance with Japan's Kawasaki at the Bajaj's Aurangabad plant.

"We will be soon launching the bike in other cities such as Kochi, Ahmedabad and Secundarabad," he said adding about 300 Eliminators have been sold in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore since its launch in January this year.

Mr. Ravichandran said Bajaj Auto might also enter the above 250 cc motorcycles segment next year. "We have every intention of bringing in the bigger bikes. We are looking at the project after understanding the market requirements," he said, adding the models under consideration included Kawasaki's Anhelo motorcycle.

"This October, we are launching another 175 cc bike Pulsar," Mr. Ravichandran added.

On the sales target for the Eliminator, he said the motorcycle was manufactured to showcase the company's manufacturing skills rather than generate volumes.

"Sales should be about 15,000-30,000 annually," Mr. Ravichandran said, adding the motorcycle would be sold in 25 cities by the end of this year.

He said Rs. 190 crores has been invested by Bajaj during 2000-01 to hike capacity at its Aurangabad plant at the current level of 60,000 motorcycles a month.

- PTI

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