Vespa To Be Launched By March 2012

Vespa is a name that is synonymous with geared scooters in India. It was a brand which gave a tough fight to all the scooters from the Bajaj Auto. I’d earlier reported the news that Vespa will soon re-enter the Indian market with a bang.  Here are more insights about it.

Three-wheeler manufacturer Piaggio Vehicles said on 6th of this month that it will re-enter the scooter segment by introducing its ‘Vespa’ model. The Vespa brand is more likely to be in the Indian soil by the March of next year. Also, the company is studying the market about a possible foray into the motorcycle segment. It is also to be observed that the name ‘Vespa’ is still a trustable name when it comes to scooters out here.

“We are setting up a new facility with a 1.5 lakh unit initial annual capacity to launch the Vespa. We will announce it at the auto expo and it will be in the market by March,” Piaggio Vehicles Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Ravi Chopra, told reporters on the sidelines of an Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) summit in New Delhi.

The Vespa will not give a re-entry with the old kind of geared model. It’ll take the Honda Access 125 head-on  with its new 125 cc engine and it is for sure gonna be a gearless model. This particular model will be developed exclusively for the domestic model.

“For re-entry into the scooter segment, we had announced an investment of €30 million. The capacity of the plant will be expanded to 3 lakh units annually by mid-2013,” Mr Chopra said, adding that the facility is being set up at Baramati in Maharashtra.

Following the scooter’s foray, the company will enter the motorcycles segment as well. I, being a big fan of LML’s bike designs so far, am waiting to check out the bikes in the near future. If, they can come up with revolutionary bikes like the Energy and Adrenos, they are sure to mark their presence in the Indian soil.

Commenting on the motorcycle segment, Mr Chopra said: “It is a very significant business and the market opportunities are immense. We are doing a very comprehensive feasibility study to launch motorcycles in India.”

When Mr. Chopra was asked about the final investment decision on the proposed foray into India or when the study is expected to be complete, he declined to comment or answer regarding this.

What do you have to say about the yet to be launched LML products and the Vespa in particular. Leave your thoughts in the form of words below.

Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in