Bajaj-Triumph partnership to spawn mid-size motorcycles with priced under Rs 2 lakh
Apart from this non-equity partnership with Triumph Motorcycles, Bajaj Auto also owns a stake in Austrian motorcycle maker KTM.
Bajaj Auto has formally commenced its long-term, non-equity partnership with Triumph Motorcycles today, which will lead to the launch of a brand-new range of mid-capacity motorcycles.
The new products will have engine displacements between 200cc and 700cc and will be positioned as aspirational motorcycles but will carry an affordable sticker price. In fact, the two companies have confirmed that the new range will be priced under Rs 2 lakh in India.
The strategic partnership will benefit both parties. Bajaj will become one of Triumph’s key distribution partners in crucial new markets and take over Triumph’s Indian distribution (at a date yet to be confirmed).
In their other key international markets, where Triumph is not currently present, Bajaj will represent the company and offer the new range of mid-capacity motorcycles as part of Triumph’s line-up.
Speaking on the formal announcement of this partnership, Nick Bloor, CEO of Triumph Motorcycles, said, “This is an important partnership for Triumph and I am delighted that it has now formally commenced. As well as taking our brand into crucial new territories, the products that will come out of the partnership will also help attract a younger, but still discerning, customer audience and is another step in our ambitions to expand globally, particularly in the fast-growing markets of South East Asia, but also driving growth in more mature territories like Europe.”
In all other markets including Europe and the US, where Triumph is present today, this new range will join the current Triumph product portfolio and will be retailed at its dealerships.
Bajaj is confident that there is a huge scope in the mid-size motorcycle market. “The Triumph brand is an iconic one world over. So, we are confident that there will be a huge appetite in India and other emerging markets for these new products,” said Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto.
The Bajaj-Triumph alliance was first announced in August 2017, and several sources close to the development suggest that the first prototypes are already under tests. The two manufacturers also confirmed that the first product as a part of this partnership will be launched in 2022.
(Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta)
