Mahindra to foray into motorcycle segment next year

Chennai, Nov 4 : After an entry into scooters, auto manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra will launch a motorcycle next year, a senior company official said here Wednesday.

"The company is working on motorcycle models and the first model will be launched in 2010," said company vice-president of sales and customer care Sanjay Mittal.

"We would like to be an end-to-end player in the two-wheeler segment, launching scooters and motorcycles," Mittal told reporters at the Tamil Nadu launch of two new scooters -- Rodeo (Rs.41,299) and Duro (Rs.38,299).

"With three 125cc scooters, we think we have a product in all the major market categories. We may look at 100 or even lower powered scooters for the future," Mittal said.

Mahindras entered the two-wheeler segment marketing three 125cc scooter models last year.

Declining to disclose the company's two-wheeler sales target for the current fiscal, Mittal said Mahindras sold around 7,000 scooters last month, of which Rodeo and Duro accounted for 5,600 units and the balance by its other model Flyte.

The company is in the process of ramping up its two-wheeler distribution network by adding 50 more dealers by the end of this fiscal.

"Presently we have 325 dealerships and we will increase our network to 375 dealers by the end of this fiscal," Mittal said.

Mahindras ventured into the two-wheeler market by acquiring the business assets of the Pune-based scooter manufacturer Kinetic Motor in 2008.

--IANS