Bajaj Auto reported a profit of Rs. 1,173 crore in Q1 FY23, up 11% year on year, and revenue increased 8% to just over 8,000 crore. However, volumes fell by 7% while the operating profit margin increased by 100 bhp to 16.6%. The Chakan-based manufacturer anticipates that the semi-conductor shortage will last until the end of 2023.
Under the AI (Affordable Inspiration) initiative, Bajaj plans to launch a new volume-based motorcycle in the sub-125 cc segment in India in FY24, with a sizeable market share. As a result of 6,200 unit sales of the electric scooter last quarter, the company will introduce one new Chetak each year for both domestic and international markets.
Across the country, the brand has received 16,000 reservations for the Chetak. KTM and Husqvarna’s entire product line will be renewed, and the debut of GasGas motorcycles and electrified motorcycles is possible. The new generation KTM RC200 and RC390 are already available in India, and the all-new Duke range of 125 cc, 250 cc, and 390 cc motorcycles is in the works.
They are expected to make their debut sometime next year, and India will be considered one of their top priority markets based on the volumes they bring in. The Bajaj-Triumph partnership has recently been the subject of much speculation, and the first product will be launched in 2023, for which a new manufacturing unit is being built in Chakan.
Bajaj Auto and Triumph Motorcycles signed an agreement in 2020, and it was announced last year that the first motorcycle from the partnership would be delayed by six to nine months due to the global health crisis. The first spy images of what appears to be a scrambler appeared on the internet earlier this year, from the United Kingdom.
It appears that Bajaj and Triumph are working on two sub 500 cc motorcycles, one resembling the Street Twin and the other drawing inspiration from the Bonneville family. With KTM’s 490 cc project reportedly shelved, the upcoming range of Bajaj-Triumph motorcycles will be crucial for both brands in India and abroad.
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