Mahindra plans all-segment product rollout for two-wheeler drive

NEW DELHI: Charting an ambitious plan for the two-wheeler market after acquisition of Kinetic's assets, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) plans an aggressive product rollout, covering all segments of bikes including the intensely-competitive entry-level one, at present dominated by Hero Honda and Bajaj.



The company also plans to part-use the dealer network of M&M's tractor and utility vehicle divisions to sell its two-wheelers, while looking at new product opportunities with Kinetic Motors' existing partner Sang Yang Motors (SYM) of Taiwan.

Anoop Mathur, president of Mahindra's newly-created two-wheeler vertical, said the company would launch new products and strengthen some of Kinetic's existing ones. "We are currently working on our product strategy. And apart from Mahindra and Kinetic, we will also be tapping the domain knowledge of SYM while developing new products," Mathur told.

Mathur, who joined the group early last year after a long stint with Hindustan Unilever, dismissed analysts who doubted M&M's two-wheel ambitions because of intense competition. "We are not scared of competition but rather respect it. We have built our game plan, keeping in mind the competition and market dynamics," he said.

Kinetic Flyte Bipasha Basu

Though not divulging the exact time frame of new launches, Mathur said the company planned to offer products - some of which would carry joint Mahindra-Kinetic badging - both in the scooter and motorcycle segments. "The intention is to be present across the product spectrum, from entry-level to executive to premium bikes," he said, adding it was not the engine-size (cc) that would define categories in the future but rather the usage and deployment.

M&M has already said that scooters would be the entry point for its two-wheeler foray. Kinetic has products like the Flyte (125cc), Blaze (165cc) and Kinetic 4S (115cc) in the scooter segment, which could be used by M&M.

"Currently, Kinetic provides us with a ready network of 300 dealers and about 1000 service points. So it is not exactly an empty cup-board. And as we go forward, we have to commission more channel partners in the front-end of the business," Mathur said.

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Last updated on 03-01-2017. Published on 07-08-2008.
Published by Bikes4Sale in category News
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