The Royal Enfield 650 Twins continue to reach new markets and the latest country to receive the Interceptor INT 650, and the Continental GT 650 is Vietnam. Other than the introducing the new models, Royal Enfield even announced the inauguration of its second store in the country. The new showroom is located in Hanoi.
Also read: Royal Enfield enters South Korea, inaugurates an exclusive store
While the company has reported negative growth for five consecutive months in the home market, the exports have shown positive results since the launch of the 650 Twins. The Royal Enfield 650cc models have registered domestic sales and exports of 5,168 units since their deliveries began in the second half of November 2018. The encouraging response has even led to a waiting period of three to five months in the Indian market.
In fact, Royal Enfield has increased its production from 2,500 units to 4,500-5000 units per month to address the strong demand. Siddhartha Lal MD & CEO, Eicher Motors (Royal Enfield’s parent company), had said in an interview in November last year that the 650 twins could reach annual sales of up to 1 million units globally in next 5 to 10 years. The company has already launched the Interceptor INT 650 and the Continental GT 650 in markets like the US, UK, Australia and Thailand among others.
As per the company, the Royal Enfield 650 twins have been designed and developed specifically for the global markets. To expand its presence in the Southeast Asian markets, Royal Enfield will open its first overseas CKD plant in Thailand. The operations in Thailand are expected to commence by the second half of this year. Apart from Thailand, Royal Enfield is also considering assembling its 650 cc products in Brazil.
Also read: Aftermarket exhausts for Royal Enfield 650cc Twins compared side-by-side [VIDEO]
To give you a quick recap, the Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 and the Continental GT 650 feature identical construction but get a different styling. The Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 is a modern-retro roadster while the Continental GT 650 is a café racer. Both models are propelled by a 648cc, parallel-twin cylinder, 8-valve, fuel-injected engine that churns out a 47 bhp at 7,100 rpm and 52 Nm at 5,250 rpm. A six-speed gearbox works in tandem with a slipper clutch system.
