Bajaj not to enter scooter market, Chetak rumour quashed - Report

17/04/2015 - 01:00 | ,  ,   | Karthik H

Was rumored to be presented at Auto Expo 2016.

Quelling recent rumours on the reentry of the once-iconic Bajaj Chetak, the Pune-based manufacturer has categorically denied a return to the scooter market, reports the Hindustan Times.

Bajaj Pulsar AS 200 side
With the Chetak rumours done away with, Bajaj will now hope for a turnaround with the freshly launched Pulsar Adventure Series.

Recent reports suggested that the Bajaj Chetak could make a comeback at the 2016 Auto Expo with a 125-150 cc four-stroke engine. Bajaj was reported to be putting its DTS-i engine technology to use in the scooter too. However, the report quotes Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, stating that the company has plans to focus only on motorcycles and has no reason to return to manufacturing scooters.

The bold move comes despite sales dropping by 15.6 percent to 1.77 million units in the previous fiscal and being relegated to the 4th spot in the two-wheeler manufacturers list, after Hero Motocorp, HMSI, and TVS. That Bajaj dropped sales when the overall market grew by a strong 8.1 percent to clock 16 million units rubs salt on the company's wounds.

Hero Dash at the 2014 Colombo Motor Show Sri Lanka
Hero Motocorp meanwhile will launch another scooter 'Dare' this year.

Also See: Bajaj U-Car Concept unveiled at Auto Expo 2014

However, Bajaj has continued to strengthen its Pulsar range with the recent addition of the AS 150 and the AS 200. The company also announced that it was upping its target for the two bikes, fixing it at 10,000 units a month for the AS150 and 5,000 units for the AS200.

[Source - HindustanTimes.com]

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