'It is going to be a buyers' market and you will get a good number of companies at reasonable valuations and that's when one has to be very greedy.'
Bajaj Auto, the country's second-largest manufacturer of motorcycles, has phased out two more models. This makes four bike models phased out in four months, due to weak demand.
A majority of HMIL's current export comprises the i10 model, which is exported to Asia, Latin America and Western Europe. In addition, the company has stated that 90 per cent of the i20 model (a premium hatchback) will be exported. The company will produce 150,000 units of the model annually.
Showing a rift in the Hamara Bajaj-famed two wheeler giant Bajaj Auto, group chairman Rahul Bajaj on Wednesday differed with his son and managing director Rajiv Bajaj's decision to exit production of scooters saying he was not only not convinced but was 'hurt' by it.
Major Indian automobile companies like Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto and Mahindra & Mahindra seem to have put up a robust performance in Q3 FY 10, paying advance tax of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion), Rs 320 crore (Rs 3.2 billion) and Rs 195 crore (Rs 1.95 billion), respectively.
The Digital Twin Spark Swirl Induction technology engine series, says the company, is the world's most fuel efficient engine and will feature in a new motorcycle the company hopes to unveil next month. Company executives hinted it may be featured in a vehicle that falls in the 125-135cc category. Mileage details of the new engine have not been disclosed. The top mileage notched by a 125cc motorcycle is by Hero Honda's Super Splendor, which is about 83 km/litre.
The new bike -- Flame SR 125 -- would be an advanced version of its existing model Flame, which has single spark CCVTi engine. Meanwhile, sources said Flame SR 125 would be available in showrooms from next week.
Bajaj Auto, once known for its scooters which revolutionised the two-wheeler market in the country, on Wednesday said it will exit the segment by the end of the fiscal to focus exclusively on motorcycles. The company that by and large created the scooter market in the country through its popular 'Hamara Bajaj' campaigns in the 1980s and 90s, today sells just one scooter -- the 100-cc gearless Crystal.
Pulsar's new variant, to be unveiled next week, will retain the looks of a big bike, but the engine will be 135 cc. Bajaj Auto is launching yet another variant of Pulsar, its highest selling bike, next Wednesday.
Home-grown automotive players like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Bajaj Auto, Hero Honda, TVS Motors and Maruti Suzuki are augmenting the use of plastics in engine components in an ambitious effort to reduce dependence on key metals like steel and aluminium, all of which have witnessed stupendous rise of 35-50 per cent in the past 5 months.
Low-base effect to kick in, but higher raw material prices could spoil the show.
Auto component companies -- especially the mid-size and small ones -- are facing an uphill task to stay afloat as banks have become tight-fisted in giving credit and vehicle makers are cutting orders to combat the slowdown in sales.
Bajaj Auto, the country's second largest two-wheeler manufacturer, may cut production as it sees a slowdown in motorcycle sales after the current festival season.
But will this dilute Bajaj's strong Indian identity that straddled the rural-urban markets and the Hindi-English divide quite easily?
the broader NSE Nifty settled 114.90 points, or 0.96 per cent, higher at 12,086.70. Axis Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying 4.21 per cent, followed by Vedanta 3.75 per cent, SBI 3.39 per cent, Maruti 3.20 per cent, IndusInd Bank 3.07 per cent and Yes Bank 2.87 per cent. Bharti Airtel slipped 1.98 per cent, Kotak Bank 1.38 per cent, Bajaj Auto 0.88 per cent, Asian Paints 0.31 per cent, HDFC Bank 0.05 per cent and HUL 0.03 per cent.
Say lower duties could enhance demand.
Pulsar 220, the fastest bike in India, faces a challenge from new models on speed & style.
Striking workers lacked support in the Pimpri-Chinchwad-Chakan belt.
Top laggards in the Sensex pack included HDFC, ICICI Bank, TCS, HCL Tech, Kotak Bank, Asian Paints, TechM and HUL, dropping up to 2.67 per cent.
Most probably, feel analysts, it would be in the 100-125cc segment. The new Discover 100cc with a DTSi engine, launched last month, is billed by the company as the world's most fuel-efficient motorcycle, with a certified 89 km to a litre of petrol.
Bajaj Auto has phased out the Pulsar 200 model to make way for the new Pulsar 220, as both were priced on a par, despite the latter being more powerful.
Bajaj Auto, the country's second-biggest maker of two-wheelers, says it will use its famed digital twin-spark plug technology in its compact car, due for launch in 2011.
In the years that the economy boomed and consumers had more money to spend, two-wheeler makers lured buyers with performance and presence. Now, the focus is back on fuel efficiency.
In the last nine sessions, the Sensex had lost 1,940.73 points and the Nifty has given away nearly 600 points.
Bajaj family members are in the final stages of reaching a peace formula to their six-year-old dispute over the division of group companies and assets. Sources familiar with the developments said an announcement can be expected in the next 10 days, but did not want to divulge details.
German insurance giant Allianz is planning to widen base in India with foray in banking business through its unit Dresdner Bank, besides expanding its existing non-banking financial services.
Other than ITC, other laggards include PowerGrid, Infosys, M&M, NTPC, SBI, HDFC, Kotak Bank, HDFC Bank, TCS, Hero MotoCorp, Coal India, ONGC, RIL, Asian Paint, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel and Axis Bank.
The ultra low cost car (ULC), which will be competing with Tata Nano, aims to better the mileage of 23.6 km/lt, given by the world's cheapest car from the stable of Tata Motors.
The Pulsar 200 AS and 150 AS have been positioned at the youth who want practicality on weekdays and the fun factor on weekends, writes Indian motoring website MotorBeam.
Production of the 125 cc motorcycle has started in an assembly plant in China, putting the country's second-largest maker a step ahead of competitor Hero Honda, which is also working on a motorcycle reportedly between the Rs 17,000 and Rs 20,000 price point.
Over 800 gather for the India Economic Summit.
Among major Sensex gainers, ITC rose the most by 2.32 per cent, followed by TCS, M&M, SBI and Bharti Airtel.
The Mumbai-based company will take on Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto and HMSI and will have models in the 100cc, 125cc and 150cc mobike segments, and also in the ungeared low and high-powered scooter segments. Hero Honda has a 60 per cent share of the motorcycle segment, while HMSI commands a 58 per cent of the scooter market. Anand Mahindra said: "Our two-wheeler project is complete; we have already begun marketing the fleet in Bangalore."
There could be some significant changes in motorcycles over the next few years says Shobhana Subramanian.
Keen competition will make the going tough even for market leaders in the segment.
Top gainers in the Sensex pack included Yes Bank, TechM, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, Maruti, Asian Paints and Hero MotoCorp - rising up to 5.30 per cent. The 50-share Nifty ended 85.65 points, or 0.79 per cent, higher at 10,948.25 points.
Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh declared that the state has received approx Rs 20,000 FDI in the last 3 years.
Even as a court case rages over the alleged intellectual property infringement, Chennai-based TVS Motor on Thursday launched its new 125-cc motorcycle, Flame, which rival Bajaj Auto says is based on its patented twin spark plug technology.
Sebi penalised Shruti Vishal Vora - found guilty of leaking price sensitive information related to financial results of Wipro, Asian Paints and Mindtree, and Parthiv Dalal for similar action in case of Wipro earnings.
