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TVS Motor is gearing up for two big launches in the coming months. One is an all-new 110cc executive commuter motorcycle, while the other is a 125cc scooter.
The motorcycle will be part of a product segment where Hero MotoCorp rules the roost with the Splendor which comfortably averages over two lakh units each month. Over the years, many contenders have thrown their hats into the ring in an attempt to take on the brand but, ironically, it was a scooter that finally tilted the scales. This was Honda’s Activa, which is the largest selling two-wheeler brand today.
TVS Motor was, in fact, the first real competitor to the then Hero Honda’s supremacy with the Splendor.
This was in 2001-02 when the company had launched its 110cc Victor which went on to become a top brand in the executive commuter space. By this time, TVS had also decided to part ways with Suzuki and the Victor’s success showcased the company’s competence.
However, the Splendor continued to be the monarch of the executive commuter space even while other competitors like Bajaj Auto attempted to upset the applecart, albeit unsuccessfully, with models like Discover. The Victor, likewise, was resurrected in a new avatar last year, but it has not quite taken the market by storm with monthly sales averaging 20,000 units.
As for TVS Motor’s new 125cc scooter, a top industry source says it will be “young, sporty and aggressive”. Interestingly, it will not be an extension of the successful 110cc Jupiter which is the second-largest selling scooter in India after Activa. It has been clocking over 70,000 units every month and has helped TVS overtake Hero comfortably in the overall scooter arena.
However, the 125cc scooter space, which also includes models from Honda, Suzuki and Mahindra, accounts for a little over 10 per cent of the overall scooter sales. It is still the 110cc category led by Honda’s Activa that takes up a lion’s share though experts believe that it is only a matter of time before more buyers opt for 125cc options.
TVS Motor has been on a good run in recent years and the launch of these two new models is expected to keep the momentum going. Like other two-wheeler manufacturers, it will have its hands full in the next two-three years preparing for the Bharat Stage VI emission norms which come into effect from April 2020.
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