TVS-BMW Collaboration in Final Stages

Indian bikemaker TVS Motor Co has announced that the BMW Motorrad-TVS collaboration in two-wheelers is in final stages, and they will form a JV before the ongoing fiscal. HS Goindi, TVS Motor Co President (Marketing) announcement, "Talks are on (with BMW) and we expect something to materialise before the end of the ongoing fiscal." He declined to comment on the nature and details of the partnership for which the company is in talks with BMW bike, which has also started selling high-end performance bikes in India since 2010.

However, the words on street suggest that the development is more as technology collaboration, so TVS bid to step up portfolio in the high-end performance bikes segment. Earlier in 2001, TVS Motor had parted ways with Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp from their erstwhile joint venture and since then the Chennai-based firm has been on a solo journey. Goindi was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the company's latest model, executive segment 125 cc bike, TVS Phoenix 125 which is priced at Rs 49,990 for drum brake version and Rs 52,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the disc brake variant.

TVS Motor Co currently sells a range of motorcycles, starting from entry level TVS Sport in the 100 cc segment to the 180 cc model TVS Apache. Commenting on the company's expectations from the newly launched Phoenix, Goindi said: "The overall executive motorcycle segment is about 4 lakh units a month in India now and we want to have a share of about 5-7 per cent." Overall, the company is aiming to sell around 20,000 units of the Phoenix 125, he added.

The company will also start exporting the new model from February next year, Goindi said. Phoenix 125 will compete with the likes of Hero MotoCorp Glamour, Bajaj Discover 125 and Honda Shine. "We had a gap in the segment, which is the fastest growing in the market and this will now be filled by the Phoenix," TVS Motor Co General Manager Marketing Arun Siddharth said. TVS is targetting urban customers with its new model, which it claims to deliver a mileage of 67 kmpl.