 After months of uncertainty, India's second-largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL), on Tuesday forayed into the four-wheeler segment with intra-city passenger carrier RE60.
Developed on the platform BAL had initially planned to use for its ultra-low cost car (ULCC), RE60 is expected to give a viable alternative to 500,000 three-wheelers plying on Indian roads.
BAL Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said, "We have kept to our target of commercially launching the 'four-wheeler' in 2012. RE60 is not a car. The core customers for the product are those who use a three-wheeler." Powered by a 200cc rear-mounted petrol engine, the vehicle delivers a mileage of 35 kmpl. It can run at a top speed of 70 km/h.
BAL had entered into an agreement with Franco-Japanese alliance Renault-Nissan in 2008 to develop and sell an ULCC that would be priced below Rs 2 lakh. While Bajaj Auto was to design and develop the vehicle, Renault and Nissan were to take are of branding, marketing and selling the product.
However, BAL said in November 2009 that the product would be aligned differently from the initial concept, as the ULCC was proving to be an unviable project.
Renault raised further questions on the introduction of Bajaj's 'four-wheeler' last year. The company had declined to confirm its interest in the product, saying it was yet to see a prototype.
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