TVS-Suzuki launches 150 cc. 4 stroke bike

By Our Corporate Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 6. TVS Suzuki has come out with its 150cc, 4 stroke motorcycle `Fiero' exclusively for meeting the requirements of urban customers in India. Launching this here today, Mr. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director of the company, said Fiero incorporated advanced technology that had never been used on two-wheelers in India before.

The motorcycle, being rolled out from the company's new manufacturing facility at Hosur, will be progressively launched across the country. It will be positioned as the trend setter having one of the best power-to-weight ratios (12 bhp/150 kg) in the industry.

He said the bike would defy all conventional engine performance logic with the introduction of D-fi logic technology (digital fuel ignition and linear oscillations governed intelligent carburettor).Mr. Venu Srinivasan said Fiero was so designed that it would conform to ultra low emission norms of 2 gm per kilo metre - much below the prescription of four gm for 2000 AD. He claimed that as far as two-wheelers were concerned, India was setting the standards and there was no other bike in the world which gave this kind of emission in this class.

He said all the two-wheelers from TVS-Suzuki stable would meet the prescribed emission norms by April 1. The Fiero will be priced short of Rs. 50,000. It can run 57-58 km a litre in ideal road conditions under normal fuel available.

Asked about the investment involved in bringing out the product, Mr. Venu Srinivasan said the company had already spent a fair amount on machinery to convert them from two-stroke to four stroke. It was intended to invest Rs. 120 crores in the next three years, he said. The import content was less than five per cent as only the digital ignition system and cylinder head were imported. By March end this year, about 7,000 vehicles would be turned out. In the next full year, more than 50,000 vehicles would be produced, he said.

On the performance of the company, he hoped to achieve a modest growth in net profit to Rs. 120 crores in the current year on a turnover of around Rs. 1,650 crores against Rs. 1,313 crores and Rs. 89.09 crores respectively in the year ended March 31, 1999. In the next financial year, he was confident that the company would post Rs. 160 crores net profit on a turnover of Rs. 2,100 crores.

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Section  : Business
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