Executive Choice

Just heard that Bajaj Auto will launch a new executive class motorcycle in Delhi on March 8 2006. What? Another one? They already have the Discover 112 and the Discover 125, right? Also, Rajiv Bajaj indicated at the Auto Expo that this one will not be the Sonic, which is also scheduled for an executive class appearance within the calendar year...

Wondering what the hell they are up to?

Rajiv Bajaj has always said that a market as large as ours needs more product differentiation. I think the exact words were on the lines of, 'how can a generic product like a meet the exact needs of one lakh people every month?' Which is true. So he says (and now is about to do), products must become more specialised and more focused in terms of which customer (sub-)profile they address.

Translation: Bajaj's commuters are about to get specialised. I won't be surprised if I were to spot a sporty commuter, a frugal commuter and a stylish commuter all based on the same platform, but with minor cosmetic and mechanical upgrades to differentiate their charms.

Someone asked him at the Auto Expo whether he thought the executive commuter segment was too crowded. He just smiled, I remember, and suggested there was more than enough room to wriggle around a bit. Stay tuned, I'll post pics as soon as I have them.

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