TVS' new Flame variant amid row with Bajaj

Chennai, Mar 3: As the legal wrangle over the production of 125 cc 'TVS Flame' hit the two-wheeler sales, the TVS Motor company has decided to launch a new Flame, using a new and unique engine.

TVS Motor Company registered a total two-wheeler sales of 95,235 units in February 2008 against 120,110 units in the corresponding period last year, while exports witnessed a quantum growth of around 56 per cent. During the month the company's motorcycle sales stood at 46,565 units in comparison to 70,155 units recorded in February 2007. In the scooter segment, TVS Scooty recorded 14,126 units in February 2008 in comparison to 19,937 units in the corresponding period the previous year, a company release here said.

Restricted availability of retail finance and high interest rates combined with stringent norms followed by financiers continued to affect the sale of two-wheelers.

In addition, the non-availability of the recently launched 125 cc TVS Flame has made the company practically absent in the executive segment, which forms approximately 50 per cent of the market.

The company has planned several launches in the two and three wheeler segments during this month. The new launches included the new 'Flame' that will use a new and unique engine, specially developed, patented and licensed to TVS Motor Company by AVL, Austria, the world leaders in internal combustion engine technology.

In early February 2008, the company launched its first electric scooter, TVS Scooty Teenz Electric in Gujarat. The product has been well received in the market and will be launched nationwide over the course of the next three months, the release said.

TVS Motor will also make its foray into the three-wheeler market.

Exports reported sales of 12,523 units of two wheelers in February 2008 as against 8,017 units in the corresponding period of the previous year thereby recording around 56 per cent growth, it said.

UNI