Bajaj Auto steals the show at the SIAM Auto Expo, Colombo

Mumbai, Aug 21 (UNI) The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in association with The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI), Colombo, organised ''Auto Show India'', a three-day event on August 18-20.

The idea was to provide a platform in Sri Lanka for automobile manufacturers based in India. With the on-road vehicle population of over 22 lakh and per capita income of US$ 4300 (PPP), Sri Lanka, is a goldmine of automobile business opportunities with the auto industry is estimated at US$ 540 million in 2005. Accelerating with around 50 per cent growth annually, Sri Lanka, is potentially a large market for Indian automobile manufacturers.

Sri Lanka is also a major market for Bajaj Auto range of products. Bajaj Auto is by far the leader in this important market for very many years with virtually one in every two 2-wheelers being sold by the company despite competition from other international as well as Indian companies. The company's market share for 2-wheelers with the CT 100, The Discover DTS-i, and the Pulsar DTS-i twins stands at 49 per cent and it has almost a complete monopoly in 3-wheelers with a market share of over 98 per cent for 2005-06. The 2-wheeler market is expected to grow rapidly to 200,000 numbers in 2006-07 and Bajaj Auto expects to capture the major part of this growth.

Speaking on the occasion, the vice chairman of the company, Madhur Bajaj said, ''Considering the importance of this growing market and the market share we enjoy, we planned a huge presence in the Expo. We have unveiled our 2006-07 model line-up for the country with a glittering display of soon to be launched 2-wheelers namely the Pulsar DTS-i Upgrade, the Pulsar DTS-Fi, the Avenger and the Kristal at the Auto-Expo''. We have also taken this opportunity to launch the Bajaj Platina in Sri Lanka, which has met with an overwhelming response. The bike was very well appreciated for features like disc brakes, Alloy wheels, matt finish black silencer with chrome heat shields, SNS suspension, ExhausTEC etc. The feedback has been that most customers felt it was the best looking bike launched in Sri Lanka so far in the 100 cc category and they have already started booking the vehicles, he added.

Sumith Cumaranatunga, Managing Director of David Pieris Motor Company, Bajaj Auto's authorized distributor for the country, is confident that these new launches would certainly help continue the company to outpace industry growth in 2006-07.

As India's largest exporter of 2&3 wheelers with a growth of 27 per cent in 2005-06, Bajaj Auto exports to more than 60 countries worldwide. With major initiatives in Indonesia, Nigeria, Iran amongst others it plans to multiply its exports rapidly in the coming years.

UNI KKD MAZ AW2319