Italian Superbike Manufacturer Benelli Ties Up With Mahavir Group

The Italian motorcycle manufacturer will collaborate with Hyderabad-based firm to assemble, manufacture and sell its motorcycles from Italy and South East Asia

After DSK Motowheels and Benelli split ways, we had exclusively reported that the Italian motorcycle manufacturer was in talks with a Hyderabad-based dealer, Adishwar Auto Ride India (AARI), a subsidiary of Mahavir Group, to assemble, manufacture and sell its motorcycles in India. And now its official as both firms confirmed the news at an event held in Hyderabad recently.

Furthermore, Benelli has also signed an agreement with the Telangana government which will allow it to set up a manufacturing plant in Medichal, Hyderabad. The manufacturing plant will consist of two stages, the first of which will cover an area of three acres, while the second stage will include setting up a plant that will span across a whopping 20 acres.

The company will continue trading with existing dealerships while also looking out for prospective ones on the way. The motorcycles will continue to be imported to India via the CKD (completely knocked down) route and assembled at the upcoming plant to keep costs in check. Both firms will also work towards importing an exclusive range of motorcycles from Italy and South East Asia, details of which are yet to be released.

Speaking on the occasion, George Wang, Director - Benelli said "Our partnership with the Telangana Government and Adishwar Auto Ride India reassures our long-term goal and manufacturing of made in India superbikes. India has been the largest producers of two-wheeler in the world and we have witnessed a growing demand across categories including superbike. Over the years, Benelli has gained a leadership position in the Indian superbike segment with a loyal customer base and the introduction of various products from time to time as per the market demand."

Yashwant Jhabakh, Chairman, Mahavir Group said "It is indeed a significant moment for us as we spearhead to the next level in the automobile industry, from being a prominent dealer for multiple brands to managing operations of a global brand like Benelli in India. We have eminent skills resources and unmatched experience that will boost Benelli's product strength across the country. With this partnership, we aim to build significant market share for Benelli in the superbike segment in the years to come."

At present, Benelli’s India lineup consists of four motorcycles, including the TNT 300, 302R, TNT 600i and TNT 600 GT. The TNT 25, which was launched in 2015, has now been discontinued to make way for the newer version, will is set to go on sale next year. The TNT 600 GT, which has also been unlisted from Benelli’s website, will be replaced by the TRK 502 and the TRK 502X. The smaller TNT 300 will soon be replaced by the 302S (first seen at the 2017 EICMA). It sports an all-new design and new colours schemes as well. Our sources also suggest that the Leoncino, a scrambler which has already been launched in various international markets, will be the very first motorcycle to be unveiled under the new management.

While the new tie-up is exciting news for existing Benelli owner and prospective buyers, the firm still has a lot of catching up to do with its competitors. Stay tuned to BikeDekho for more updates on Benelli India and its future plans.