TVS To Focus On Premium Segment; Akula 310 Coming This Fiscal

TVS Motors wants to establish itself as a major player in the premium bike segment, with the launch of the Akula 310 before the end of the current fiscal.

TVS Motors is one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the Indian market and has an impressive share in the mass segment. It doing well in the premium bikes market as well with its Apache series, having three bikes on offer at present. Now, TVS wants to establish itself as a major player in the premium segment with a significant market share. The next step of the company on this course will be the launch of its new flagship, the Akula 310, before the end of this financial year i.e. March 2017.

Currently, the Apache RTR 200 4V, which was launched this year and is performing well in its segment, is the flagship model from TVS. Commenting on its success, Arun Siddharth, vice-president, marketing (motorcycles) of TVS Motor, said, "The youths in cities are looking for bikes that have power, style quotient, and innovative design. Premium bikes above 150 cc meet these aspirations. The response to our new Apache RTR 200cc reflects this growing penchant. Currently, we sell 4,000 units of the Apache RTR but we expect the volumes to move up to 8,000 units in the coming months and will reach 10,000 units in the season."

Confirming the launch of the TVS Akula 310, Siddharth revealed that the first bike developed under the TVS-BMW alliance will enter the markets before the end of the running financial year. He also said, "Even though both the companies will be using the same platform, each one of us will have our own approach to design and development of the products."

The TVS Akula 310 was first showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo as a racing concept and its production model is expected to be much similar to that. The bike is based on the upcoming BMW G 310 R that has been already been unveiled and is all set to hit the markets anytime soon. Both are powered by a new 313cc single-cylinder DOHC engine mated to a six-speed transmission. The liquid-cooled motor makes a maximum power of 34PS and peak torque of 28Nm for the G 310 R, and we believe that it will remain unchanged for the TVS bike as well.

The Akula 310 gets a revised trellis frame with a new subframe but shares most of the components with its streetfighter sibling, such as the swingarm, suspension setup, and wheels. Unlike its concept model, the production bike is expected to be a sport tourer instead of a track-focused machine. Which means the clip-ons will be raised a bit and there will be an arrangement of comfortable seating on the bike for two. The TVS Akula 310 is expected to be priced near the Rs 2 lakh mark, which sounds pretty aggressive with respect to its competition.