Bajaj launches gearless Saffire

Six months after Saffire, the country's first auto transmission four stroke 92 cc scooter was rolled out from its new, state of the art plant at Chakan, two- and three-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto Ltd launched it in the market on April 2, 2000.

The vehicle has gone through extensive market testing for customer response for its styling, road clearing, gradability, fuel efficiency and pricing. "We conducted the test in 20 places, and all the suggestions received have been incorporated," said R.L. Ravichandran, Bajaj Auto's vice president, business & product development, at the launch of the Saffire in Pune.

Such extensive testing may be a result of earlier experiences, where new models brought out with much fanfare but with minimal market testing, bombed in the market. So much so, the company even had to discontinue the product lines. This happened with both the 150 cc Stride and the 73 cc Rave.

"Priced at under Rs 35,000 (in Pune), the Saffire represents even more value for money. The main complaint against auto transmission vehicles in the market is with regard to fuel efficiency. Saffire yields a mileage of over 50 km per litre, consistently," says Ravichandran.

Saffire is the first four stroke gearless scooter in the country. The country's first four-stroke scooter, Legend, introduced by BAL a year ago, was a geared vehicle (see Bajaj Auto for four strokes only).

With the launch of the Saffire at the very start of the new financial year, Bajaj Auto promises a slew of launches throughout the year and the next. The company proposes to introduce one new vehicle or a variant every month, over the next year-and-a-half.

Saffire is to be followed by Sunny Spice, an electric start auto transmission scooterette in three-to-four weeks' time, followed by a four stroke version of the popular step-through, M 80, by September, to be closely followed by the long, low slung, low wheel base Harley Davidson clone, under the name Eliminator, by the end of this calendar year.

"The objective is to make available a vehicle variant at every niche segment in the market," said Ravichandran.

The company is all set to introduce the first four-stroke three-wheeler in the country. Expected by the end of the year, the four-stroke three-wheeler is designed to run on alternate fuels, including CNG.

The newly-introduced Saffire is the first of the new generation vehicles to come out of the company's new plant at Chakan, the project cost for which was Rs 250 crore. Design and development of the Saffire cost Rs 20 crore. The company proposes to make and sell 36,000 Saffires during the current financial year.