Benelli India to launch 'budget' 400 cc motorcycle - Report
Benelli India plans to take on the Royal Enfield and Jawa range of motorcycles with a new 400 cc model. The company intends to launch two 250 cc motorcycles and scooters in the 150 cc to 250 cc segment as well.
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It goes without saying that the upcoming Benelli 400 cc motorcycle will be the Imperiale 400. The retro-style bike was seen at the ARAI facility in Pune earlier this year (May 2019). The Indian launch of the Imperiale 400 will reportedly happen in March next year. Benelli India has high expectations from the Imperiale 400, and the company hopes to sell the motorcycle in large volumes. Thus, to ensure competitive prices, Benelli India plans to localise a significant number of components.
Mechanical specifications on the Imperiale 400 BS-IV include a 373.5 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, SOHC engine with a fuel injection system that produces 19.7 PS of peak power at 5,500 rpm and 28 Nm of maximum torque at 3,500 rpm. The motor comes linked to a five-speed gearbox. Given the launch timeline, we expect the motorcycle to arrive with BS-VI compliance. Benelli India will likely target the sub-INR 2 lakh price bracket for the Imperiale 400 to compete with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Jawa duo.
Apart from Imperiale 400, the Benelli India plans to introduce two quarter-litre motorcycles, maybe the TRK 251 and Leoncino 250. The existing 249 cc single-cylinder, 4-valve, fuel-injected engine of Benelli delivers 25.5 bhp at 9,250 rpm and 21.2 Nm at 8,000 rpm. The quarter-litre duo may cost above INR 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom) and pack premium hardware. Key features of the TRK 251 and the Leoncino 250 include upside-down front forks, rear monoshock and dual-channel ABS.
The company’s scooter portfolio could witness the arrival of the Zafferano 250 EFI. The plans to launch scooters in India, however, are still under discussion.
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In other updates, Benelli India launched the Leoncino 500 yesterday. The middleweight scrambler is available at INR 4.79 lakh (ex-showroom India). The motorcycle can be booked online, or via a Benelli dealership for a token amount of INR 10,000. The company has sold about 1,000 motorcycles after resuming operations in January this year, its MD Vikas Jhabakh has revealed. The plan is to double that number by the end of the year.
[Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com]