'Bajaj Auto is a bit like a zoo'

The once household name 'Hamara Bajaj' has transformed into a 'zoo' of brands and hence Bajaj Auto is now deliberately promoting its individual products as standalone marques.

After the company decided to exit scooters, each of the different models, such as Pulsar, Discover, Boxer and RE (three-wheeler) have held up in the market on their own against competition.

"Now, in my view, Bajaj is a bit like a zoo," Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj said on Wednesday, likening the different models from the firm's stable as different animals in a zoo.

He said when customers come to buy products, they look for pedigree but 'a zoo unfortunately has no pedigree', adding the individual products by themselves could provide the customers what they want.

"Up until the 80s, what was a Bajaj was very clear. Bajaj was a value for money (brand). There was scooter called Super or Chetak or Priya. They all look the same, like as they belong to same family, to the same father and mother and if you put a three-wheeler next to it, that looks from the same family as well," Bajaj said.

Products like the Pulsar, Boxer, Discover have become brands by themselves, as a result of which the Bajaj brand has become 'more like a garage', he added.

Asked if the company has started dropping the 'Bajaj' brand, he said: "We are not in anyway suggesting that we are dissociating from the main Bajaj, but the implementation (for downplaying the brand) is underway for some time."

The company on Wednesday launched two new variants of its RE range of three-wheelers -- RE205D and RE205M, in both CNG and LPG mode of fuel. It said the CNG options of the two vehicles will be available for Rs 1.27 lakh and Rs 1.37 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), respectively.

Bajaj Auto chief executive officer (commercial vehicle) Ramesh Maheshwari said the new range of vehicles will give better mileage of about 40 km per kg and are Bharat Stage III emission norms compliant. The company had registered a growth of 24 per cent in the three-wheeler segment in last fiscal at 3.4 lakh units.

It has set a target to sell 4 lakh units of commercial vehicles in the current financial year.