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Volvo rolls out B7R luxury bus in India

Volvo, the second largest producer of buses in the world on Saturday rolled out its B7R luxury bus with state-of-the-art facilities for inter-city travel in the country.

Already, 10 buses had completed trial runs in the South and response from the 26,000 people who travelled in them was good, Volvo bus corporation president Jan Engstrom told reporters in Bangalore.

Ruling out entry in the intra-city bus market in India, Engstrom said they would be now focussing on the luxury coach market. "One day we might go into the intra-city market," he added.

Pointing out that there was enormous potential for the buses, he said the market in India was around 25,000 to 30,000 buses year. The luxury segement was growing at the rate of 15 per cent.

Volvo India Private Limited general manager Akash Passey said they were engaged in discussions with the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation for the sale of buses.

Already, the KSRTC had tested the buses. They were marketing private operators and hoped to sell about 300 to 400 vehicles in the next two to three years.

Volvo, which started its operations in India three years ago, had bookings for the next couple of months. It was priced at Rs 40 lakh ex-bangalore. India was the 81st market for Volvo buses.

Jan engstorm said a high percentage of the components were imported and they hoped to reduce it to 50 per cent in the next three years. India was being used for outsourcing some of the spares for the world market.

He said their presence in China for the last six years and in India was important as they were the major markets in Asia.

Volvo India Private Limited managing director Ulf Nordqvist said they were growing at the rate of 25 per cent and there was no competition in the luxury bus sector. There were no major investments forthcoming in India in the immediate future.

Volvo B7R meets the company's global standards in design and quality and incorporates the latest in design and technology from Europe, which has the ability to ensure high vehicle performance and driver comfort.

Facilities include optimal power (a 260 HP engine), excellent drive characteristics and integral air conditioning.

Volvo will produce the chassis at its Hoskote factory, while the body will be manufactured by the Azad group at its facilities in Bangalore.

UNI

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