Piaggio plans big!

The 9th Auto Expo is just over and guess who's not planning to be left behind in the hype of some really big names coming to India! Furthering the anticipation of a great year for bikers in 2008 is Italian two wheeler giant Piaggio. With brands such as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Derbi and Vespa under its global belt among others, Piaggio already has presence in the Indian market in the form of a rather successful range of three and four wheelers under the Ape banner including the impressive Truk four-wheeler that has taken the competition straight to the Tata Ace.

In a special briefing to the media by Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd CMD Ravi Chopra and Piaggio & C. S.p.A. (Piaggio Group) Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno, the duo outlined some very exciting future plans for the group's expansion in Asia and particularly in India. These include an extension of Piaggio's collaboration with Daihatsu for the supply of 1300cc petrol engines, parts, components and assemblies for the former's Porter range of light transport vehicles. An 8-year agreement with Greaves Cotton Ltd was also signed under which Greaves will supply PVPL with the GL 400 BSII monocylinder diesel engine as well as the Bharat Stage III compliant G 435 BSIII engines for the Ape three-wheeler range. In addition to the above, the group will also continue its close partnership with Lombardini/Kohler for the 482cc liquid-cooled 5-speed diesel engine for the Ape Truk. Roberto Colaninno also touched upon the group's strategies for China, Vietnam and Japan where they operate through subsidiaries.

Perhaps the most exciting news though, was Piaggio's re-entry into the two-wheeler market which will be spearheaded by the much loved Vespa brand of scooters. The company is currently analyzing feasibility of bringing in some of its best scooters in the market, including the HYS hybrid scooter that it showed during the briefing. A healthy sum of 60 - 65 million Euros will be pumped into PVPL's Baramati facility to allow for a new plant that will manufacture powertrains and assemble two wheelers. The group plans to achieve localization levels as close to 100 per cent as possible on their powertrain production. The two-wheelers will be marketed by their current set of three-wheeler dealers but will be sold and serviced in specialized outfits. Judging by the determination in Piaggio's plans, it sure seems like they're in for the long term and if it's anything to go by, the one minute audio visual on the magnificent Aprilia Tuono 1000R at the end of the briefing sure brought the point home!