Bajaj Auto eyeing big bike space for Rs 15,000 crore Pulsar brand with new 400 model

With the launch of the new Pulsar NS400 on May 3, Bajaj Auto is looking to expand the Rs 15,000 crore Pulsar brand into the big bike space, according to a senior company official.

Since its inception, the Bajaj Pulsar brand has generated almost Rs 15,000 crore in revenue from the domestic and export markets. Currently, it is sold in different avatars, starting with its presence in the 125cc segment and going all the way up to the 250cc segment.

The Pulsar brand includes the Pulsar 125, Pulsar NS125, Pulsar 150, Pulsar N150, Pulsar NS160, Pulsar N160, Pulsar NS200, Pulsar RS200, Pulsar 220F and Pulsar N250.

In response to a question from India Today during a select media interaction on whether the new Bajaj Pulsar NS400 will impact the market share of group brands like the KTM 390 Duke, Triumph Speed 400 and Triumph Scrambler 400 X, Bajaj Auto Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Dinesh Thapar said: «Eventually, there might be some interplay but the differing price points could still open up a big opportunity.»

The KTM 390 Duke price starts at Rs 3,10,520 (ex-showroom, New Delhi). While the Triumph Speed 400 is priced at Rs 2,34,497 (ex-showroom, New Delhi), the Triumph Scrambler 400 X retails at Rs 2,64,496 (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

We are expecting the new Bajaj Pulsar NS400 to be priced below the Triumph Speed 400, close to Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) mark.

«The Pulsar is played across price points. There was a point of circumspection about whether the Pulsar could stretch its equity from 125cc up to 250cc where it currently plays. But the Pulsar has continued to surprise us. It has been in many ways a driver of growth for us. And the size, Rs 15,000 crore between domestic and export markets, gives you a sense of how large the Pulsar brand is for us. We are now clearly looking to expand that into the big bike space,» Thapar said.

At the moment, it is not clear whether the new Bajaj Pulsar NS400 will employ the KTM 390 Duke's 46PS/39Nm 399cc liquid-cooled engine or the 40PS/37.5Nm 398.15cc liquid-cooled unit used by the Triumph 400 twins. The Bajaj Dominar 400's 40PS/35Nm 373.3cc liquid-cooled motor is another option for the company.

«KTM and Triumph have different