The growth in the gearless scooter segment has been phenomenal over the
last few years but it isn’t until now that the interest in this segment
by manufacturers and consumers alike is at unprecedented levels. For
starters, 2012 promises to be one of the biggest years ever for the
Indian automatic scooter market as 8 scooters from no less than 7
manufacturers, are all set to be launched in India during the course of
the next seven months. Through this story, we’ll give you a lowdown on
all the seven automatic scooters. Let the scooting begin.
Mahindra Duro DZ 125:
Launched barely a week ago at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo, the Mahindra
Duro DZ is an improved and facelifted version of the 125cc Duro
automatic scooter. The Duro DZ features an all new front end with a new
headlamp design and new telescopic forks. While the headlamp improves
aesthetics, the real story is about the telescopic front forks, which
will now make the Duro DZ a much better ride on bad roads, stuff that is
quite abundant in India. The Duro DZ retains the 125cc four stroke
engine, albeit in a newer state of tune which Mahindra claims will
increase fuel economy.The Duro DZ 125 is priced at INR 42,232,
ex-showroom Delhi.
Suzuki Swish 125:
If you think that the Access 125 looks too bulbous for your liking, but
still think that the powerful and torquey 125 four stroke engine of the
Access is the best thing that happened to Indian automatic scooters,
fret not, hope is at hand. Suzuki showcased at Swish 125, which is
basically a Access in more stylish clothes. The traditional strengths of
the Access 125 remain, read a reliable and powerful four stroke engine,
solid build quality and well sorted suspension with telescopic forks up
front, while the style quotient is lifted a few notches up. Expect a
March 2012 launch for the Swish 125, which is priced at INR 45431,
ex-showroom, Delhi.
Hero Maestro 110:
Take a Honda Aviator, give it new stickers and dump the excellent
telescopic front forks, lo and behold, you have the Hero Maestro 110
automatic scooter. A badge engineered product, the Hero Maestro
represents the first scooter launch of Hero MotoCorp since its split
with Honda. Although the two companies are going it alone, Hero still
has license to use Honda’s technology until 2014, which explains why the
Maestro features the same 110cc engine that is also found on the Honda
Activa and the Aviator. Puncture resistant Tuff up tubes, an
analog-digital instrument console and combi brakes are a few of the
salient features of the Maestro. Call it a Hero scooter for the men if
you may, the Maestro will sit above the Pleasure in terms of price and
positioning and is set to be launched during the first few months of the
year.
Piaggio Vespa LX125:
The Vespa will kickstart a new segment of sorts, when Piaggio India
launches this retro cool 125cc automatic scooter in late March of early
April 2012. The Vespa LX125 will be positioned as a lifestyle scooter,
to keep with the high quality fit and finish that the scooter exudes in
no small measure. The 125cc Vespa will also be the most powerful
automatic scooter in India with a power output of 10.6 Bhp from its
125cc four stroke engine. The Vespa LX125 was showcased at the Auto Expo
and we were very pleased to see how well finished and richly detailed
the scooter was, in fact head and shoulders above the existing scooters
in India. Expect a price of about INR 55,000 for the Vespa LX125.
Honda Dio 110:
The Honda Dio is an example of how an classic design can still look harp
despite being over half a decade old in the Indian market. The Honda
Dio finally gets a few upgrades it should have got in the very first
place. A 110cc four stroke engine borrowed from the Activa finally makes
it into the Dio and so does combi braking. The Dio also gets fresh new
styling, with a completel restyled front and rear end. While some people
love the new style, others can’t digest it. Tubeless tyres and a
claimed 15% higher fuel economy are the significant upgrades to the Dio
110. What we don’t like about the new Dio 110 is the fact that Honda
still hasn’t given this sporty scooter telescopic front forks, a sore
point in the otherwise big facelift. Expect to pay a few grand more over
the current model when the 2012 Dio 110 becomes available in showrooms
over the next few months.
TVS Qube 100 Hybrid Scooter:
TVS Motors will launch India’s first hybrid scooter in the middle of
the year. however, the launch will be more of a pilot run with 50
examples of he Qube 100 Hybrid entering the market. In June 2012, the
pilot launch will happen and the Qube 100 Hybrid will hit the Indian
roads. The Qube 100 features a 100cc four stroke engine which will
combine with a hub mounted electric motor. A Start-Stop system and brake
energy regeneration are the other trick bits on the Qube Hybrid, which
will also use lithium ion batteries and have three modes of operation.
The commercial launch of the Qube 100 Hybrid scooter will happen in
2013, before which TVS Motors will use the pilot launch to gauge
consumer acceptance.
Yamaha Ray:
Yamaha emphasized that it would squarely target Indian women with its
first scooter offering for the Indian market, the Ray. A sharply styled
scooter with petite dimensions to appeal more to the fairer sex, the
Yamaha Ray comes with a good equipment spec. For instance, the
telescopic front forks on what is a light scooter will give it good bad
road handling ability, an attribute that is very important. While engine
specifications(which could range between 100-125cc), pricing and
availability hasn’t yet been revealed, the final production model of the
Ray is expected to be very close to the concept version displayed at
the Auto Expo,with minor changes to make the concept scooter fit for
mass production. Expect the Yamaha Ray to be on roads sometime in late
2012.
TVS’s yet-to-be-named 125cc Scooter:
TVS Motors is doing quite well with the
Wego 110, which is a practical and solidly engineered scooter. TVS will
now offer a bigger engined scooter to its customers at the fag end of
2012, December to be precise. The yet-to-be-named TVS scooter will
feature a 125cc engine mated to an automatic transmission. Expect
pricing and positioning to be above the TVS Wego 110, in keeping with
the higher displacement engine. This 125cc model will be TVS’s flagship
scooter offering with telescopic front forks, a large underseat storage
capacity and external fuel filling(a-la-Wego) to be prominent features
in this scooter.
That brings us to the end of our special
story on the 8 new scooters to watch out for in 2012. Hope you enjoyed
reading it, just as we enjoyed compiling it for you. Happy scooting!
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Tvs Qube Hybrid is the latest launched scooter by TVS motors. This scooter can run on both fuel petrol or electricity. It has unique designs then other scooters.
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