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PUNE, March 7

TWO-wheeler major Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) is all set to unveil a new engine technology in the under 250cc category,which will significantly change industry paradigms.

The company President, Mr Rajiv Bajaj, said the new technology, to be unveiled in June this year, would significantly drive business and would be extended to its entire range of vehicles. "Among other things, the new technology will help us meet emission norms that will be applicable in 2008'', he said.

The company is also gearing up to showcase an all-Bajaj new "volume motorcycle''in January 2004, which would be "the next big idea in the two-wheeler business such as Chetak and Splendour have been in the past decades''.

The company would sell 1.2 million motorcycles next year, up from nine lakh units which it would sell by the end of this current fiscal, Mr Bajaj said adding that the market share would go up by 27-28 per cent by the end of next year.

"With a slew of products and the rapid growth that we are witnessing, we expect to maintain profitability at the same level in the next 12 months'', he said.

The company's exports have grown significantly from 43,000 units last year to 97,000 units this year and the turnover on this front has gone up from Rs 160 crore last year to touch Rs 325 crore by the end of the current fiscal.

Mr Bajaj, however, said exports would not grow as much next year since the company would focus on expanding its operations to new markets in West Asia, Africa, South America and Indonesia in the next 12 months. "We hope to touch the level of over 1,25,000 units'', he said.

Meanwhile, the company's three-wheeler business has also grown this year from 1,65,000 units to 1,95,000 units with almost 90 per cent share in the passenger segment.

Mr Bajaj said the company was soon to launch a three-wheeler in the load carrier segment in which its market share was weak since it had no appropriate product for it.

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