3 Big News: TVS Motor might tie up with BMW

Exciting news of another Indian 2 wheeler maker in a possible tie up with an International 2 wheeler giant..

Officials from TVS Motor has come out open to announce that TVS Motor is looking for a tie up with automotive giant BMW (with their motorcycle division).

“It is correct that we are in talks with BMW,” TVS chairman Venu Srinivasan said in an interview on Sunday. “We are looking at a technical contract. I will not be able to share any further detail at this moment”

Source: Livemint.Com

Maybe we can expect something like a Nuda 200/350 to be made and sold in India in the future..!!

This is indeed big news. The precedent set by Bajaj Auto along with KTM has not gone unnoticed by everyone. It appears like now both BMW and TVS are looking to replicate a similar story. Although neither TVS nor BMW has divulged the complete details of the possible tie up, one can guess that it might not be exactly same as the Bajaj & KTM tie up but not too dissimilar as well.

The Bajaj + KTM tie up details:

Bajaj Auto currently has a 47% stake in Austrian bike maker KTM. It started back in 2007 when Bajaj bought around 14% KTM shares and also made an announcement that the Bajaj+KTM tie up would result in co-development of liquid – cooled engine/model platforms ranging from 125-250 cc (currently the buzz is that of a 375 cc as well). These would then be manufactured in India and sold across the world under the KTM badge. Meanwhile the co-development of these platforms also would form the basis of Bajaj’s own model range. The result of the Bajaj + KTM tie up has resulted in the KTM 125/200 Duke and the Pulsar 200NS.


TVS + BMW Tie up might not exactly be on similar lines, but..:

TVS might not buy out stake but like Bajaj but it can definitely provide a low cost, high quality production destination to BMW. Actually BMW motorcycles might not be the perfect brand fit for this possible tie up as TVS specializes in making small capacity engines (100-180 cc) and BMW is known for its Big and Heavy motorcycles.

BMW also owns a 2 wheeler brand called Husqvarna (of Swedish Origins with Italian ownership). In July 2007, Husqvarna Motorcycles of Italy was purchased by BMW. Husqvarna also specializes in making off road motorcycles (like KTM). Also like KTM, Husqvarna also makes road legal motorcycles based on its off road DNA like Supermoto motorcycles. These bikes range from engine capacities of (125-900) cc. Therefore a tie up of TVS with BMW for the Husqvarna brand seems more logical. Like the Bajaj + KTM case this could be another win-win situation for both BMW and TVS. BMW could get access to a low cost development and manufacturing base and TVS could get a chance to manufacture bikes with advanced technologies.

In case the tie up does become a reality, one will probably have to wait for another 4-5 years before fruits of such a tie up (a ground up model) to land on our roads. For example, Bajaj announced its tie up with KTM way back in 2007 and it too a good 4-5 years for the 200 Duke to arrive in Indian showrooms.

I really hope for this tie up to become a reality. Maybe we can then expect something like a Nuda 200/350 to be made in India and sold in India..!!

Related Posts

• TVS Motor adopts updated corporate logo [Feb 2012]



• Bajaj join hands with KTM [Nov 2007]
  

Disclaimer:

This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.