With the intention to boost its declining sales figures, two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto Ltd is all set to roll out six (6) new models in 2009.

The company will start with a new product, which is due for debut on January 21. It will directly target rival Hero Honda’s most-popular Splendor/Passion range, the 135 cc XCD priced at Rs 45,000.

After this, the company will launch two new models under value-segment (125-135 cc engine size) by April and July 2009 respectively.

The company said that the remaining three premium models (150 cc and above) will hit the market later this year.

While lecturing to newspersons, Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, Bajaj Auto managing director, stated, “We want to pursue our strategy of being a motorcycle specialist and our focus is on motorcycles in the 125 cc and above engine size, which has 35% share in the domestic two-wheeler market. Currently, we own 50% of the market for 125 cc and above engine size. We want to grow both our product range as well as our marketshare in that segment. We do it through our DTSi engine technology, and for us, that’s the core differentiator.”

Besides same pricing with its rival brand, the XCD 135 cc DTSi will come with lots of features including a 5-speed gearbox, a 10.5 hp output and 65/70 km per litre mileage, a digital cockpit, nitrox rear suspension, low-friction front suspension, twin pilot headlamps and LED tail lamps.

The bike will launch from Bajaj’s Waluj facility, and will also be produced at Pantnagar by the coming month (Feb 2009).

In December, the company’s two-wheeler sales, comprising exports, fell 33% to 118,510.

The compamy’s sales, during the April-December period, declined drastically by 8% to 1,534,149 units as compared to 1,660,182 units during the same period last year.

During November, for the first time, Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer Honda Motorcycle Scooter India Ltd (HMSI), surpassed Bajaj Auto sales by volume in the domestic market.

“In the entry-level segment, we witness a major sales growth with our Platina model,” said Mr. Bajaj. “Due to defaults, finance dried up and our numbers fell to about 40,000 units per month from 75,000 units,” he added.

Mr Bajaj is using Bajaj Auto Finance (BAF), the in-house financing company, to get over the entry-level sales spike.

“However, NBFCs typically have higher cost of finance. So we’re countering that with 1-2 years of extended free warranty cover,” Mr Bajaj said. Already BAF has financed 25,000 bikes in December despite its 3% higher interest rate. “When compared to other banks, that is a good performance,” said Mr Bajaj.