Brand Management Assignment P13185 PGDM-B Parent Brand - BAJAJ ‘Hamara Naya Bajaj’ Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it went public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicle and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year. Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three- wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Waluj near Aurangabad, Akurdi and Chakan, near Pune. Bajaj Auto makes and exports motorscooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw. It is widely believed that Bajaj is headed for a de-merger into 2 separate companies: Bajaj Auto and Bajaj Finance. The Forbes Global 2000 list for the year 2005 ranked Bajaj Auto at 1946. Key Highlights The total motorcycle sales in 2003-04 crossed the "1 million" mark registering a growth of 18% v/s 2002-03 - higher than the industry growth rate of 15%. To increase its volumes in the entry level segment of the motorcycle market, the Company has launched a new model CT-100 in May 2004. This bike with its class leading performance and phenomenal fuel efficiency is expected to redefine the entry level segment. To garner a substantial share in the executive segment of the motorcycle market a technologically superior bike, internally code named K 60, will be launched in second quarter of 2004-05. The Pulsar continues to be a market leader in the premium end of the motorcycle market with a sale of over 297,000 numbers in 2003-04. The cumulative sale of Pulsar's to date has crossed the 500,000 mark within a short span of 29 months. In the ungeared scooter segment an upgrade of Spirit with a 70cc engine and a new ungeared scooter "Wave" will be launched in the second quarter of 2004-05. PRODUCTS OF BAJAJ AUTO LIMITED Motorcycles o Kawasaki Eliminator o Bajaj Pulsar o Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 o Bajaj Boxer o Bajaj CT 100 o Bajaj Platina o Bajaj Caliber o Bajaj Discover o Bajaj Avenger Upcoming Models Bajaj Krystal Bajaj Blade Bajaj Sonic Brand Timeline – Pulsar Evolution PULSAR CLASSIC 2000 - 2001 Release - October 2001 At the time when India was riding on 100 cc bikes, Pulsar was launched with two variants; 150 cc and 180 cc, stirring the entire two wheeler market. And with that, India's first Sports Bike was born. Fuel Tank Pulsar was the first bike on Indian roads to flaunt a stylish, muscular fuel tank. Disc Brake Disc Brake was made a standard feature in Pulsar, which provided superior braking performance as compared to drums brakes. Disc Brake bestowed far greater safety to the rider by shortening the stopping distance. PULSAR UG 1 2002 - 2003 Release - October 2003 By now, Pulsar was already ruling the roads. It dominated the two wheeler market with 71% market share. Pulsar was selling almost two times more than the competitor bikes put together (which included CBZ, Karizma, Hunk, Fiero and Apache.) DTS-i Engine The revolutionary new DTS-i engine was introduced in both Pulsar variants. Patented by Bajaj, this technology helped in near complete combustion of air-fuel mixture, resulting in increased torque and better fuel economy. DTS-i has dominated the segment even today. Bikini Headlamp & Twin Pilot Lamps Stylish new bikini headlamps with twin pilot lamps made way into the Pulsar 180, ensuring safe riding even at low-light conditions. Broader Wheelbase The wheelbase of Pulsar 180 was increased from 1278 mm to 1320 mm, which provided better road grip. PULSAR UG 2 2004 - 2005 Release - November 2004 In the wake of rising competition, Pulsar was still the best seller with 21,311 bikes, when seven competing brands collectively sold 16701 bikes. Pulsar was still a rage. ExhausTEC ExhausTEC (Torque Expansion Chamber), yet another patented technology from Bajaj made its way into the Pulsar twins. The technology helped the bikes gain more pickup at lower rpm, thereby dramatically improving the performance of the machines. The rider no longer needed to shift gears frequently in traffic, as the bike now had the ability to pull in higher gears at lower speeds. The bikes were already pushing the needle with peak power outputs of 13.5 and 16.5 Ps for Pulsar 150 and 180 respectively. Nitrox Shock Absorbers Gas charged rear shock absorbers called Nitrox, were introduced which helped greatly in absorbing bumps off the road. When compared with the traditional hydraulic shock absorbers, Nitrox offered a much smoother ride even for the pillion, regardless of the type of terrain. 17 inch Alloy Wheels The Pulsar now flaunted the new 17 inch alloy wheels, which were made standard. The rust- resistant alloy wheels now added more strength to the bike while making it more visually appealing. As opposed to the 18" wheels in other bikes, the 17" wheels in Pulsar facilitated longer suspension travel, providing plush riding comfort. August 2005 All Black Styling Come August and Pulsar received an 'All Black styling', which added to its mean and aggressive looks, making the bike even more sporty & stylish. PULSAR UG 3 2006 Release October 2006 In October '06, the Pulsar 150 and 180 went through another round of stylish and technological overhaul. The sales of Pulsar saw a new high with 40,574 bikes sold, which was almost double the competitor bikes put together. Digital Speedometer The analog speedometer gave way to the new Digital Speedometer which was made a standard feature among all Pulsar models.The large digital speed read-out was much easy to read and understand, thereby requiring less distraction while touching new speeds. LED Tail Light Aesthetically appealing, new, compact and stylish LED tail lamps were introduced in the twin Pulsar models. LED lamps consumed far lesser power than the traditional filament bulbs and emitted little heat.Pulsar was the first bike to start the trend of LEDs, which soon forced other bike makers to switch over from incandescent bulbs to LEDs. Wolf Eyed Headlamp Pulsar 150 and 180 got the new wolf eyed headlamps with aggressive masked fairings, which added to the mean look of the beasts . Self-Cancelling Turn Indicators Pulsar became the first vehicle in the world to employ non-contact type 'Intelligent' Self- cancelling Turn signals. The car-like self-cancelling feature turns off the indicator under 2 conditions: When the turn has been completed and the handlebar comes to a straight ahead position, When the rider has selected right or left turn but hasn't taken the turn, then the timer function switches off the indicators after a pre-set time. This feature set a new benchmark in the motorcycle industry. PULSAR 200 DTS-I & PULSAR 220 DTS-FI 2007 - 2008 February 2007 The higher order was created and the first Indian bikes to break the 200 cc barrier had hit the road - The Pulsar 200 and 220. Biking in India was set to change and Pulsar was again leading the revolution. Split Seat & Split Grab Rail Sporty split seats and split rear grab rails enhanced the sporty look of the bikes. Tubeless Tyres The new Pulsar 200 and 220 now sported tubeless tyres. Tubeless tyres don't burst or deflate rapidly and hence minimize chances of accident. Being lighter, less rolling resistance in tubeless tyres meant less heat build-up, ensuring less chances of failure. The tubeless tyres made the Pulsar twins much safer on road than any other bike in its class. June 2007 With the advent of technological advancements, Pulsar was ruling the Indian roads with its breakthrough patented technologies, which offered better safety, comfort and fuel efficiency. Half Fairing The Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi boasted a stylish new aerodynamic half fairing, which gave the bike a unique identity on the road. Projector Headlamp Pulsar 220 came with high wattage (55 watts) ellipsoidal projector headlamp for low beam which provided sharp, scatter-free, white focussed beam. The projector headlamp provided far greater illumination, compared to conventional headlamps of other bikes, for safe and confident riding. DTS-Fi Engine DTS-Fi (Digital Twin Spark Fuel Injection) is another patented technology where the conventional carburettor has been replaced by injector which injects fuel into the engine in a spray form. The main advantages of Fuel Injection are: * Increased power output for same cc. * Better low end torque. * Lower fuel delivery & optimization of spark timing. * Improved cold start, quick warm-up and excellent response to sudden acceleration. Rear Disc Brakes Most bikes in India came equipped with a drum brake on the rear wheel. The Pulsar 220 came with a rear disc brake as standard. Disc brakes provide far better braking power and are relatively maintenance - free. PULSAR UG 4 2009 Release - May 2009 By May '09, Pulsar was competing with no less than 11 different brands in the market. Despite the tough competition, Pulsar sold 65,928 bikes, which were numbers till date. Riders were not ready to part with Pulsar which was evolving at a stupendous rate. Tank Flap A new tank flap was added which gave the bike an aerodynamic look.