This week gets off to a good start for those keen on Benelli’s 300cc bikes. Benelli 300cc line-up – TNT 300 and 302R are now available after a price reduction of Rs 51,000 and Rs 60,000 respectively. The price adjustment is attributed to manufacturing cost reductions owing to local production. Thanks to this new price, the bikes are more competitively priced, and will take on the likes of Kawasaki Ninja 300.
With this, TNT 300 is available at a price of Rs 2.99 lakh and 302R at a price of Rs 3.10 lakh, ex-sh. The company price list in April 2019 stood as follows – Benelli TNT 300 (ABS) – Rs. 3.50 Lakh; Benelli 302R (ABS) – Rs. 3.70 Lakh; Benelli TNT 600i – Rs. 6.20 Lakh; Benelli TRK 502 – Rs. 5.10 Lakh (effective 21st April 2019); and Benelli TRK 502X – Rs. 5.50 Lakh (effective 21st April 2019).
Benelli TNT 300 gets power from a 2cyl, 300cc, in-line, liquid-cooled engine that returns max power of 36.2bhp, and 27Nm of torque. The 302R shares the liquid-cooled, in-line twin cyl engine. Adishwar Auto Ride India (AARI) has set up a Benelli assembly plant in Hyderabad. Bikes are imported from Italy and South East Asian regions.
Vikas Jhabakh, Managing Director, Benelli India said, “We strongly believe in the value proposition of our products and customer sentiments towards the brand Benelli. We have witnessed a significant reduction in the manufacturing cost of the TNT 300 and 302R models and this has helped us to pass on the benefit to the biking enthusiasts in India,” he added.
While Benelli initially made its Indian entry with DSK Group, that partnership bore the brunt of financial turmoil and was terminated. The development also saw sales being stopped until new management could chart a sustainable path forward. The strategic partnership between Benelli and Auto Ride India (AARI), part of Mahavir Group sees the latter market the Italian bikes and operate a CKD assembly plant in Hyderabad.
The distribution agreement and local assembly protocols came into being in October 2018. AARI has also been settling up dealerships with Felix Autowerks LLP being inaugurated in Noida last month. With today’s price reduction, Benelli India could look forward to improved sales of its popular 300cc offerings owing to its value proposition, and attractive price point.
