Japan's Suzuki to invest heavily in Indian motorcycle arm

The Indian arm of Japanese auto giant Suzuki said Wednesday it plans to more than double production capacity to exploit the country's fast-growing market for motorcycles. Suzuki Motor Corp has so far invested 95 million dollars in its Indian subsidiary, with a factory based in Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi and plans to invest 10 million dollars more, a spokeswoman told AFP.
Suzuki Motorcycle India plans to double its annual production to 540,000 units from 250,000. The subsidiary also plans to introduce three more models to meet growing demand. The company, which unveiled its new SlingShot motorcycle on Wednesday, says it will launch a new scooter and two more motorcycles by December 2011.
"The new launches will include an entry-level motorcycle with a 100 cubic centimeter engine," Atul Gupta, vice president, for Suzuki Motorcycle Corp, said in a statement. The Slingshot sells for around 46,000 rupees (980 dollars). Motorcycle sales in India totalled 710,621 units in July, up 30 percent from a year earlier. Scooter sales stood at 167,195 units, up 36 percent from a year earlier, industry figures show.