Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd unveiled on Monday, Aviator, a new premium automatic scooter, with a sale target of 1 Lakh units during 2008-09.The new product, fourth from the stable of Honda in scooter segment after Activa, Dio and Eterno, is set for a national launch on March 6.The  product would cost Rs 40,283 at ex-showroom price in Chennai, HMSI President and CEO Shinji Aoyama told reporters during the launch in Chennai.

The introduction of Aviator, targeting businessmen and professionals in the age group of 30 to 39 years, was a step ahead to consolidate the HMSI’s position in the automatic scooter segment, where it already holds the numero uno status with 54 per cent market share, he said. Aoyama said the HMIS, the 100 per cent owned 2-wheeler subsidiary of the Hondo Motor Company, was the fastest growing company, crossing the three-million customer mark in November 2007. It had set a sale target of 8.8 lakh units — 6.1 lakh scooters and 2.7 lakh motor cycles — and 11 per cent market share, against 8 per cent the previous year, in the two-wheeler segment for the current financial year, he said. HMSI Head-Sales and Marketing N K Rattan said the company, the fourth largest in two-wheeler segment, was planning to sell ten lakh units — seven lakh scooters and 3 lakh motor cycles — during 2008-09.

Aviator has a 4 stroke, single cylinder 102 cc engine that churns out 7 bhp at 7000 RPM. The scooter is available in two variants; Standard and Deluxe. The Deluxe variant has a front disc brake and 12″ alloy wheel, and comes in five colours; Pearl Igneous Black and four metallic shades — Rebel Red, Berry Purple, Space Silver and Monsoon Gray. The 12″ alloy wheel in the front is a first for the scooter industry in India and is claimed to provide stable and responsive control. The 190mm disc brake at front and 130mm drum brake at the rear provide assured stopping power.

Source: Rediff