TRIUMPH INDIA: SLOW BUT STEADY

Company confirms India venture is on track

FROM THE TIME TRIUMPH showcased their models at the Auto Expo 2008 in New Delhi to the official unveiling during Auto Expo 2012, the rumour mills have been working overtime, churning out half-baked news about the company’s venture into India. Though the company was aiming to start operations here latest by the end of 2012, their plans have got entangled in unforeseen difficulties.

Bike India spoke to some of their executives from their UK office, who remained rather tight-lipped about the issue. Since there is quite a bit of anticipation for the two-wheeler brand in the Indian motorcycling fraternity, they wouldn’t like to commit and just in case it doesn’t happen according to the schedule, the company will unintentionally end up disappointing their admirers again. Now that their India plans have survived all the lows and highs, Triumph are certain to make their presence felt in the country this year. At the same time, they are very cautious about making an official comment. All we could get out of the executives was, “We should be launching later this year, when dealerships are in place and we can guarantee the right level of support for our customers.”

Sources working close to the company confirm that the British marque has appointed four distributors in India and they would be making official announcement about this in the second quarter (May-June 2013) and would begin operations and, hopefully, open bookings by July this year. Yes, we keep our fingers crossed.