Honda eyes 100,000 India sales of new scooter next FY

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co's Indian two-wheeler unit expects to sell 100,000 of its new gearless scooters, launched on Wednesday, in financial year 2008/09, a senior company official said.

The scooter, named Aviator, will cost 39,675 rupees in New Delhi, Shinji Aoyama, chief executive officer of Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd, said during its launch at an annual auto show.

Honda has about 12 percent of India's two-wheeler market, which saw sales of 5.5 million units in the nine months to December.

"We are seeking sales of 1.2 million units by 2010 with the launch of various models at affordable prices," Aoyama said.

Although overall two-wheeler sales in India fell by 7.7 percent in the April-December period, Honda's sales in India were up 35 percent at 647,129 units due to more attractive models.

It expects to sell 888,000 units in fiscal year 2008.

On Dec. 24, Honda said it would invest 3 billion rupees in its plant at Manesar, in Haryana, over the next three years and launch two new models in calendar year 2008.

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