C.S. Wamorkar, TVS Motor general manager, in Calcutta on Monday. Picture by Kishor Roy Chowdhury

Calcutta, March 13: TVS Motor Company Ltd today launched the Apache, its premium motor cycle, in the city.

The company hopes to corner a 20-25 per cent market share (in the premium segment) with the new motorbike during the first year of its sales, a TVS official said.

The 150-cc Apache is powered by a 13.5-bhp (brake horse-power) engine. The company claims that the bike has the highest power to weight ratio in its category. In other words, the Apache can run at a faster speed than the other 150-cc motorcycles available in the country.

“The company expects to sell 15000 to 20000 Apache motorcycles a month,” TVS Motor assistant general manager (marketing) M.V. Krishna said on the sidelines of the launch ceremony.

The motorcycle maker already has the Fiero model catering to the premium segment. However, its sales have plummeted to below 1,000 vehicles a month.

Although TVS Motors does not plan to withdraw the Fiero bikes, the company would now focus on the Apache.

“The Fiero still has a good market in some pockets like the Northeast region. If consumers elsewhere shift to the Apache model, we won’t have big problems,” Krishna added.

The feature-packed Apache, with a sporty look, is targeted at youngsters.

“The Fiero looks a bit older in its appeal when compared with the Apache,” Krishna pointed out.

The top-end version of the bike will be priced at Rs 52,490 while the other version will cost Rs 48,000 ex-showroom, Calcutta.

TVS Motor is mulling more launches next fiscal to raise its market share from 13.5 per cent to 15.5 per cent.