The official dates of Asia’s largest motor show, The Auto Expo 2016, have been announced and will be held from 4th Feb to 9th Feb 2016. As the last year the 2016 edition will also be held in two parts – Auto Expo components & Auto Expo Motor Show. The first event, components will be held at the Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 4th to 7th February and the Motor Show will be held from 5th to 9th February next year.The Auto Expo is known to have the third largest footfall globally, which was very well seen in last year’s event and is expected to repeat next year too. The auto expo will be jointly organized by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
For this edition, total indoor exhibition area has been increased almost 20% to over 50,000 sqm from 42,000 sqm of 2014. Surprisingly the entire floor space for the event has been sold out. The Society for Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) was quite surprised as the whole space has been sold out 8 months prior to the actual event. Over 40 manufacturers will participate in the 13th edition of the Auto Expo and as many as 22 passenger and commercial vehicles' manufacturers and 18 two & three wheeler makers will participate in the expo.
Most of OEM manufacturers are gearing to launch their new products to the Indian market along with preparations made to present concepts and their cutting edge technology which might change the future of the auto world, the news of some big manufacturers opting out of the Auto Expo 2016 comes as a shocker to the auto community.
Big names like Bajaj, Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield, Volvo, Skoda and Daimler have shocked the world with this news. Bajaj is believed to be the undisputed king of 2-wheelers in India but have disappointed the fans who have waited for 2 years to see and experience the brand as a whole. Bajaj Auto grabbed the eye balls of the consumers in India and globally by showcasing the U car and the Pulsar 400SS and 400CS in the previous edition of the Auto Expo held in 2014. The auto fans and bike enthusiasts had set their hopes high for 2016 after the last year’s event to see the much anticipated RE60 Quadracycle along some concepts and some new technology from the Bajaj stable but were left in vain and disheartened by the manufacturer.Bajaj has been successful in inciting interest through their Pulsar and Discover range of motorcycles, not to mention the exciting range of KTM bikes that has been available for a few years now. However, the company’s sales had been slipping steadily, by around 20 percent in February 2015 compared to February 2014. The talks over the last few years have all been about how Bajaj will not re-enter the scooter market. That said, it seemed like Bajaj had finally seen the potential of the scooter market in India, as the company’s competition – new and old – have repeatedly shown over the last few years. But all the rumors about new product launches from BAJAJ Auto in the upcoming Auto Expo 2016 seem not true.
Also the Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said and I quote:
We are not participating. If we are not an Indian manufacturer and coming to India, I (would) want people to know me, (and then) I should participate. I will participate in Angola or Nigeria, where people don’t know me (Bajaj Auto). This condition does not apply to Bajaj Auto (in India).
It seems to us that Bajaj doesn’t want to reveal their new products and ideas so that the rival brands don’t come up with new bikes competing with bikes from Bajaj and spoiling the segment for Bajaj.
The other brand, HARLEY DAVIDSON, have also opted out of the motor show with an excuse that the company has all its bike models on sale in India and does not have any other model for to the Indian buyers and thus does not feel the need set up a stall in the motor show just to have their old models put on display to the fans attending the show.However, the luxury bike segment is on the rise in India with people earning more and spending more on luxurious products and following their dreams of owning a superbike and enjoying them on weekends, the company should make efforts to maximize its sales and hold on the Indian market. Instead of opting out of the motor show the company should do something interesting like bike rides or holding some quiz during the show so as to attract perspective customers towards their brand and their heritage and show the spectators that the company is in for a long haul and is determined to become the segment leader in premium cruisers.
Companies like Indian Motorcycles, Benelli and Hyosung who trying their level best to increase their customer base in India; the Harley Company should be threatened of them losing their sales even more. While these manufacturers say that the sole reason for opting out of the auto expo is the lack of new products ready for launch in the market, We hear that another reason for this step is that these manufacturers don’t want to spend 5-15 crores for the week-long event and instead the companies want to conserve this money in product development and publicity.
I somewhat agree with the decisions of these companies as I as a spectator and an enthusiast wouldn’t want to go towards the stalls of companies which does not have any new product on display as that would be a waste of time and I would miss on the exciting stuff going on in other companies stall. The decision made by the big brands of opting out of the motor show may seem absurd and shocking from the fans point of view but from the companies point of view this decision comes across as a calculated and an intelligent way of saving money and focusing all their attention on developing new products and in promotions.
By: Navneet Lamba