Leyland to replace all models

By OUR CORRESPONDENT

Chennai

July 28: Commercial vehicles major, Ashok Leyland will be replacing its entire range of existing vehicles with a new range of commercial vehicles, by 2013. The company is also targeting to increase the share of its export portfolio to more than 15 per cent over the next five years with the help of this new range.

Addressing a press conference here in Chennai, on Monday, Mr R Seshasayee, managing director, Ashok Leyland said that work for development of a new platform for commercial vehicles has been initiated and the technology would be introduced in the vehicles from 2010.

"The company has decided to introduce the innovations and developments in its current range of vehicles on a gradual basis between 2010 and 2013. This will help us to offer different combinations for the evolving market and pass on the price performance benefits to the customers," said Mr Seshasayee. The company will be developing a new range of chassis, cabs and six-cylinder engines. The development will take place on a modular basis.

The new platform will be developed at one-fourth of the costs incurred by the international competitors. Mr Seshasayee said that the developmental cost advantage would help the company position in developed markets. "We will be targeting the developed countries and other international markets by offering comparable performance at a significantly lower cost," he added.