2012 Yamaha Ray launched at Rs 46,000 in India

Yamaha officially enters the Indian scooter market with the launch of the Ray. It is priced at Rs 46,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Billed as a scooter for girls, Yamaha has gone all the way with the idea putting together not just the scooter but a rider training program for women as well as an assembly line which is operated entirely by women for the Ray.

The Ray was shown first at the Auto Expo and more recently when Yamaha announced that actor Deepika Padukone was to be the brand ambassador for the product.

The scooter will be available in six colours, pink, black, blue, burgundy, purple, and grey.

The official spec is an automatic scooter powered by a new 113cc engine that makes 7.1PS at 7500rpm and 8.1Nm of torque. Torque should be excellent from the under square engine and the peak torque is at a low 5000rpm.

The company claims a 0-60kmph time of 12s and a fuel efficiency of 62.1kmpl.

At 104kg, this is a light scooter and should have good performance. Yamaha also promise excellent reliability and economy. The chassis spec is top notch, including telescopic forks up front, 130mm drum brakes and 90/100-10 tyres.

The scooter will be available in six colours, pink, black, blue, burgundy, purple and grey. Yamaha will have more women representatives in the showroom to help prospective Ray buyers.

Yamaha say the seat height, the design of the centre and side stands were all created with women in mind to ensure the scooter is easy to get on to, easy to deal with and easy to ride.

Yamaha intends the Ray to compete in the fast growing scooter market, taking a targeted 20 per cent market share by 2016. Yamaha currently is working towards bringing online its new Chennai plant by January 2014.

Yamaha wants to be selling one million units by 2014. 2016 will see two million units, says the company. Yamaha announced that it would be able to make 2.8 million units by 2018 and its products will be for India as well as for the export market.

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