It seems like Mahindra is on a brand buying spree. After acquiring controlling stakes in SsangYong, Pininfarina and Peugeot Motorcycles, the Indian conglomerate is again on the lookout for foreign brands, this time specifically aiming for two-wheeler makes. ETAuto reports that Mahindra is in talks with at least six heritage two-wheeler brands from across the world, and has already zeroed in on BSA and Norton.
M. S. Dhoni riding his vintage BSA in Ranchi
Mahindra is expected to acquire, as well as revive these inactive brands using its own in-house R&D capabilities, besides putting Peugeot Motorcycles’s engineering expertise to good use as well. Post acquirement, the idea is to infuse BSA /Norton characteristics into Mahindra’s future two-wheeler models, and vice-versa. The revived, premium BSA/Norton line-up is expected to be sold in India under the Mahindra two-wheeler division’s umbrella, which will get a major image booster thus, as it desperately needs one.
While Norton, acquired by UK businessman Stuart Garner in 2008, still manufactures a limited number of motorcycles, BSA has been long dead since the 1970s. It is expected that a deal is likely to be announced in three to six months. Mahindra entered the Indian two-wheeler market in 2010 after acquiring Kinetic, but has since then remained a fringe player with a market share of less than 1%. The new Mojo, as a halo product, has boosted the brand’s image somewhat, but Mahindra’s two-wheeler division still lacks the brand strength, and the new, upcoming deals aim to improve just that.
Source: ETAuto