A lot of confusion has been prevailing as to when Bajaj will launch the new Pulsar 200 SS in the country. Earlier speculations suggested that the automaker had pushed the plans to launch the 200 SS to 2015 in favour of concentrating on the Discover range. However, the company only yesterday launched the Discover 150 S and 150 F in the country targeted at the premium commuter market and still has enough time and breathing space to concentrate on the flagship Pulsar 200 SS, that will be launched later this year, around September, we can confirm.
The Pulsar range has been holding the flag high for Bajaj Auto since the past decade. Not only is the brand a consistent seller, but has also evolved and been loved by the masses time and again. With the 200 NS around two years old, this would be the right time to launch its faired stable mate the 200 SS, especially with the hype around the product so high. Launching the 200 SS next year would also mean rebuilding the entire hype that would have died down by then. Moreover, the delay would also upset the original schedule of launching the Pulsar 400 SS that was announced for launch in 2015.
Launching the 200 SS and 400 SS in the same year without sufficient gap could lead to cannibalisation of products or the customers just not focusing on the right product. While launching the Pulsar 400 SS makes sense after a year of showcase, the 200 SS would have lost its market share by then to better and more capable products in the segment. It will certainly be a good time for Bajaj to capitalise on the opportunity and give the market what it needs in the form of the 200 SS.
Doing a quick recap on all that we know about the new Pulsar 200 SS, the fully-faired bike takes its design inspiration from the 400 SS and looks more of a shrunk version. The bike shares its underpinnings with the 200 NS inclusive of several components and powertrain, but will also feature fuel-injection (FI) technology for better performance and power output. Speculations suggest that the 200cc engine with FI will produce around 26 BHP of power, while the fuel efficiency has been rated at an impressive 48 km/l.
Bajaj has been extensively testing the bike across the country and the build quality is expected to vastly improve over the existing range of products from the manufacturer. Even though the power and fuel efficiency figures have not been confirmed yet, we can’t help reckon that the Pulsar 200 SS will turn into an aggressive performer and a high value for money offering. Expect the pricing to be around Rs. 1.50 lakhs for the ABS model, while the non-ABS variant will retail for Rs. 1.35 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai).
