Hero is betting big on the scooter segment where it currently has limited presence and will be launching the Maestro Edge in the following weeks replacing the current Maestro which ends production before 2017.
Hero MotoCorp is extremely curious about the scooter segment that has worked perfectly well for its erstwhile partner Honda in India and is eyeing a dominant growth in this space over the next few years. Having showcased a slew of concept scooters last year, the Indian auto giant is all set to launch the first set of new scooters in the country christened as the Maestro Edge and Duet by next month and the models were recently caught at a showroom with dealer dispatches commenced.
The Hero ‘Maestro Edge’ is the production name for the Dash scooter concept that was revealed last year ahead of the Auto Expo and will be replacing the outgoing Maestro 110cc scooter in Hero’s lineup. The Maestro, which is essentially a Honda Activa underneath will be phased out before 2017 as the company’s license for the Japanese derived engine will expire by then. The other scooter that will be launched later this year will be the Hero Duet and while the Maestro Edge looks sharp and sporty, the Duet gets softer lines in comparison and is positioned to appeal to a wider target audience.
The Hero Duet gets an external fuel filled lid, while we also expect to see a mobile charging unit available on either scooters. There is also a possibility of the models getting Integrated Braking System (IBS) on offer. Coming to the powertrain, the Hero Maestro Edge will use a new 111cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine churning out 8.56 PS and 9.4 Nm of torque, paired to a CVT transmission. The same motor will power the Duet as well. With the launch scheduled sometime during next month, expect pricing to be very competitive with the Duet being the more affordable model between the two. It will now have to be seen if Hero manages to break the bank with its new offerings just the way Honda India did.
