Yamaha has maintained an aggressive pricing for the R3 in the UK, undercutting the competition by a significant margin as it competes against the KTM RC 390 and the Kawasaki Ninja 300.
Undoubtedly one of the most awaited models in the more affordable performance biking space, Yamaha has unveiled the prices for the YZF-R3 in the UK which has been very competitively priced at 4799 Pounds (Rs. 4.66 lakhs) on road and undercuts the competition by a significant margin. Competing in the same segment, the all-new KTM RC 390 that also went on sale earlier this year costs 4999 Pounds (Rs. 4.84 lakhs), 200 Pounds more expensive than the R3; while the Kawasaki Ninja 300 is 400 Pounds more expensive priced at 5199 Pounds (Rs. 5.03 lakhs) for the ABS version.
Yamaha clearly understands the market dynamics and has priced the very powerful R3 very aggressively. Targeted at A2 license holders in the UK, the new YZF-R3 is powered by a 321cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine producing 42 PS of power and 29.6 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. In comparison, the RC 390 is marginally more powerful, producing 44 PS of power, while the Ninja 300 is the least powerful here with 39 PS of power on offer. The R3 sits on a tubular steel frame, while the weight is restricted to 169 kgs with 50:50 front and rear weight distribution.
To be produced at Yamaha’s facility in Jakarta along with the R25, the Japanese automaker confirmed that the R3 is targeted at developed markets including Europe, USA and parts of Asia, while the smaller R25 will be sold in other parts of the world. While the R25 will be a worthy offering for the Indian market, it is still not clear if Yamaha plans to offer the bigger R3 in India to compete against the RC 390 as well as the Ninja 300, same as the UK market.
Considering that either of the models will be brought in via the CKD route, the R3 also makes financial sense to the customer in India, offering a lot more performance at a marginal increase in price. However, what is still to be seen is whether Yamaha will offer the same competitive pricing in India as well. The R25/R3 is scheduled to go on sale in the country by mid-2015.
