Ashok Leyland to launch new truck models

Ashok Leyland is working on an all-new full range truck platform that will be unveiled by 2010.  Apart from the new platform, codenamed Unitruck, Ashok Leyland also plans to introduce a new family of six-cylinder inline engines, codenamed Neptune, and a fresh Newgen cabins by year 2013. Neptune engines will replace its old engine in all of its vehicles by 2013-2014.

Picture: An Ashok Leyland truck from Auto Expo 2008

All these research and development activities are aimed at global markets. By development, Ashok Leyland says, it means all aspects including chassis, engines and cabins.

The company is bullish on its investment and has clarified that its expansion plans for Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand are on schedule.

Ashok Leyland Managing Director R Seshasayee has reiterated that these new products will straddle not only India and second hemisphere markets, but also developed countries. Scheduled to being progressively rolled out by year 2010, the products are being tipped as being comparable to the best in the world at much lower price points. Ashok Leyland’s new truck models would cover capacity ranging from 16 tonnes to 49 tonnes. The Neptune engine would have capacity ranging from 4.7 litres to eight litres and would conform to BS3 and
Bs4/Euro IV emission norms.

The new products will have a modular nature that will help Ashok Leyland to develop variants to address the needs of different markets, different application, and road conditions.

While the company plans to introduce the new chassis with the existing H series engine and cabin, the Neptune engine and next generation modular cabin would come next.