Benelli Imperiale 400 To Hit Indian Roads Soon

The Royal Enfield Classic rival is expected to make its India debut this festive season

• It's expected to be priced around Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom).
• The bike will make it to India via the CKD route with heavy localisation. 
• It packs a 373.5cc engine which may comply with upcoming BS6 emission norms.

Benelli's plans of launching the Imperiale 400 had been postponed due to the upcoming emission norms. The bike was expected to be launched around mid-2020 with an updated BS6 compliant engine. However, reports suggest that the classic bike from the Italian brand will be stepping foot in India a lot earlier, by this festive season to be precise. Once launched, it would compete directly against the Royal Enfield Classic 350. Consequently, we could expect the bike to be priced around Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom) and feature a BS6-compliant engine.

The bike is expected to enter the India two-wheeler market via the CKD route to keep costs in check. Moreover, in order to price the 400 competitively, Benelli has plans of resorting to heavy localisation. Not surprising when you consider the current crop of classic bikes like the Royal Enfield Classic 350 (Rs 1.53 lakh) and Jawa range (starting Rs 1.63 lakh) which are in high demand in the 350-400cc segment. And as we mentioned earlier, we expect the Imperiale to be priced around Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom).

To refresh your memory, the international-spec Benelli Imperiale packs a 373.5cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder, SOHC engine. It produces 20.4PS at 5500rpm and 29Nm at 3500rpm, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. It weighs a whopping 200kg (dry weight) compared to the Classic 350's 192kg kerb weight. 

Benelli has been ramping up production with a view to expand its wings in the Indian two-wheeler market. It has plans of launching a couple more bikes by the end of 2019. The bikemaker has also showcased its intention of introducing entry-level electric commuters, equivalent to the current crop of petrol-powered bikes and scooters under 150cc. Benelli's current portfolio in India comprises of the TNT 300, TNT 600i, 302R, TRK 502 and the recently launched Leoncino 500. 

All prices, ex-showroom Delhi*