Piaggio to launch Aprilia SR 150 scooter in August, priced Rs 65,000

New Delhi: Italy's Piaggio Group is set to introduce the Aprilia brand of scooters in India next month with the launch of Aprilia SR 150 to be tagged at an introductory price of Rs 65,000.

The Aprilia SR 150 has been designed and engineered in Italy and will be manufactured at Piaggio's India plant in Baramati, Maharashtra.

"After the success of the Ape and the positioning of the Vespa in the premium segment of the Indian market, we are further strengthening our offering in the subcontinent with the entry of Aprilia's SR 150 scooter," Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno said in a statement.

The company will introduce the Aprilia SR 150 in India in August 2016. It is looking at positioning the Aprilia SR 150 as a crossover that combines the feel of a sports bike with the ease of a scooter.

Optimistic on the scooter segment in India, the company said it is one of the largest in the world, with nearly five million units sold in 2015 and has seen a growth of 20 per cent in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year.

Bullish on doing well in the scooter segment, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL) Managing Director and CEO Stefano Pelle said: "We have received a favorable response to all our launches in the country and with the launch of the Aprilia SR 150, we aim to increase our footprint across the geo(graphy)."

The design aesthetics of the SR 150 reflect the sporty character of the Aprilia brand with a light weight engine which creates a new category in India's the scooter segment, he added.

The Aprilia SR 150 be powered by a single cylinder 150cc, 4-stroke engine.

The bookings for the Aprilia SR 150 will commence shortly and will be available through Piaggio Group's distributor network across the country, the company said.