Mangalore: Ashok Leyland launched light vehicle ‘Dost’
Mangalore, 30 Aug 2012: Kanchana Automotive, authorized dealer Ashok Leyland Light vehicles, commercially launched ‘Dost’, Ashok Leyland’s first entry in India’s fast expanding LCD segment, said Mr Nithin Seth, executive director of Ashok Leyland Limited.
He was speaking after inaugurating the new showroom of Ashok Leyland at Kannur on August 30, Thursday. He also said that ‘Dost’ is the first vehicle to be launched from the joint venture between Ashok Leyland and Nissan Motar Company. Dost is competitively priced at Rs 4.18 lakhs to Rs 4.66 lakhs. Dost will be sold through a modern dealership network with brand new infrastructure which will grow to 60 main nodes by the end of the fiscal.
Dost has a payload capacity of 1.25T, will be available in three versions with the top-end version featuring air-conditioning, power steering, dual-colour beige-gray trim and fabric seats. The customer will have a palette of three colours to choose from white, beige and blue. As another ‘first’ in the LCV industry, Ashok Leyland will offer Ready-to –use vehicles on the Dost platform for various applications such as Refrigerated containers, steel containers, Ambulance, Aluminum fixed side decks and services at site vehicles from the date of launch.
‘Dost’ embodies our attempt to deliver to the Indian LCV customers, Japanese technology at Indian costs. It is a true reflection of the evolving needs of today’s Indian LCV customer and we are happy that we have been able to manufacture a product that will be attuned to the growing expectations of the LCV market.
Till date around 20,000 ‘Dost’ have been sold and the new showroom is the 34th dealership. The demand is much more than what have been produces and this joint wenvture will provide many more products, he said.