TVS Motor Company in India

TVS Motors (officially TVS Motor Company Limited) is an Indian manufacturer of motorbikes, scooters, auto-rickshaws and mopeds. It is the flagship division of TVS Group. TVS Motors, in its present form, was founded in 1979. The company was actually started by TV Sundaram Iyengar as TV Sundaram Iyengar and Sons Limited in 1911 with Madurai's first bus service. Iyengar died in 1955. Thereafter, his sons took over the reins of the business and expanded the company. TVS Motors is involved in the manufacture of two-wheelers, making automobile components, component distribution, financial services, computer peripherals, software development and contract manufacturing services. The head office of TVS Motors is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Venu Srinivasan is the Chairman and the Managing Director of TVS Motors.

TVS's Association with Suzuki

TVS formed an association with the Japanese automobile company Suzuki Motor Corporation in the year 1982. The joint venture was known as TVS-Suzuki. Together they produced models like Suzuki Shogun, Suzuki Samurai and Suzuki Fiero. The company was eventually named as TVS Motors after the Indian and Japanese companies parted ways in 2001 and a partnership of 19 years came to an end.

TVS Manufacturing Plants

TVS Motors has a total of four manufacturing facilities. Three of these plants are in India, while one is situated in Indonesia. The locations where the plants are located are:-

• Hosur, Tamil Nadu
• Mysore, Karnataka
• Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh
• Karawang, Indonesia

Map showing TVS Motor plants in India

Current Models of TVS

Indian Market

The TVS Motors company is dealing in a wide range of models and variants. The models presently available in the Indian automobile market are:-

• Apache Series RTR (Rs. 70,000 to Rs. 72,000)
• Phoenix 125 (Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 54,000)
• MAX4R (Rs. 37,590)
• Star City + (Rs. 44,000 to Rs. 50,000)
• Sport (Rs. 41,955 to Rs. 45,010)
• Jupiter (Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 49,000)
• Wego (Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 52,000)
• Scooty Zest 110 (Rs. 44,990)
• Scooty Streak (Rs. 44,040)
• Scooty Pep + (Rs. 42,150)
• XL HD – 2 Stroke (Rs. 28,725)
• King- auto-rickshaw (Rs. 1,35,130)

International Market

A number of models and variants manufactured in India by TVS motors are exported to several countries. Here are the models that are exported by TVS Motors:-

• Apache 180
• Apache 160
• Apache 150
• Star HLX 100
• Star HLX 125
• Max 100
• Star LX
• Victor GLX 125
• Victor GX 100
• Jive
• Star Sport
• Metro
• Jupiter
• Wego
• Scooty Pep +
• Scooty Streak
• Neo X31
• Rocks
• XL HD – 2 Stroke
• King (auto-rickshaw)

Innovations brought about by TVS

TVS Motors introduced TVS 50cc, India's first two seated moped.

• TVS Motors once reached the mark of 7 million units sold of sub 100cc mopeds.
• In the scooterette segment, TVS made India's second largest selling product called TVS Scooty.
• TVS Jive became India's first clutch-free motorbike in 2009.

Achievements and Awards won by TVS

As of October 2013, TVS had sold approximately 2.5 crore units across various models and their variants. 2,31,89,532 units of these were sold in India, while 16,44,277 vehicles were exported.

• Deming Application Prize to TVS Motors in 2002.
• National Award for Successful Commercialisation of Indigenous Technology 2002 to TVS Motors for fine work done for TVS Victor by the Technology Development Board, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.
• Outstanding Design Excellence Award to TVS Motors for TVS Scooty Pep by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and Business World in 2004.
• Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance honoured TVS Motors with TPM Excellence Award for Total Productivity Maintenance in 2008.
• The Harvard Business School Association of India and the Economic Times honoured TVS Motors with Emerging Corporate Giant in the Private Sector award.
• Best Managed Company and the Most Investor Friendly Company award to TVS Motors from Business Today magazine.
• The 2009 Good Advertising award to TVS Motors by Auto India Best Brand Awards.
• TVS Motors Chairman Venu Srinivasan was conferred upon the Star of Asia Award by Bloomberg Business Week. He also won the JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award.
• The Chairman, Venu Srinivasan, has been honoured with India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri by the Government of India.