Piaggio launches ape' CNG 3-wheelers

Company Brief

New Delhi, September 26, 2007

Recognizing the urgent need for low cost, high performance, yet environment friendly transportation, Piaggio, the global major in two, three and four wheeled motorized vehicles, today announced the launch of its ape' CNG 3-wheeler in India. With the introduction of the product in the Delhi NCR Area, Agra, Ahmedabad & Surat today, Piaggio has taken a significant step towards providing high quality, eco-friendly transportation solution in India, which is also designed to address the environmental concerns of India & the region.

Committed to continuously raising the bar in high quality transportation solutions, Mr Ravi Chopra, Chairman & Managing Director of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd, said, “We at Piaggio are truly passionate about offering the Indian customer a new benchmark in eco-friendly transportation. The Piaggio ape' CNG 3-wheeler is a product of advanced research at Piaggio’s R & D centres in both Italy and India and incorporates advanced technologies, which distinguish Piaggio around the world. After all Piaggio is the inventor of the 3-wheeler and the world standard for 3-wheeler technology.”

He added, “India, today is truly on an overdrive – what with the spiraling Sensex, a booming economy, thriving industry and a strong rupee Heightened levels of trade and commerce and the spurt in economic activity, have seen an exponential growth in the demand for efficient transportation for distribution of essential goods and services across the country. But the need of the hour is not just more vehicles, but vehicles that are eco-friendly and have minimum impact on environmental health - - the ape' CNG is our contribution in fulfilling this critical need of the hour for India.”

After an extensive study of issues that effect performance of CNG vehicles, and based on the recommendations of the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority of India, Piaggio has now introduced the ape' CNG vehicle, which has been designed for high levels of eco-friendliness and customer-friendliness.

Tough and uncompromising in his mission to bring the best transportation solutions to the Indian customer, Mr Ashutosh Khosla, Director - Sales & Marketing of Piaggio, said, “We are very confident about the new offering from the ape' stable. Living up to the specialized needs of the customers and the changing environment is a way of life for us at Piaggio Vehicles. This launch is yet another endorsement of Piaggio’s mission to provide meaningful transportation solutions that truly meet and serve the needs of the Indian customer and the Indian environment.”

The Piaggio ape' CNG 3-wheeler is powered by a highly robust 400 cc 4-stroke engine to ensure that the vehicle has enough additional power to prevent overheating of the engine under load conditions, thereby maintaining high safety standards. This ensures the vehicle maintains its power and pickup even under fully loaded conditions. To overcome the problem of overheating that afflicts other CNG / LPG vehicles, the Piaggio ape' CNG 3-wheeler incorporates a special cooling system that minimizes overheating and therefore reduces excess oil consumption and ensures longer life for piston rings and liners.

The ape' CNG also has higher ground clearance and a specially designed rainwater guard that prevents water directly splashing on to electrical components thereby leading to vehicle breakdowns. To ensure high standards of safety, the Piaggio ape' CNG vehicle uses gas kits from reputed manufacturers that are certified for optimal safety. A portable fire extinguisher is also supplied with the vehicle in case of any contingencies.

The ape' CNG also offers the same levels of comfort and convenience that is a hallmark of all Ape 3-wheelers. A spacious cabin and conveniently located controls ensures greater comfort for the driver. The passenger version additionally offers ample headroom, more leg-space and an extra large luggage compartment for greater passenger convenience and comfort. All this, especially the advanced design features and the higher powered engine, ensure that Piaggio Ape CNG vehicles – like all other ape' 3-wheelers – are free from excessive smoke emission which could lead to atmospheric pollution. Care is taken at every stage of design and manufacture to deliver safe and clean vehicles that are engineered for greater safety and high levels of environment-friendliness.

Since its inception 8 years ago, Piaggio ape' 3-wheelers have been meeting the specialized needs of lakhs of customer across the country, offering the highest levels of mileage and cost efficiency combined with the lowest operating costs and downtime. Manufactured at a highly advanced and fully automated plant in Baramati, Maharashtra, all

Piaggio vehicles adhere to the highest quality standards – a fact that is acknowledged by over 5 lakh satisfied customers across the country.

Seeing the gap between the lower end of the LCV category and the larger 3-wheelers, Piaggio has also recently launched ape' TRUK – India’s only international pickup in the sub one-tonne 4-wheeler category. Early reports from the 2 states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala where the vehicle has been launched are very encouraging and the ape' TRUK is quickly being recognized as a high performance vehicle that offers outstanding value for money. This product is now being rolled out to the rest of the country and launches are expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2008.

Piaggio also ensures that its high quality products are backed up by equally high standards of customer care. A network of over 600 sales and service outlets ensure pre and post-sales service that truly conforms to Piaggio’s standards anywhere in the world. Mobile service vans also help to reach out to customers with Piaggio care – right up to their doorsteps.

For More information please call:

Piaggio

Mr Ashutosh Khosla

Director Sales & Marketing

Mobile: 9823080417

IPAN

Aparna Srivastava

Mobile9811234594

Amit Mohile

Mobile9870516433